5 Things to Do After a House Fire Emergency
Your house was on fire and burned down to the ground. You feel panic and don’t know what you should do. House fire can happen to anyone so it is important to educate yourself on what to do when the disaster happen to you. The following are 5 things to do after a house fire emergency.
1. Contact Your Friends
Firstly, you should call your friends and tell them that your house has been burned down by a fire. They can comfort you and advise you on what to do in the fire restoration process. They may be able to provide a place for you and your family members to stay temporarily.
2. Create a List of Items Damaged by the Fire
The next step is to create a list of items that have been damaged by the fire so that you can get some compensation for them. The insurance company will ask for information such as model and serial no., and the receipt. If you have a camera, you can take photos of them. Besides, you should also create a list of important documents such as birth certificates, passports, and medical history. The agent will review the list and let you know the items that can be reimbursed for the claim.
3. Contact the Insurance Company
After that, you will have contact your home insurance agent to file for the claim. The agent will discuss with you about all the expenses that will be covered such as mortgages and other recurring expenses. Since you will not be at home, you should consider canceling expenses such as internet and cable subscriptions. The insurance company can contact the fire restoration and smoke odor removal companies on your behalf to handle the cleanup process.
4. Don’t Reenter the House Until It Is Deemed Safe
If you want to return to the house to get something, you should wait until after the fire restoration process. The insurance company must give you the approval that it is safe to reenter the house. This is because the house structure may have been weakened by the fire and something could collapse and fall on you when you enter the house. In some insurance companies, they will void some of your claims when you reenter the house.
5. Remove Undamaged Possessions from the House
If your house is deemed safe to reenter, you should go back and remove all the undamaged possessions. After these items have been removed, make sure you clean them. You can seek help from professional cleaning services to clean the undamaged possessions. Professional cleaning services are equipped with the necessary tools to restore the items affected by the fire. These possessions can be kept in a rented storage unit temporarily. Removing the undamaged possessions will make it easier for the crews to carry out the repair work.
