• Call for assistance: Calling for assistance from a professional Fire Restoration company is the essential first step. With years of experience dealing with these exact kinds of situations, we can help start getting your house back to its original condition.
• Remove vulnerable people from the area: Children, the elderly, and pets are especially susceptible to smoke damage and its effects. They should be moved to a safe location away from the damage.
• Allow for additional ventilation: Because the ventilation system may be compromised, opening windows is the best way to allow for adequate airflow in the building until it can be restored.
• Take photos/inventory of the interior: Insurance companies will need a record of what was inside the building, and it is easier to do this before the complete restoration process has begun.
• Empty your fridge: Even if you don’t want anything from inside the fridge, emptying it out and allowing the door to remain open will benefit you in the future by preventing the build-up of unwanted odors resulting from old food.

Aside from what is listed above, please do not attempt to do anything else to your smoke-damaged home. Doing so is dangerous and can release harmful chemicals into the air. The best thing you can do now is wait for your professional restoration company to come and help restore your home.

Areas of particular importance to avoid:

• Electrical sockets
• Porous surfaces, such as wood trim, furniture, and even the walls
• Electrical appliances