4 Common Mistakes Homeowners Make After a Fire

14 March 2023

No one is prepared for the devastating outcome of a fire. We see them in movies and on TV, we might even know someone who has been affected by one, but when it comes down to the details around what to do or where to turn for help it can be hard to know where to even start.

Family standing outside of a burning home

Unfortunately, this confusion can lead to a handful of common mistakes that can make the situation more stressful than it should be. At Phoenix Contents Restoration, we specialize in cleaning, repairing, and restoring items damaged by fires. We want to help homeowners avoid making these mistakes so they can get their lives back on track as quickly and painlessly as possible. Here are four of the most common mistakes homeowners might make after a fire:

1. Not Calling Your Insurance Company Right Away: After a fire, it's important to contact your insurance company right away so they can begin the claims process and provide you with the necessary resources for recovery. It's important to not wait too long to contact your insurance company or you may miss out on important information or coverage that could help you get back to normal faster.

2. Trying to Clean Up On Your Own: It may be tempting to try and clean up after a fire yourself, but we strongly recommend against this. Without professional help, you run the risk of causing further damage to your property or worse, could put yourself at risk of injury from hazardous materials like smoke residue and soot, or asbestos fibers and lead in older homes. It's best to leave this job up to professionals who have experience dealing with these types of situations safely and effectively.

3. Not Hiring a Professional Restoration Company: Company: After a fire, hiring a professional contents restoration company is essential for getting your home back into shape quickly and safely while ensuring that all affected items are properly cleaned and restored wherever possible. An experienced contents team will be an effective partner between you and your insurance company so the process is smooth and transparent. A smooth restoration process is highly important in defending against miscommunications and hiccups that would delay restoration completion.

4. Not Providing Home Inventory: The job of your professional contents company will be to photo document, inventory, and assess damages of items within the property. However, depending on the severity of damages, sometimes belongings are unrecognizable to either the restoration team or for your adjuster. Having an updated home inventory with pictures and receipts is an easy way to confirm items you had and what you spent on them. An insurance adjuster will be able to confidently take this info and provide accurate reimbursement. A home inventory is really invaluable when it comes to high damage severity situations and should be updated frequently.

At Phoenix Contents Restoration, we understand how difficult things can be after experiencing fire damage . By taking care to avoid these common mistakes, and with the helping hand of an experienced professional, you will be able to return to normal life knowing that everything has been taken care of from start to finish.

Experienced property damage and need assistance? The Phoenix Contents team is a phone call away.

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