Fire & Water Restoration Ideas

Structural Improvements

• Fire or flood damage can initially be upsetting and cause confusion to the owners of an affected property, but there are ways to make your house even better than it was to begin with. Removing and replacing damaged walls, floors and chimney breasts are top priorities for fixing burned or flooded buildings. With the right structural supports, such as new joists or concrete beams, you can investigate having open-plan areas and making changes to your interior which you might not otherwise have considered.

Flooring and Stairs

• Carpets and wooden flooring can be especially badly damaged by floods, and stairs are often burned away during house fires, so plan their restoration and replacement carefully. Always make sure the basic structures beneath a new floor or staircase are sound and solid; ask a professional to check the integrity of the beams and floorboards. Replace any damaged basics first, then design the new layout with an open mind. You could put your staircase in a new location or choose a more modern floor covering.

Smoke and Odor Removal

• Treat or remove porous, absorbent items in your home to make sure the smell of smoke does not continue affecting your life. This is essential after a house fire, but can sometimes be forgotten. Different types of fires (for example a fire caused by a gas boiler exploding vs. a fire caused by a cooking pan) create different types of ingrained smells in your walls, on furniture and in the carpets. Some cabinets and cupboards can be cleaned effectively, but others cannot. It depends on the extent of damage and the type of surface. Dehumidifiers, air movers, generators and air scrubbers are used to clean the home, according to Smoke Clean. To remove soot and smells from clothes, dissolve 4 to 6 tablespoons of trisodium phosphate mixed with one cup of Lysol or household bleach in one gallon of water, according to the University of Florida. Be careful when bleaching colorful items, as they may not retain their vibrancy.

Security

• Unfortunately, some burglars see a partly damaged home as an opportunity to gain easy access to your remaining valuables. So, another consideration when dealing with the aftermath of a fire or flood is making sure your belongings and property are secure and safe during the restoration. Some professional companies offer a boarding service, in which wooden or metal window and door coverings can be placed over open holes where the original door or window were smashed by fire or rescue services. Put as many of your belongings into storage as you can during remediation work.

Mold Remediation

• One of the main types of cleaning required following a flood is removal of mold and prevention of the subsequent regrowth. Mold produces mycotoxins, which are harmful to our respiratory tract, our children's general health and to household pets if the mold is left to grow and spore in an indoor environment. Opening windows to ventilate is not enough to solve the problem. According to A&I Restoration, mold grows in low-light conditions, when there is little flow of air and temperatures of between 68 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit.