Nobody can plan for or see the fire coming beforehand — there's a reason they call it an emergency.
We completely understand this at Boone's Restoration Technologies, which is why we offer fast emergency fire damage repair and emergency smoke damage cleanup services. Smoke and fire damage don't take weekends or holidays off, so our 24-hour fire damage cleanup is always available, ready to show up at your Houston home or business in a hurry. After you call the Houston fire department, make sure your next call is to Boone's Restoration!
In any emergency fire damage repair situation, a fast response is critical to salvaging as much of your Houston property as possible. Know that you have absolutely no time to waste, and an immediate response helps minimize the overall damage and can limit cleaning and restoration costs in Houston. Water damage can be quite extensive after a fire, as the amount of water the fire department needs to extinguish the fire at your Houston home or business can seep into your walls, furniture, and flooring.
Often, smoke damage can be a bigger problem than the fire itself. Smoke damage can render your Houston home completely unlivable, and if you don't get on top of the damage with responsive emergency smoke damage cleanup, you could be out of your home for quite a while. A fast response by a highly qualified team can help rid your valuables of smoke before it sets in for good.
Every fire is unique and requires a different cleanup depending on the chemicals involved in the fire at your Houston business. Our team understands this completely at Boone's Restoration Technologies, which is why we provide 24-hour fire damage cleanup so we can assess your situation as soon as it happens. From there, we can determine the best way to attack the cleanup job, saving as much of your valuables assets as possible. Without the proper equipment and resources to fight the fire damage, you could be looking at permanent damage, so always choose a qualified company and never do it yourself.
It's never a quick fix, though we've gathered together a multi-discipline team of contractors and technicians to work in tandem to complete the work as soon as possible. From structural repairs to sand/soda-blasting to odor removal to contents cleaning, our fire damage restoration crew begins as soon as the project scope is determined, and we don't stop until the job is done and both you and the insurance company are satisfied with the results.
Most often, yes. You'll need to check your specific policy for the full scope of coverage, but generally, it's covered if a flame caused the damage. Your best bet is to hire a professional restoration to help you through the claims process. We know how to avoid some common missteps when it comes to making sure the entire loss is documented and covered. Many homeowners and insurance companies forget, for instance, to consider that your HVAC system will need to be cleaned of soot. Since fires are extinguished using water, many areas of your home may need to be restored due to water damage, even if they weren't directly affected by the fire.
Depending on the extent or location of the fire damage, some homeowners can move back in a few days or longer. The fire department will usually turn off electricity and gas to the property immediately, which won't be restored until a building inspector says it's safe to turn those utilities back on. Suppose you experienced significant smoke damage and the home's occupants include elderly persons, young children, or those with chronic health conditions. In that case, you may be wise to stay until the smoke cleanup is complete. Contracting with a company experienced in fire damage restoration can often get you back home sooner because they'll have the resources to hire and manage the many tradespeople who will need to work together to make the home liveable again.
DIY soot removal is not recommended. Commercially available products can actually cause permanent damage to surfaces. Soot itself is primarily oil-based, but that residue also contains toxic, possibly biohazard contaminants.
Smoke damage is rarely limited to one area of the house, and it leaves behind a residue that can hide in crevices and out-of-reach areas, and a simple "airing out" may not be sufficient. We recommend consulting with a smoke damage technician who can help you troubleshoot the next steps.
Insurance coverage is very situationally dependent. Each policy from each different company will have different levels and types of coverage. The best way to know if your damage is covered is to keep a copy of your policy on hand and call your agent directly with any questions you might have.
As a homeowner, seeing your home damaged is extremely stressful and it's difficult to know the right course of action. Will trying to clean up on your own help or just make things worse? No matter what kind of damage you've incurred, the very first thing you should do is take photographs as long as the area is safe for you to be in. If you have water damage, the best thing to do is extract as much standing water as you possibly can while you wait for help. If you have fans, set them to start drying things as much as possible. They won't be enough to completely dry the area, but they can help to minimize the chance of secondary damages. In the event of mold or fire, it's best to just leave the damage alone until a professional can address it. Disturbed mold can disperse spores throughout the home and fire damages can be made worse if improper cleaning techniques are used.