5 Steps To Take After Commercial Fire Damage
11/8/2020 (Permalink)
Commercial Fire Restoration Process
It can be difficult to keep your cool when a commercial building you own, lease or manage is on fire. Here are five steps to take during the critical period of time between extinguishing a blaze and the start of fire restoration.
1. Contact a Commercial Restoration Service
Get restoration professionals with experience working in commercial environments on site within hours after a fire. Scheduling a timely inspection and obtaining an accurate estimate are helpful for making a fire insurance claim.
2. Prepare To Make a Property Damage Claim
Documenting damage is the most important part of preparing to make an insurance claim. Take photos or videos of every portion of a commercial building affected by fire. Keep in mind that coverage may be available for indirect heat or smoke damage in addition to direct fire damage.
3. Mitigate Fire Damage
Board up any shattered windows, destroyed doors or breached walls. In addition to preventing the elements and debris from entering a structure, these are also good security measures.
4. Secure the Premises
Restricting access to a damaged commercial building until fire restoration takes place can help to keep down costs and manage liability risks. A combination of boards, tarp and fencing should go a long way toward discouraging most trespassers.
5. Start Cleanup Quickly
Fast fire damage and smoke cleaning can limit the severity of primary and secondary damage. It may be necessary to extract standing water left behind after suppression before eliminating smoke, soot and ruined materials.
These five pragmatic measures can guide commercial property owners and managers through the earliest stages of mitigation and cleanup. Relying on a one-stop shop for these services and fire restoration can also expedite the entire process and make it easier to provide insurers with an accurate estimate of the total cost to fix fire damage at a building in Denver, CO.