Get your home back after a fire

Only when the fire department says it is safe. The U.S. Fire Administration and the Red Cross both advise staying out of a fire-damaged home until fire authorities clear it. Even then, check the outside for downed power lines, damaged gas lines and foundation cracks, and stay off sagging floors and away from sagging ceilings.

The water used to put out a fire can soak items the flames never touched, as the U.S. Fire Administration notes, and the Red Cross advises talking to a professional about drywall and insulation soaked by fire hoses. That water needs to be dried like any other water damage, and the EPA says drying within 24 to 48 hours helps prevent mold.

The EPA names soot and smoke as forms of particle pollution, and says fine particles can get deep into your lungs and some can reach your bloodstream. The U.S. Fire Administration warns that soot and dirty water left after a fire may contain things that could make you sick. Wear gloves, keep children and pets out, and avoid stirring up debris.

Often, yes. The U.S. Fire Administration notes you may need to board up windows and doors so no one can get in, and to tell the police if the home will be empty. Triple-I advises taking reasonable steps to protect your property from further damage and saving the receipts, and our crew can board up and secure the property when it arrives.

The Red Cross says to throw away food, beverages and medicine exposed to heat, smoke or soot. For everything else, the Red Cross advises keeping damaged items until the claims adjuster has seen them, and talking to your adjuster before throwing away anything you plan to claim.

Smoke can damage items the fire never touched, and the U.S. Fire Administration notes that anything you want to save will need careful cleaning. We can pack out belongings that can be saved, clean them and store them while your home is repaired, and list damaged items for your claim.