After a kitchen fire is contained and everyone is safe, use these tips to start your fire restoration process.
A lot takes place in the kitchen, more than any other place in any home. It is where we prepare and cook meals, congregate with family and friends, and sometimes work from to pay bills. Even a small kitchen fire, therefore, can cause damage and interrupt your daily routine.
While kitchen fires are sometimes unavoidable, the key thing to do in the event it happens is to keep yourself and everyone else safe before thinking about how to restore the kitchen.
After the fire is contained and you’re thinking about next steps, here’s a few things to keep in mind.
Take precautions
Smoke damage is likely to spread even after a fire ceases. It is advisable to contact fire restoration professionals or the fire department to help initiate the restoration process, even for what might seem like insignificant kitchen fires. These professionals will help you identify damages in concealed areas, such as the electrical system, gas networks, and air conditioning systems.
Stay away from the kitchen during the process to avoid allergies or respiratory complications from smoke by-products. Once you have the go-ahead to access the kitchen, wear protective clothing to avoid injuries.
Get protective equipment
You don’t want to risk health complications and maybe long-term issues from soot, smoke, and other corrosive products. Gather the right equipment and clothing, including masks, pants, boots, and long-sleeved tops, before entering the kitchen to begin the restoration process to guarantee safety.
Assess the damage
Ensure you take pictures of the damage before moving or cleaning the affected things. Record all the details and create an inventory of everything that has been damaged to help with your insurance claim. Contact your insurance company to send an agent to assess the damage and cost of all the necessary repairs.
It is advisable not to clean or make any repairs until the agent from the insurance company is done assessing the damage to make a claim and gives you the green light to move forward.
Proceed with the restoration process
Engage professionals to handle the fire restoration process since they have the expertise and training using tools and processes to restore your kitchen in the best, quickest, safest, and most effective way. But you can endeavour to help with the restoration process by protecting yourself and others and prevent further damage.
Start cleaning your kitchen and proceed with the fire restoration with these tips:
- Wear protective equipment
- Change the air filters
- Avoid consuming contaminated foods or drinks
- Confirm that the HVAC is fully functional, then turn on the ceiling fan and air conditioning
- Open all windows to let smoke and smell out and for better air circulation.
- Additional fans can help you remove strong smells faster
- Remove items you can salvage first
- Do away with unsalvageable items
- Remove kitchen cabinets for easy access to interior spaces
- Wipe down metallic surfaces and steel appliances to prevent rusting, and
- Clean painted and plastic surfaces using some soap-free agent.
Kitchen fire restoration processes depend on the cause and the extent of the fire. Smoke can spread throughout your home, damaging fabrics and other items. It might also be necessary to deal with water damages and moulds if you used water to quench the fire.
Hire professionals
Kitchen fires can be devastating, especially without the right help with the restoration process. Luckily, professionals are there to restore your kitchen to its former state or even a better one. Contact our Toronto office for the best and affordable fire restoration services.