Why is Commercial Fire Damage Restoration So Important?

4/14/2022 (Permalink)

The level of fire damage varies greatly depending on the severity of the fire. A small electrical short circuit might only cause minimal damage to specific items within a commercial building. However, if the fire resulted from a gas leak or a natural disaster, the scope of the damage can be much more significant.

The first step in restoration after a fire is to evaluate the damage caused to the structure.  Depending on the materials and age of the building, the damage may be relatively minor or may require a structural inspection. This step of structural analysis is necessary before any renovations or rebuilding can take place. 

The building's actual cash value should be established before finding out the value of everything damaged. This includes furniture, electronic equipment, jewelry, clothing, and carpeting. It would also be a good idea to have an appraisal for any wood or metal fixtures. Sometimes, when a building suffers water damage, it will have an overall discounted value determined by the amount of wood and material damaged and the structural elements' condition. This is often used as a factor in determining the replacement cost for a damaged building. However, in some cases, such as with a damaged roof or entire floor, the property's actual cash value cannot be determined since it will be challenging to determine the exact condition of the structure without actually seeing it.

Once values have been determined, it is time to plan what will need to be done to restore the property to its pre-incident condition. Some risks commonly associated with fire damage restoration include soot damage repair, smoke damage repair, and mold remediation. The floor may need to be replaced on every level. If there is water damage from fire fighting efforts, this could result in subfloor damage. If electrical service was affected by smoke, the electrical subflooring may need to also be addressed.

If a building has suffered severe fire damage, it is essential to remediate any water damage that may have occurred as soon as possible. The longer a property sits without restoration, the more costly and time-consuming the project will become. Immediately contacting a professional fire restoration company to assess and remediate the damage is essential in properly restoring a property to its preloss condition.