Fire damage is more complicated than it appears. Fire can also cause damage that is difficult to detect. Water damage and smoke/soot damage are the two main culprits. Knowing about these additional effects on your property and how to deal with them can help you get a fair reimbursement for your claim.
Soot/Smoke Damage
One of the primary hidden damages of a fire loss is smoke/soot damage. To determine whether you have smoke/soot damage, look for the following signs:
Fabric and upholstery with stains
Discoloration of the paint
Pipes, jewelry, and other metal objects rust, pit, and corrode.
Damage to the flooring
You must address the smoke and soot damage as soon as possible! This is not the time to try a do-it-yourself fix to save money on your home’s restoration after a fire. The cost of hiring a professional to remove smoke and soot damage from your home will be covered by your insurance policy.
Smoke/soot damage that is not properly addressed can have long-term consequences for both your health and your property. During fire restoration, smoke/soot can enter the body through the skin, eyes, inhalation, and ingestion. Because airborne soot particulates are invisible, you may be affected without realizing it. Soot can cause respiratory problems, shortness of breath, bronchitis, asthma, stroke, heart attack, cancer, and even death if it gets into your bloodstream. Even short-term exposure to soot in infants has been shown to have long-term health consequences.
Soot is usually a significant contributor to property damage after a fire because it can linger on surfaces and get inside of your electronics, appliances, and other property. Furthermore, the longer it remains, the more difficult it is to remove. As a result, make sure you hire a professional cleaning service that knows how to get the job done quickly.
Water
You must first deal with the water damage caused by smoke/soot before dealing with the fire damage caused by smoke/soot. Although it’s a relief when the fire is put out, pouring all that water on the flames causes water damage, which can lead to structural issues, damage to your electronic devices, appliances, furniture, and important documents, and, if not addressed quickly, dangerous mold growth.
Black mold spores can cause nausea, headaches, and severe respiratory problems when they are released into the air. Children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable. Pets may also experience health issues as a result of the spread of black mold.
It’s critical to address water damage as soon as possible so that (1) you can focus on the rest of the damage and (2) you can ensure that hazardous mold does not grow on your property and negatively impact your and your family’s health. This is something that homeowners are unlikely to be able to do on their own. Hiring a professional emergency restoration service is the only viable solution to the dangerous effects of water damage. When mold is the result of a covered cause of loss, most homeowners insurance policies cover the cost of mold remediation.