Fire Damage Emergency Tips

What you can do until help arrives

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After any fire damage your primary focus should be safety. 

Contact emergency services to get your local fire department out.

Open all windows and doors to ventilate and help get the smoke out as much as possible. This will lessen some minor issues to your material belongings.

Do not clean anything yourself as soot and smoke can be dangerous without the proper gear. Instead, cover any clean and unaffected pieces of furniture with plastic.

Keep hands clean to avoid furthering soiling of walls, woodwork, and upholstery.

Limit traffic in the home as to not spread soot into unaffected rooms.

Unplug electronics and call an electrician if the fire caused significant damage because it could have caused electrical and wiring damage that cannot be seen.

Throw out food that was directly exposed to smoke and empty your freezer and refrigerator if electricity is off.

Store valuables such as photographs in sealed zip lock baggy.

Have Smoke or Fire Damage? Call (559) 797-4041

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.