Caring For Your Belongings Following a Fire

2/26/2019 (Permalink)

Fire damages will affect both the structure of your home and your belongings, as well. Smoke and soot can ruin furniture, clothing, and keepsakes-- the very things that make a house a home.

It may be necessary to contact professional help when it comes to restoring items affected by fire damage, or water damage and mold growth, too. The expertise of such a company can help you save money in the long run, all while preserving those precious, irreplaceable heirlooms. There are several methods that can be used to clean your items:

• Dry Cleaning. For cleaning lighter residues as well as for preparation before wet-cleaning.
• Wet Cleaning. Effective for removing both moderate and heavy residues.
• Spray and Wipe Cleaning. Used for items that cannot be wet-cleaned.
• Foam Cleaning. For upholstery and other fabrics that can shrink or bleed if wet-cleaned.
• Abrasive Cleaning. Uses agitation of any surface being cleaned.
• Immersion Cleaning. A bath of cleaning product is used; items are dipped in and soaked.

Electronics that have been damaged by fire often present serious hazards. No device should be turned on if it could possibly have been damaged by fire. Smoke residues contain acids that corrode metal surfaces, and if they are not removed, that corrosion can cause electronic failure in that device. Taking prompt action will prevent further damages to your devices. Some of the devices you should be careful of include:

• Computers
• Television sets
• DVD players
• Cell phones
• iPads and Tablets

When documents, such as photographs, contracts, wills, etc. are damaged by water or fire, extreme care will need to be taken to ensure the document is not completely lost. Although in some cases it may not be possible to return every document to pre-fire condition, a professional restoration company can certainly save a good deal of them and minimize additional damage. Depending on the type of document and level of damage, there are five professional methods used for document restoration:

• Air Drying.
• Freezer Drying
• Dehumidifying
• Vacuum Freeze/Vacuum Thermal Drying

When you have suffered a fire, handling the damages following that fire can be overwhelming. The SERVPRO of Belle Meade / West Nashville team can help you in caring for your belongings and premises during this process.