Fire Damage Emergency Tips

What you can do until help arrives

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After experiencing any fire damage, prioritize your safety with these essential tips:

  1. Assess safety: Determine if it's safe to stay in your home, being mindful of electrical and slip hazards.
  2. Limit movement: Minimize activity to prevent soot particles from embedding into carpets and upholstery.
  3. Maintain cleanliness: Keep hands clean to avoid further soiling of walls, woodwork, and upholstery.
  4. Protect surfaces: Place clean towels or old linens on high-traffic carpet areas and prop open freezer and refrigerator doors if electricity is off.
  5. Handle with care: Apply a light coating of petroleum jelly or oil to protect chrome surfaces, and wash houseplants on both sides of leaves.
  6. Change filters: Replace the HVAC filter and tape double layers of cheesecloth over air registers.
  7. Contact professionals: Avoid attempting to clean walls, painted surfaces, or electrical appliances without consulting experts.
  8. Food safety: Refrain from consuming canned or packaged food and beverages stored near the fire, heat, or water.
  9. Electrical caution: Do not turn on ceiling fixtures if the ceiling is wet, as the wiring may be damaged.
  10. Professional cleaning: Opt for authorized professionals to clean garments, as improper cleaning can set smoke odor.

If you've experienced smoke or fire damage, don't hesitate to call our experts at (609) 301-8786. We're here to assist you with prompt and efficient restoration services.

Have Smoke or Fire Damage? Call (609) 301-8786

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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