You’ve Had a Commercial Fire. Now What?

3/23/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO walks with you through every step of the fire damage restoration process! In this photo, SERVPRO has contained kitchen fire damage.

Business owners in San Diego, CA have likely considered every possibility when it comes to their insurance policy. You don’t want to have to use it, but you want to make sure you have it. Those who are in the unfortunate position of having to use their fire insurance policy can often feel overwhelmed and unsure of where to start. Thankfully, these policies are built to take care of everything and allow you to simply write the checks and sign the documents. To have a better understanding of how the process works, however, we’ve included a few tips to help set your mind at ease.

1. Your First Call

Once you’ve determined the safety of your employees, and the fire department has handled the flames, your first call should be to your insurance company. They will often have a preferred disaster restoration professional, but many will also allow you to choose whichever company you may prefer. At any rate, the disaster professionals will handle the problem from this point forward.

2. Inspection and Board-Up

Once the fire restoration professionals have arrived on the scene, they will immediately begin the inspection process. One of the most important parts of this process will be identifying the assets and belongings that can be salvaged and those that cannot. They will also assess the severity of smoke, soot and fire damage, and designate areas for smoke cleaning. Once that’s out of the way, any destroyed windows or ceilings will be covered with boards and tarps to prevent further damage from the elements.

3. Water and Fire Damage Treatment

If the sprinklers in your commercial building caused severe water damage, it will be addressed first before the smoke and fire damage. This will include state-of-the-art equipment and techniques to remove moisture from walls and surfaces. These professionals are also trained to remove soot and smoke damage from the premises as part of the fire restoration process.

4. Finishing Touches

Once the damaged items are treated, the fire restoration professionals will clean and sanitize the salvageable items in the building and attempt to restore it to its pre-fire condition, including any necessary structural repairs.