Fire Damage Emergency Tips

What you can do until help arrives

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Tips After a Fire from your Danbury SERVPRO

After your home or business has suffered fire damage, safety is your number one priority. There may be structural insecurity, extensive smoke, soot particles that can affect your health, dangerous electrical considerations as well as "slip and fall" risks are hazards after fire-fighting efforts.

Recovering from a fire requires hard work and patience. The professionals at SERVPRO of Danbury/ Ridgefield provide services such as fire restoration, water restoration clean up, carpet and upholstery cleaning, odor removal, and building services in your residential and commercial property.

Until we arrive, there are a few things to consider:

  • Entering your home. Do not go inside until authorities, such as a fire marshal, have given the okay.
  • Insurance. An immediate consideration is contacting your insurance company.
  • Documentation. Create an itemized list of what was damaged and the value of each item.
  • Do Not Move Anything. For the record, your insurance may want photos and videos of the damage.
  • Relocation. Even if the fire was minimal, residual toxins could endanger your health, so consider temporarily living quarters until things get cleaned.
  • Secure Valuables. Relocate valuables to a safe location.
  • Notify Authorities. Alert police that your home is damaged, and you may not be staying at your home.

We know the aftermath of fire makes you feel devastated. Our SERVPRO of Danbury / Ridgefield team can help guide you through this crisis to make your fire damage "Like it never even happened."

Have Smoke or Fire Damage? Call (203) 791-0920

What To Do After A Fire

  • Limit movement in the home to prevent soot particles from being embedded into upholstery and carpets.
  • Keep hands clean so as not to further soil upholstery, walls and woodwork.
  • Place clean towels or old linens on rugs, upholstery and carpet traffic areas.
  • If electricity is off, empty freezer and refrigerator and prop doors open.
  • Clean and protect chrome with light coating of petroleum jelly or oil.
  • Wash houseplants on both sides of leaves.
  • Change HVAC filter.
  • Tape double layers of cheesecloth over air registers.

What NOT To Do After A Fire

  • Don't attempt to wash any walls or painted surfaces or shampoo carpet or upholstery without contacting us.
  • Don't attempt to clean any electrical appliances that may have been close to fire, heat or water without consulting an authorized repair service.
  • Don't use any canned or packaged food or beverages that may have been stored near the fire, heat or water.
  • Don't turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet. The wiring may be damaged.
  • Don't send garments to an ordinary dry cleaner. Improper cleaning may set smoke odor.

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