What To Do If You Have a Fire Damage

• Call for professional help as soon as possible. Corrosive byproducts can cause irreversible etching.
• Discard any open food packages.
• Keep a listing of anything you have discarded and receipts for any expenses you incur in protecting your property. Most likely, your insurance claim representative will ask for these items.
• If the electricity is off, remove perishable foods from your refrigerator and freezer. The odor created by spoiled food is usually impossible to remove. Leave the doors propped open.
• Vacuum loose dry soot smoke particles from carpets. Make sure the vacuum cleaner has a HEPA filter to prevent redistribution of fine soot. Avoid walking or tracking on carpet if possible.
• Close doors on affected areas to localize smoke odors as much as possible.
• Change the furnace or air conditioner filter if the blower is operating. Tape damp cheesecloth over air registers with masking tape to capture loose soot in the air.
• Clean Formica, chrome, porcelain and aluminum fixtures to prevent permanent tarnishing or etching.