How to Deal with the Aftermath of a Fire in Your Bunnell Business

6/11/2015 (Permalink)

Suffering from a fire can be a major issue for any Bunnell business.

How to Deal with the Aftermath of a Fire in Your Business

Suffering from a fire can seem like an insurmountable issue for any Bunnell business. Hopefully, everyone makes it out safe and sound, but even a small fire can cause massive damage to your building, appliances, products and other possessions from the looming stench and harsh effects of smoke. Take the proper steps to protect what remains and clean up anything that may be experiencing Bunnell smoke or fire damage until our professional crews at SERVPRO can assess the situation, remove the smoke odors and clean up smoke and fire damage.

What You Should Do
Call SERVPRO for assistance as soon as possible. The smoke residue in your Bunnell home or business is corrosive, and the effects can start in as little as 72 hours. We have 24/7 emergency response crews around the country to get on the job as quickly as possible.

If it's at least 60 degrees outside, open the windows to start ventilating the rooms. Fresh air will be beneficial for both health and odor removal purposes.

Thoroughly clean off any items made of laminates, chrome, porcelain and aluminum to help prevent tarnishing and etching. Check if any items require specialized cleaning to ensure that the surface isn't damaged.

Using painters tape or masking tape and damp cheesecloth to cover the vents will help filter out soot that might be flowing through the ventilation system. If there are any open food packages in the affected areas, discard them immediately. Plants should be wiped off with a damp washcloth and brought outside for a while to get them fresh air and sunshine.

If the power needed to be shut off or went out during a Bunnell fire, clean out the refrigerators thoroughly and leave the doors open to air out any smoke odor. Any salvageable food items should be immediately put into a cooler or placed in or other refrigeration.

If there are clothing items that have been affected by smoke damage, we can refer you to professional restoration dry cleaners to get the smell out safely.

What You Shouldn't Do
Refrain from touching anything with your bare hands as the oils in your skin may cause further damage to the walls, woodwork, and upholstery. Wear rubber gloves at all times.

Don't attempt to wash the walls as you may end up soaking the soot into the paint, making it harder to remove. Additionally, do not try to clean upholstery or carpets with sprays or vacuums as this can also make the soot problem worse.

Don't use electrical devices or touch power cords without checking if they're safe.

Avoid using ceiling-mounted fixtures such as lights and fans if the ceiling is wet.

Locally Owned Company with National Resources

SERVPRO of Flagler County is locally owned and operated, so we are part of this community too. When you have a smoke or fire damage emergency, we’re already nearby and ready to help. We take pride in providing an essential service to the Palm Coast community and want to do our part in making it the best it can be.