What to Look for Before You Return Home After a Fire

Should you ever be in the unfortunate position to have to escape or endure a fire, these tips will help keep you safe.

Don’t move back in just because everything looks fine.

Sometimes homes that appear completely safe after a fire can conceal damage that is invisible to homeowners. It is important that you have your home thoroughly inspected by licensed, experienced professionals.”

That often means more than one professional. It is unlikely that a single inspector will be able to conduct all aspects of your home investigation. More likely, you will require the services of multiple specialists, including a structural engineer, an industrial hygienist, and a plumber.

It may seem like a hassle to parade numerous people through your home when all you want to do is get back to normal, but, when it comes to specialists whose job it is to ensure the safety of your home and its inhabitants, the more, the merrier. While smoke damage is visible on walls and ceilings, it can also permeate these surfaces and cause damage to a home's structure/framing, wall studs, insulation and air ducts in your ventilation system. When soot and smoke particles become trapped in the HVAC system, the smoke odor can reoccur periodically and even cause respiratory problems.

Be wary of ashes

Any ash will contain small amounts of cancer-causing chemicals. In addition, fire ash may be irritating to the skin, especially to those with sensitive skin. If the ash is breathed, it can be irritating to the nose and throat and may cause coughing. Exposure to ash in air might trigger asthmatic attacks in people who already have asthma.

Take great care with any ash that has settled around the property, including wearing gloves, long sleeved shirts, and long pants and avoid skin contact, staying away from leaf blowers, and leaving remediation to the professionals.

Hire a public adjustor

Yes, you need to have your home assessed for insurance purposes, and that will entail having an insurance adjustor come out. However, the adjustor your company wants to send out works for them. A public adjustor works for you, and is a better way to ensure that you get as much money as you can to repair or replace the damaged items in your home.  This is also where an independent insurance agent can offer some assistance as they work for you not the insurance company unlike captive agents that are employees of their company, such as State Farm, All State, AAA, etc.

The public adjuster, works only for the policy holder. The public insurance adjuster is also an independent insurance adjuster but they are hired by the policy holders who are filing the claim. Public insurance adjusters are often hired by insurance policy holders to make sure they are getting their full claim benefit from the insurance policy they purchased.