If your house has recently undergone damage due to a fire, flood or natural disaster, it can be a traumatic experience for those who live there. You’ll see the comfort of your home destroyed beyond your control. You’ll want to grieve for this loss, and rightfully so.
However, once you can regroup, you’ll want to get the process of restoring your home underway as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more dangerous your house is to everything around it and could cause more damage.
If your home will be undergoing a restoration after a disaster, here are parts of the process you can expect to see. The first thing to do is to hire a restoration company that is trustworthy and reliable.
For the restoration process to begin, the company will need to know what caused the damage. Was it from a fire or a severe flood? The purpose of the restoration will factor the methods used and the overall cost of the renovation.
One of the longest steps of the process can be getting insurance approval to begin the restoration. Insurance takes time to determine the type and amount of coverage you have before releasing the funds to undertake repairs. Once you have the approval and money for your restoration, expect for things to take even more time to get professionals lined up for the project.
If there is flood damage in your home, flood, one of the steps taken before the restoration process is to test for any signs of mold. Standing water creates a breeding ground for mold to grow. If the water is not quickly removed and completely dried up, there is a high chance you will have mold in your home quite quickly.
Bring in an inspector to take samples from the ceiling and drywall after you have dried the whole room out. If the samples come back positive for mold, you’ll need to get it completely removed. Otherwise, mold will continue to grow and cause health problems down the road. However, if the samples come back negative, you’ll be able to start rebuilding.
One of the most significant parts with a fire damage restoration is to ensure the structural integrity of the home is not compromised. If it is, the how whole could be dangerous for anyone to go into, and you’re more likely better off rebuilding. If the structure, however, is still intact, you’ll be able to repair upon permission from the fire department and insurance company.
Part of the restoration on your end is to replace all personal documents and belongings. If the fire was quite extensive and you lost everything, you’ll need to start contacting local authorities and government offices to replace records like driver’s license, passport, marriage and birth certificates, and so on.
Part of the restoration process should include smoke damage. If left untreated, smoke seeps into the walls, furniture, clothing, and carpet, basically anything in your home that is in the open. Smoke is harmful to anyone to breathe in, so it is a serious step to ensure it is thoroughly completed.