After a Catastrophic Fire, Identify All of the Damage

11/30/2018 (Permalink)

If your business has been affected by a fire, it is important that you identify both fire damage and water damage when getting back on your feet. Determining the losses from both the flames and the fire hose water can save your business time and money when returning to business.

What Did the Fire Affect?

Visible signs of damage can range from soot and charring to smoke stains and discoloration. Make sure to go office by office, room by room and location by location to determine what has been burned as well as what has been otherwise impacted by the blaze. A variety of specific areas will likely require attention:

• Floors, walls and ceilings that have been burned, charred and stained
• Areas that have residual smoke odors, such as carpeting, cubicle walls and office furnishings
• Electrical wires, cables, conduits and plumbing fixtures that could have been destroyed, weakened, melted or suffered other heat-related fire damage
• Office equipment, computers, telephone systems, server rooms and manufacturing equipment that was directly in the line of fire or affected by smoke, ash and soot
• Sensors, tools and small appliances that can require recalibration or cleaning

What Did the Fire Hose Affect?

When extinguishing a fire, first responders use a lot of water to put out the flames and embers. When water is introduced to parts of your business that have never been wet, the effects can slow your recovery if you don't analyze everything promptly.

After the firefighters leave, ponding water and puddles are obvious. However, moisture in cabinets, closets and files can be easily missed. If it is left standing or stagnating in a warm area, water damage and subsequent mold and mildew growth can spread quickly. Additionally, wet ceiling tiles that sag are a danger for employees if they become too heavy and start crashing down. Make sure to also check storage tanks to ensure condensation has not contaminated the contents.

When addressing water and fire damage , be sure to find the right commercial building restoration service that can correct all of the damage and get you back in business as quickly as possible.