Why Fire Damage is the Worst Damage

1/16/2024 (Permalink)

Fires typically start in the kitchen, but most fire damage can be restored if the fire is put out in time, and a restoration company is called.

As a leader in disaster restoration, SERVPRO of Greater Northern Charleston and Dorchester County understands that there are levels of damage in all scenarios that go from bad to worst.  With commercial and residential property there are many different types of disaster that can occur, from storm related leaks, to appliance failure caused flooding, from mold and mildew, to biohazards caused by sewer backups, you name it, we can mitigate it.  But there is one disaster that reigns over all of them when it comes to property damage, and that is fire damage.  Why is fire damage so bad?

Simply put, fire damage is the worst kind of damage a property can undergo because fire can render materials completely unusable to the point of being destroyed and needing replacement.  And where there is fire, there is smoke, soot and water.  So on top of the damage directly caused by the fire to the contents and materials of the property, there is the added damage caused by the water used to put out the fire and the smoke that permeates throughout the home, getting into all porous and non-porous materials.  Fire departments have one mission when they respond to a fire, and it’s not necessarily to save the property on fire, it typically to save the neighborhood around the property on fire.  And the fire department will save the neighborhood any way they can, and that usually means dumping as much water as possible, and as necessary, into the property to put out the fire. 

But not all is lost.  Even the most heavily damaged property, due to fire, can be restored.   It’s not a fast or easy process, but there is hope when you work with a professional restoration company who are certified to handle fire and soot damage.  The sooner you bring in the experts the better.  Minutes matter when it comes to restoration of damaged and wet materials.  Many materials can be cleaned of soot, and many can also be dried out from water and moisture.  But time is of the essence, and it’s critical that mitigation starts as soon as possible.  It can depend on the length of a fire investigation, and the release of the site after insurance adjusters have determined cause and coverage, but once that process is complete, you will want the mitigation and restoration work to begin.

You cannot easily plan for a disaster, but you can be better prepared.  Beyond taking important measures to assure your property is safeguarded from potential fire hazards you can also work with us here at SERVPRO of Greater Northern Charleston & Dorchester County on an Emergency Ready Profile.  Creating a profile with us provides an important plan on appropriate steps to take in case of any disaster, but it also puts you directly in connection with a disaster restoration company, that can be dispatched out to you with the push of a button using our app-based Emergency Ready Profile.  Consider our complimentary Emergency Ready Profile today, it can work for both commercial and residential properties. 

Fire damage is the worst, but it doesn’t have to be the conclusion.  A property can be restored if a fire has been contained enough to salvage enough of the property to make it whole again.  If your property has been damaged by fire and you would like us to provide an assessment for restoration, call us today at 843.552.1226.  We are the experts on fire damage, and we can help you determine what needs to be replaced, and what can be restored.  But minutes matter, so call us now, not later.