Recovering After a House Fire

In many cultures, fire is a tool of ritualistic cleansing.

It’s capable of many things, including the complete destruction of a home in a matter of minutes. If your home has been ravaged by fire, once the initial emotional shock has worn off, there is a long to-do list that has to be completed to get your home, and your life, back together.

Most residents of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) can rest safe knowing that an emergency response team is only minutes away in a fire. While properties are still damaged extensively by fire, more is salvageable than ever before.

It can be hard to know where to start in the face of such devastation. We won’t tell you not to worry because we know that’s impossible, but we will tell you that we’re on your side.

Count Your Blessings

The first thing to remember after a fire is that if you and your family got out safely, and that’s all that matters. The fire department can point you in the direction of emergency assistance for everything, including clothes and toiletries to get you through the first few days. Every “thing” in the house can be replaced, except the people in it! It’s a big shock to the system, but you can rebound from this.

Before You Return to Your Home

Even if the fire was relatively small and put out quickly, there may be some lingering hazards to consider. The fire department will give the all-clear to re-enter the home once they have deemed it structurally safe, but that’s not the end of the danger period.

Obviously there is a lot of water involved in extinguishing a fire and water damage is nearly as much of a concern as fire damage. Once the water damage has been addressed, there is the potential hazard of a mould infestation further down the road.

It’s clear that there are a lot of moving parts in a fire restoration project. While you may be tempted to take on some of the clean-up on your own, it’s not recommended.

Working with a Fire Restoration Company in Toronto

Because there are many hazards that can be left behind after a fire, it’s best to be as thorough as possible when selecting companies to help restore your property.

A company that focuses exclusively on fire recovery help you with clean-up services in the immediate aftermath. They can use a process called dry ice blasting to clear the home of soot particles and the chemicals used to extinguish the fire. However, they can’t repair the water damage left behind.

A company that focuses on water damage restoration can help dry fixtures and furnishings in the house and repair or replace the damaged surfaces, but they likely won’t help address any mould contamination that comes long after the crisis has passed.

A disaster recovery specialist with expertise in fire recovery, water damage restoration AND mould remediation can provide a total home restoration. This will save you energy, and your cell phone battery, from the frustration of multiple calls to multiple companies at an already stressful time.