Fire and smoke
Fire and smoke damage in Missouri City
A fire leaves three problems: char, soot and smell, and the water that put it out. The last one is the one that keeps getting worse after the flames are gone.
Say the street address first. Calling soon after a loss helps.
Safety comes before cleanup
- Do not enter a building that the fire department has not cleared.
- Do not turn on appliances that were near the fire or soaked.
- Wash hands and face after handling anything with soot on it.
- Do not eat food that was exposed to heat or smoke.
Ask the fire department when the structure is safe to enter and whether utilities were shut off.
What smoke does to a house
Soot settles on walls, ceilings and contents, and some of it is oily and smears when wiped. Smoke odor lodges in porous materials such as upholstery and insulation.
Cleaning methods differ with the type of soot, so the contractor identifies it before choosing a method.
The water side of a fire
Hose water and sprinkler water soak ceilings, wall cavities and floors below the fire. Drying starts as soon as the building is safe to enter.
That part of the work is the same as any other water loss, and the same rules about photographs, receipts and temporary repairs apply.
Water is still moving. Call about it now.
Describe what happened, give the street address, and the call is routed to an independent restoration contractor.