Fire damage can be devastating for a business. The unavoidable downtime means lost revenue, operational shutdown and of course safety concerns for your commercial property. Knowing what steps to take immediately after a fire can make a huge difference and be the difference between a bit of disruption and months of closure. Any day you’re not able to operate means you’re taking a loss and for many businesses in the UK that’s not an option. In this article we will be outlining a clear 5 step approach that you can follow to minimise disruption and get your business back up and running as soon as possible.
Step 1: Contact emergency services
Safety first
The first step to take after a fire at your business is to contact the emergency services and get confirmation from them that your property is safe to enter. When it comes to property fires it’s important to understand that there are several hidden dangers. The thermal damage created by the fire and the harmful residue created by the soot and ash all create hazards long after the initial blaze is extinguished.
Here are some of the hidden dangers:
- Structural issues: Thermal damage from the fire can easily damage the structure of your property. Warping walls and weakening weight baring structures.
- Respiratory damage: The soot and ash left behind after a fire contain harmful chemicals and heavy metals that can cause respiratory issues.
- Electrical hazards: Wiring and electrical outlets can be damaged during a fire, creating the risk of electrocution and electrical fires.
Why fast response matters
Delays can worsen damage and increase downtime. Secondary damage caused by a fire can create even more complex problems, all of which will need to be addressed. By contacting the emergency services quickly, you can get confirmation sooner and find a fire damage restoration service provider to begin the process.
Fast response can prevent further damage and mitigate secondary damage like:
- Mould growth
- Corrosive damage
- Water damage
Step 2: Notify your insurance provider
Start your claim early
As soon as the emergency services confirm that your commercial property is safe to enter you should begin the insurance claim process. Make sure that you have all the information you’ll need before you begin the process so that you’re wasting any time. Here are some of the key pieces of information you’ll need:
- Business & policyholder information
- Business name
- Business address
- Contact details
- Policy number
- Incident details
- Date and time of the fire
- Cause of the fire
- Exact location of the fire
- Evidence of the damage
- Images of the damage
- Reports or assessments provided by experts
Step 3: Mitigate further damage
Consider getting professional help
Commercial fire damage restoration specialists can provide emergency stabilisation measures to prevent any further damages occurring. Stabilisation can help get your business back operational by:
- Prevents structural collapse: Supports weakened walls, ceilings, and floors to avoid further damage.
- Limits secondary damage: Reduces risks of mould, corrosion, and water damage caused by firefighting efforts.
- Improves site safety: Removes hazards like debris, sharp objects, and exposed wiring.
- Speeds up insurance claims: Provides clear documentation and expert assessments for quicker approval.
- Reduces business downtime: Stabilisation allows restoration work to begin sooner.
Step 4: Find your commercial fire damage restoration expert
Arrange a fire damage restoration assessment
To carry out a successful service it’s vital that the experts carrying out the work can fully assess the property and the fire damage. That’s why the fourth step you should take is to find a commercial fire damage restoraion expert and schedule in a time and date for them to assess your property. Their assessment will inform their decisions and strategy when approaching the work.
Fire damage restoration for commercial property must be handled differently to domestic. Business equipment and machinery as well as the importance of minimising downtime make the process more complex and time sensitive. Getting the assessment completed quickly after the incident reduces the potential disruption to your business. It’s an investment that can get you back making money much faster.
Planning and scheduling the service
Contacting a fire damage restoration service provider early also means getting the restoration booked in all the faster. These types of services can be very complex and take time to complete.
Step 5: Begin the fire damage restoration process
What to expect
- Strip-out: Once the fire damage process begins, the first step is to remove all of the damaged items and debris. Items that can be reapired are salvaged and anything else is safely removed from the site and disposed of correctly.
- Hepa vacuuming and soot removal: Once all the fire damaged contents have been removed, the experts will carry out the next phase of the restoration. This involves the use of HEPA filter and vacuum technology. The filter captures even the smallest particles and prevents any soot or ash re-entering your property.
- Manual washdown: All contaminated surfaces are manually washed down with specialist cleaning chemicals to remove any remaining soot or ash.
- Odour removal: Once all the surfaces have been cleaned the restoration company should carry out smoke odour removal. This will return your commercial property as close to its pre0incident condition as possible and once again make it an environment you employees and customers can use.
- Final checks: Once all the stages are completed final checks will be carried out to ensure that everything has been completed.
Conclusion: A clear post-fire roadmap
If there is one clear takeaway that will help you save money and get your business back open again, it’s that every minute counts. Quick action will mitigate further damage, minimise damage, reduce loss and save you a lot of money.
If you’re in need of fire damage restoration and are looking to start the process off fast, contact us today and speak to one of our experts. We can walk you through everything and get you on the road to recovery, in some cases we can even start the process the same day you reach out. Fire damage restoration is an investment and one that will save you money and minimise business downtime.
