Recovering From Fire Damage

The smoke and soot that remains after the fire has been put out could cause a bigger problem than the flames did. Smoke affects rooms that the fire never reached. The odor embeds in the walls and can travel through the spaces around pipes to spread odors throughout your Chippewa Falls home. Chemically abrasive soot, if left for too long, will permanently destroy glass and other items. As soon as the TRAC Solutions team arrives, they will begin the restoration process to reduce permanent damage and the overall cost of repairs.

General Areas To Restore

Every home is different: construction materials, layout, furnishings, etc. When TRAC Solutions responds to your request, they will create a plan that might include the following:

  • Pressure wash, scrub or disinfect all exterior surfaces including walls, walks, drives, decks, window and deck screens, etc.
  • Wash and disinfect all interior walls and hard surfaces with mild soap or other appropriate cleaning solutions or products, and rinse thoroughly. 
  • Clean inside cabinets, drawers and closets.
  • Disinfect and deodorize all carpets, window coverings, upholstered furniture and mattresses with steam or other appropriate equipment. 
  • Clean heating, ventilating and air-conditioning units and all ductwork to remove soot, ash and smoke residue. (You will want to change filters weekly until you can tell that the system is clear

All fabrics will need to be cleaned: clothes, curtains, even clean towels in the linen closet. All dishes and pans need to be washed. Even the cans in the pantry need to be wiped. 

Cleaning Up Fire Retardant

In the process of putting out the flames, your firefighters might have used special chemicals. Fire-fighting foam is a stable mass of small bubbles of lower density than most flammable liquids and water. It works in four ways:

  1. Excludes air from the flammable vapors.
  2. Eliminates vapor release from fuel surface.
  3. Separates the flames from the fuel surface.
  4. Cools the fuel surface and surrounding metal

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) suggest extra steps when aerial fire retardant or firefighting foam residue is present on the house. Use a three step method: 1) mild detergent and brushes to scrub and dilute the dried residue, 2) rinse with clean water then 3) pressure washing. Scrubbing is necessary to remove the residue.

Fire Damage Cleanup In Chippewa Falls

Trac Solutions offers residential restoration services for fire, water, and storm damage as well as mold remediation, cleaning services, and basement waterproofing. As a state-licensed contractor, TRAC Solutions provides customers with the most professional and complete answer for any type of structural damage. 

After the property is secure, they thoroughly assess the damage and work with you to develop a plan for reconstruction. They work with your insurance company; you will only be held responsible for your deductible, not a penny more, as long as your insurance covers the affected areas.

TRAC Solutions is a locally-owned Chippewa Valley company with more than 25 years of experience in Western Wisconsin. This full service general contractor is Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) certified, Applied Structural Drying (ASD) certified, a member of the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA), and accredited by the Better Business Bureau. Contact us if you’re ever in need of fire damage cleanup services.