Fire inside a structure can be devastating. Not only can materials be burned and damaged, but the ensuing heat and smoke can cause additional damage in other parts of the building. For this reason it is important to use a qualified fire restoration expert for cleanup. Proper restoration can save a lot of money, since improper work can cause additional damage. Fire can come from various sources and it can damage a structure and possessions in many different ways. Fire damage restoration thus will vary from one fire to the next.

Fires are usually classified as one of five different types, or a combination of types:

1. Class A fires are fires involving common elements that burn easily (paper, cloth, wood, plastic, etc.). These are typically put out with water or fire extinguishers. Smoke damage and odor, of course, will remain after the fire is extinguished.

2. Class B fires are flammable liquids and gases such as petroleum based products and propane. These fires are typically put out by smothering them or using equipment to deny them the oxygen needed to keep burning. Water can potentially spread this type of fire and should not be used to extinguish it.

3. Class C fires are electrical fires. Anything that can short or spark can be a source of this type of fire. Water cannot extinguish these fires and should not be used because electricity can be deadly if handled incorrectly. The safest way to extinguish a Class C fire is to cut the power that is feeding the fire. Once that is done, non-conductive chemicals can extinguish the remaining flames.

4. Class D fires are metallic fires. These are not common household fires, but it is worth noting that they cannot be put out with water so special care is needed for such fires.

5. Class K fires are grease or cooking fires. Similar to fires from flammable liquids and gases, these fires must be smothered to deny the fire oxygen. Chemical fire extinguishers, not water, are used to put out this type of fire. Water can spread the fire creating more damage to the structure and more risk to the person trying to extinguish the fire. Using water to try to put out a grease fire can also cause a greasy residue to spread throughout the structure making fire damage restorations harder. Water should be a last resort with this type of fire, and ideally never be used at all. This is why you should always keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen that is well maintained.

In addition to dealing with these different types of fire, a fire damage restoration professional also needs to evaluate areas that are wet as a result of the firefighting, and mitigate any water damage right away. Water will continue to damage the structure until it is dried out completely. See our water damage mitigation page for more information on how to treat water damage in a structure. Not only can water alone damage buildings and materials, but in conjunction with chemicals created in a fire, it can devastate many surfaces, including glass and metals. While the fire damage is why a restoration professional is here, the water damage mitigation must come first because it will continue to cause more damage until it is removed from the home or business.

After the technician evaluates the water damage from firefighting, he must next evaluate sensitive materials that were damaged by the smoke and soot. Leaving smoke, soot, ash or any other fire remnants on contents or structural materials will continue to damage them so it is vital that sensitive materials are evaluated and treated as soon as possible. During this process personal possessions need to be removed and properly cleaned before being stored away from the structure until the fire & smoke damage restoration is completed. If items are left in the home during the soot cleaning of the structure, those personal possessions will be potentially covered with soot that can be dislodged during the cleaning process. Soot is usually very fine so it travels easily from one surface to another.

Once everything has been evaluated and contents are removed, it is time to start the structural restoration process. First, all materials that are unsalvageable are removed. This includes burned materials and items that cannot be cleaned from the smoke damage, such as exposed insulation. Carpet and floor coverings as well as window treatments (drapes and blinds), need to be evaluated because they may or may not be cleanable, depending on the level of damage they sustained during the fire. The structure itself needs to be evaluated not only for fire damage such as charring, smoke and soot, but also for any safety hazards. Examples are weakening of supports and flooring, exposed wiring that was damaged, and newly exposed construction materials such as nails that may injure someone.

After this evaluation is completed and personal contents are removed for their own restoration process, the structural cleaning begins. First all fire damaged materials that cannot be cleaned and repaired must be removed. All affected areas, including the air ducts, are cleaned to remove soot and treat smoke odors, and then sanitized. After the cleaning and sanitizing are completed, porous surfaces need to be sealed to prevent embedded smoke odor from emerging after repairs are completed. At this point damaged parts of the structure can be repaired including replacement of whatever was the source of the fire. The final step of the full fire damage restoration process is the return of the cleaned and sanitized personal possessions to the home or business.

Residues from burnt materials can be harmful. Cleaning a home incorrectly after a fire can make the environment more hazardous and do more structural damage. It is in your best interest to let a fire damage restoration professional like the technicians at ServiceMaster of Gwinnett and ServiceMaster 5 Points do the cleaning with proper safety tools and procedures to protect your home and everyone living in it. In the meantime, do not touch anything that was in the fire with your bare hands. Oils from your hands can cause additional damage to the material. The residue from everything that burned in the fire may have settled on it, and some residues from home fires can be toxic. Do not wash walls, flooring, or furniture even though you may want to do so. Improper cleaning will bond the residue with that material, making it unsalvageable. Do not use electrical appliances or outlets in the home until they have been checked. Damaged outlets and wiring can not only start a new fire, but can also cause electrocution if touched. Do try to minimize airflow to prevent further spread of soot from the fire. Turn off central air, cover vents (both intake and output) with something to prevent air inside the ducts from blowing around the home, and turn off all fans. If you can do so, opening the house to air it out with fresh air will help reduce the smoke odor, and it is much safer than using central air which is already contaminated.

Our customers expect ServiceMaster of Gwinnett and ServiceMaster 5 Points to provide the best customer service possible. We understand that while we do fire restoration often, you probably have NEVER done this before. The situation is stressful and often scary, so you need to know what to expect from everyone helping you through a fire and smoke damage restoration. Our technicians will walk you through the process on day one, so you know what they found in their evaluation of the fire damage. They will explain what needs to be done to clean and restore those areas and materials, damaged by fire and soot, to protect you from health hazards and persistent smoke odor. The office staff and technicians set every appointment with you in advance and confirm arrival times when the technicians are on their way to your home or business. ServiceMaster of Gwinnett and ServiceMaster 5 Points work with your insurance company to help you with the claims process for a fire and smoke damage restoration. If at any point during the fire and smoke damage restoration, you have any questions we encourage you to ask the technician while he is there or call the office to ask right away. It is our goal to make the fire and smoke damage restoration process as easy as possible for the insured or property owner, and in our experience, knowing what is happening and what to expect is the best way to accomplish this. Once the work is completed, our office staff follows up with you to get feedback about the service provided and make sure everything is ready for repairs. If you need any additional assistance with your fire and smoke damage restoration, ServiceMaster of Gwinnett and ServiceMaster 5 Points will be more than happy to provide answers or return to your home or business to help you so you are ready to restore your home to its pre-fire state. As our name suggests, we are the service master when it comes to restoration.

We are on programs with most insurance companies as a preferred service provider. The office staff communicates with your insurance company to upload all photos and documentation required to process your fire and smoke damage restoration services for your insurance claim. The office staff keeps your adjusters informed daily during the soot cleaning process to be sure the work performed will be covered by your policy. Our technicians also are willing to meet with your field adjuster during site visits to make sure everything is clear and all questions are answered during the visit. This means you do not have to collect all the photos and forms required by the insurance company for your claim because ServiceMaster of Gwinnett and ServiceMaster 5 Points take care of that for you! You also do not have to play a game of telephone by calling us to answer adjuster questions since they can get information about your fire and smoke damage restoration directly from us. As a preferred fire and smoke damage restoration service provider, we follow your insurance carrier’s guidelines to ensure that our fire and smoke damage restoration services are covered under your claim. We follow the carrier protocols and adjuster recommendations which are usually based on the insured’s specific coverage.

If you don’t have insurance, ServiceMaster of Gwinnett and ServiceMaster 5 Points can still help you with your fire and smoke damage. Since our technicians are working with you directly, they review everything with you ahead of time so you can approve services before they begin. The technicians review with you what needs to be done and how much it will cost to perform the recommended fire and smoke damage restoration services. Once the scope of work and estimate are approved, we not only perform the services outlined by our fire and smoke damage crew chief, but we also document the fire and smoke damage and the soot cleaning process in case a claim is filed later, or subrogation is needed to recover losses from the fire damage. As the fire and smoke damage restoration is progressing, any changes we feel are required to complete work are discussed with the customer beforehand. This is to get your approval for those changes in cost and work done as well as keeping you informed of what is happening in your home or office.

Now that you understand a fire and smoke damage restoration, why use ServiceMaster of Gwinnett and ServiceMaster 5 Points? Simply put, we are the best fire and smoke damage restoration service professionals around. Our customers talk about our highly rated customer service on our Testimonials page. They value the attention to detail and the fact that we inform them of the process every step of the way, making them feel safe using our fire and smoke damage restoration services. ServiceMaster of Gwinnett started in 1991, and ServiceMaster 5 Points followed in 2013. Both companies are run by the founders and family, so we are bringing over 30 years of experience to every job we do!