Post Fire Water Cleanup

10/29/2021 (Permalink)

Apartment fire in Arcadia, OK.

Water Cleanup Following a Fire

Water cleanup after a fire in Arcadia, OK, can sometimes cause more stress than the fire itself. If the fire department gets to your home early enough, the fire may be put out before it can cause too much damage. The damage done during this period, however, can still be extremely costly.

Damage Caused by Water

A fire hose can spray 90 gallons per minute at a force great enough to crush simple furniture, and sometimes a firefighter will have to break through windows, walls, or doors. Water from a fire hose can also cause lasting damage if left alone. It can discolor furniture, build mildew in the walls or rugs, and cause mold to grow on carpet and furniture. Damage to second floors can create sagging areas that need to be carefully worked around until structural repairs can be made.

Tips for Water Cleanup After a Fire

If a fire damaged your commercial building, follow these water and smoke cleanup steps:

• Always have a professional service worker examine electronics and appliances that have been exposed to water before attempting to use them in post fire cleanup.
• Open windows and place fans as needed to properly ventilate carpet and furniture, and help speed up the drying process.
• Separate clothing and fabric for easier drying, and send a small sample for professional cleaning to get rid of the smoke smell. A test sample will tell you whether or not your clothing is salvageable, or if you need to throw out damaged items.
• Dry out furniture by opening drawers and cabinets, unless they’re stuck. Forcing swollen drawers to open could cause worse damage.

Water cleanup can feel like an enormous task, especially if the damage extends throughout your home, but there are a variety of ways to make cleanup semi-painless, including reaching out to fire restoration professionals. Always carefully go through your belongings to salvage whatever is possible as soon as it’s safe, and ventilate your home to help dry residual water and air out the smoke.