Experiencing a house fire is terrifying, and facing the aftermath of it is daunting. There’s a lot that can happen to your house because of fire damage, no matter how small or contained the fire was. Being proactive in your approach after a fire is the best way to ensure you have a speedy and painless restoration, and one that’s hopefully covered by your insurance. By completing the following steps as soon as possible, you’ll help your house recover from a fire as if it never happened.
Get a Copy of the Fire Report and Have Your Home Inspected
When firefighters put out a fire, they always make a detailed report. The report includes the size and severity of the fire, the location of the fire, and the initial survey of the damage caused. You can call your local fire department for this information.
Afterward, you’ll want to have your home properly inspected. Firefighters are trained to put out fires, not necessarily to catalog all the damage. Your local fire department will provide you with a list of qualified inspectors, but you can also get an inspection and report from a fire restoration company that will provide a quote on how much it will cost to restore your home.
Contact Your Insurance Company
After you have the initial reports and inspections on your home, call your insurance company to report the file and open a claim. With all the information on hand before you call, you’ll be able to expedite the process and get answers about your policy faster. Most insurance companies cover house fires no matter the cause, but the amount paid out may differ.
If you’re unsure about what your policy covers, call your insurance adjuster before the inspection. There may be specific things you’ll need to have examined to help support your claim.
Protect Your Home
Depending on the scale of the fire damage, you may need to take extra precautions to keep your home safe after a fire, especially if you can’t stay in the house during repairs. There are several ways your house can be exposed to further damage after a fire, so any broken windows or other destroyed openings to your home should be boarded up and covered. This will keep out unwanted guests and environmental hazards such as rain or snow. You can also call your local police department and ask them to check on the house periodically.
Protecting your home also includes proactively getting ahead of the damage caused by the fire before repairs begin. Keeping windows and doors open while you’re on the site will help clear out any smoke damage, and the fresh air and cross breeze can help keep on top of water damage from the fire department’s hoses.
When your house sustains any kind of damage, restoring it can be a hassle. But if you stay on top of the work and gather all the information you need ahead of time, you can breeze through the insurance process and get started on repairs sooner. If your home was recently damaged in a fire, call Insight Restoration today at (208) 427-3042. Our certified and experienced technicians are ready to help you get your home back to working condition.
