Solutions to Commercial Fire Damage

9/11/2017 (Permalink)

Solutions to Commercial Fire Damage

One nightmare that lingers near any physical establishment is commercial fire damage. Let us face facts, where there is fuel, there can exist fire, and for a business just getting off, the last thing on his/her mind is fire restoration, wailing fire trucks and post emergency services offered by fire restoration companies. More common concerns would be fire prevention such as adequate fire sprinkler systems. But the more well-informed a business owner is of this matter, the faster, more efficient he/she will be in dispatching the right services to facilitate this process. Fire restoration can be broken down into six steps;

*Contacting Emergency Services (fire fighters, fire suppression )
*Assessment ( ie. damage caused by electrical fires and utility room fires)
*Tarp and Sealing
*Clean up
*Repair / Renovation
*Consultation

But first, let's examine a few reasons a fire would occur and what to be aware of. When dealing with electrical fires, a business owner should be aware of the quality of wiring in the building. Older buildings might use aluminum wiring, even in the fire sprinkler system. This metal is considered weaker. Be aware of the electrical components of your building. Electrical fires often occur inside walls, making it impossible to detect during the early stages. For this reason, a firefighter will use a thermal imaging camera while inspecting a wall to detect excessive heat.

In addition to electrical fires, utility room fires can pose a threat. Utility room fires occur due to faulty wiring, soft goods left in the laundry room, and clothing left in a dryer. With these components working together, utility room fires can prove to be dangerous and costly, causing soot damage, as well as smoke damage, and fire damage. Having an adequate fire sprinkler system is vital, considering how exposed these fires are, in order to reduce fire damage. However, a well-rounded knowledge of fire prevention, fire damage, and soot damage, although good to have, doesn't always mean a fire won’t occur. Commercial fire damage is a fear experienced by many, which means there should a plan in place.

When dealing with fire restoration, time is of the essence. But it is good to understand that emergency services are a bit more than just a simple fire truck. It is the job of the Fire Department to initiate fire suppression, which is lead by 2-3 firefighters on the ground who will enter the property, pulling a charged fire hose, locate the fire, and from that fire hose, discharge, on average, 300 PSI of water over your property. These fire hoses are fed by a fire truck which is staffed by another firefighter.

The fire truck alone holds up to 1000 gallons of water. This is fire suppression, and it as one would imagine, it is time-sensitive. Water damage from a fire hose, even from a fire sprinkler system, can be stratospheric. But these aren't the only tactics employed by fire departments. Part of the process of fire suppression involves ventilation performed by a team of fire fighters on the roof who will cut several large holes and ventilate the heat, which, if left unattended, will cause smoke damage to your property.

Once fire suppression operations have concluded, a restoration company will perform an assessment, whereby they will examine the fire damage, as well as soot damage, smoke damage, and evaluate the span of how far the damage traveled to provide an accurate cost. Patching the hole in your roof is important because it will cause further damage caused by potential rainfall, adding to the cost of your commercial fire damage, although now, an owner would find him/herself having to deal with water damage.
Soot damage, debris, and smoke damage will leave your property black and charred.

Companies will clean your property to resemble something livable. Recovering from commercial fire damage can be difficult. Some companies will offer debriefing and consultation to help businesses prevent future fires. A firefighter can offer this advice as well.
Visit http://www.SERVPROnortheastdallas.com for more information on fire damage.