Fire Damage
A fire is something that no one would anticipate having in their home. Not only are you dealing with the damage sustained to your property, you are also dealing with several other components as well. They are:
- Fire/structural damage
- Mold
- Smoke damage
- Water damage
Fire
Fire damage is the obvious damage to the structure, ceilings, walls, and trim. This would simply be burnt building materials that need to be replaced. Any licensed contractor would be able to do this, but preferably a fire rebuilder who is experienced in fire reconstruction would be advisable. There are certain facets and elements in fire reconstruction that a common builder would not be familiar with.
Mold
In order to extinguish the fire, the building will be soaked with an extreme amount of water. The building will then need to be boarded up and secured and utilities turned off as a result. The lack of ventilation and the moist environment are a perfect breeding ground for mold. When mold forms, a licensed mold remediation specialist would be required in order to remove and eliminate the mold. This is done through moisture testing and treatment with special chemicals and biocides.
Smoke
Areas that are lightly damaged by smoke do not necessarily need to be ripped out, but need to be treated. There are special chemicals used to clean off the smoke and additional stain killers are applied to seal areas to prevent stain and odor.
Water
As mentioned above, a great deal of water will be used to put out the fire. This can result in flooding of basements and damage to hot water heaters and furnaces due to being submerged in water. Also, there may be hidden damage above ceilings, behind walls or below floors that is not immediately visible, but can potentially cause future problems with peeling paint, buckling of floors, and mold growth.
