Fire Damage Tips (Do’s & Don’ts)

  • Contact a professional cleaner who specializes in fire/water damage restoration
  • Secure your property by boarding broken windows and doors
  • If possible take pictures of the fire area to photo document the damage to the building and contents
  • After photo documenting the area, eliminate all access to the fire area until the fire department and your insurance company have done their investigation.
  • Limit access to the entire building to prevent further damage.
  • Place towels or sheets on carpet traffic areas and soft furniture to prevent soiling from worsening.
  • Place cardboard on tile flooring to limit additional soiling on tile surface and grout.
  • If the electricity is off empty your refrigerator and freezer.
  • If the electricity is still on, turn off your HVAC system to limit the spread of soot & smoke. If you need to maintain heat to keep the building from freezing, change the filters frequently.
  • If water from the fire fighting is coming through ceiling electrical outlets/fixtures, isolate those circuits by turning off the electricity at the breaker panel.
  • Do not use foods that were open prior to the fire and canned goods exposed to heat.
  • Do not attempt cleaning painted or porous surfaces before you talk to a professional cleaner.
  • Do not clean electrical appliances.
  • Do not attempt to clean personal property before seeking advice from a professional cleaner.
Contact a professional cleaner who specializes in fire/water damage restoration
Secure your property by boarding broken windows and doors
If possible take pictures of the fire area to photo document the damage to the building and contents
After photo documenting the area, eliminate all access to the fire area until the fire department and your insurance company have done their investigation.
Limit access to the entire building to prevent further damage.
Place towels or sheets on carpet traffic areas and soft furniture to prevent soiling from worsening.
Place cardboard on tile flooring to limit additional soiling on tile surface and grout.
If the electricity is off empty your refrigerator and freezer.
If the electricity is still on, turn off your HVAC system to limit the spread of soot & smoke. If you need to maintain heat to keep the building from freezing, change the filters frequently.
If water from the fire fighting is coming through ceiling electrical outlets/fixtures, isolate those circuits by turning off the electricity at the breaker panel.
Do not use foods that were open prior to the fire and canned goods exposed to heat.
Do not attempt cleaning painted or porous surfaces before you talk to a professional cleaner.
Do not clean electrical appliances.
Do not attempt to clean personal property before seeking advice from a professional cleaner.