Fire Damage Emergency Tips

What you can do until help arrives

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Our team at SERVPRO of Fair Oaks / Folsom, understands how fire or soot damage can be a surprise, is often very stressful and devastating.  Knowing to trust our professional team is always the first tip of advice.  Our experienced team answers our phones 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including holidays.  That way our crews will ready to get onsite right away to prevent further damage and begin the drying process.  In the mean time, there are some good tips we can pass along called, "What to do until help arrives".

1)  Talk with your fire department to make sure it is safe to enter the structure.  You also need to find out if their cause and origin is still conducting their investigation.

2)  Protect yourself and others when entering the structure.  Watch out for debris, trip hazards and loose structure items.

3)  At the minimum, wear N-95 dust masks and gloves to limit the amount of soot particles you are breathing.  Also limit your time in the structure to short intervals.

4)  Consider locating any medications, cell phones / chargers, cash / jewelry or other expensive items.  You might want to remove them since fire damaged homes are a target for theft.

5)  If removing items from the structure, consider how those contaminated items can cross contaminate other structures.

6)  Keep a written record of what items you are removing and what location they were moved to.

Have Smoke or Fire Damage? Call (916) 987-0400

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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