5 Things You Need to Do After a House Fire
A house fire is stressful for any family, regardless of its severity. Because of this, you may not always think clearly or properly after the fire. However, you must stay calm and not make any impulsive decisions.
In this article, we’re going to discuss 5 steps you need to take in the event of a house fire. Following these steps will ensure that problems don’t arise later on. Also, you’ll guarantee you and your family’s safety and avoid issues with your insurance company.
1. First, ventilate the house after the fire
The first thing to do once the fire has been extinguished is to ventilate the house. Any smoke that is trapped inside can be extremely dangerous, so it must be allowed to escape as soon as possible.
This isn’t like ventilating a room in the morning. Half an hour isn’t enough. If you have a smoke detector installed, it will alert you to how much smoke there still is in the house.
We recommended you keep the windows open for at least a couple of days. During this time, you should seek shelter with other family members or friends, and try to restore calmness and order. The smell of smoke easily permeates the air, and it takes a while for the smell to completely go away.
2. Call the insurance company
If you have homeowner’s insurance, don’t touch anything. Just open the windows as we’ve stated in the previous section. The insurance company will assess the damage based on what they see.
If you clean the house and dispose of any appliances or items, the insurance company won’t be able to assess the damage effectively. They should come to your home quickly, so you won’t have to wait.
Depending on the type of insurance you have, the company will inform you of what damages they cover. You’ll also have to agree on the repairs.
Some insurance companies prefer to issue the money to the homeowner and allow them to hire their own professionals. In contrast, other larger companies have their own workforce.
3. Do not use any appliances
Something else to take into consideration is the use of appliances. Under no circumstances should you turn on the light, plug in any electrical devices, or turn on the heating.
After the fire, some of your appliances may be damaged. That’s why turning them on can be even more dangerous than the fire itself.
Therefore, do not use any appliances after the fire. Before using them again, a professional needs to inspect them for damage. If they pass the check, then they can be used again.
4. Gather your most important documents
After the fire, you may have to vacate your home for a few days. Depending on the state of your residence, you may not be able to gain access to your home. The only way to deal with this is to stay calm and be patient.
When you are allowed into your home look for the most important documents, for example, the house deeds, insurance papers, credit cards, and identity documents.
If you have time, you can take your most personal belongings. We suggest you buy a safe and secure your documents inside so they’ll be protected and in one place.
5. Make a list of damage after a house fire
As we have previously mentioned, after a house fire, you need to contact your insurance company and follow their procedures for filing a claim.
To facilitate this process, you can make a list of all the items that have been damaged. To prevent damage, we recommend that you take a look at safety measures when decorating your home.
Making lists is a very effective form of organization. Also, you’ll be able to assess the entire damage in a much more effective way.
If you have invoices, you can provide the exact amount of the losses to the insurance company. This will make it much easier to calculate the amount of payout and reach a deal with them.
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