What to do after a fire at your business

11/30/2021 (Permalink)

Suffering a fire at your business fire at your business can be a difficult experience. Many times a fire in a business can shut down the business for a while depending on the damage. While a fire can cause substantial damage to your business, it doesn’t have to mean the end of your business. Below we will cover the steps to take after a fire to your business. These steps will help to ensure there is no more damage to your business and to get it back up and running as quickly as possible.

Turn Off Power, Gas, and Water

It’s always a good idea to play it safe and turn off your electricity, gas, and water after a fire. None of those mix well with fire and it’s always best to shut them all off at the meters if possible. Once your property has been inspected for any damages to electrical, gas and water lines and they are intact, you can turn them back on. If there is damage to any of them, you’ll want to get them repaired before turning back on the utilities.

Contact Your Insurance Company

An obvious but still important step is to contact your insurance company as soon as possible. They can get any claims started so there are no delays. They’ll probably request lots of paperwork and receipts of inventory. They’ll also most likely need documentation of repairs and any other costs from the fire. It’s a good idea to keep track of all contacts, receipts, paperwork and other documentation going forward in case your insurance company or other parties request any documentation.

Secure Your Business & Property

Fire damaged properties are attractive to vandals and burglars as they are usually unsecured and easy to access. It’s important to make sure any windows or doors or openings are boarded up and secured. You also want to notify your local police after a fire, so they can keep an eye on your property during the repair and restoration process. In some cases, you may need to hire a security company to guard your property 24/7 during the restoration process depending on the extent of the damage.

Call the Fire Damage Restoration Pros

Businesses that suffer major fires will also usually suffer from water damage also. This can be from the firefighters or from the fire sprinkler system. It’s important to have water damage and fire damage restoration pros, like those at SERVPRO of Gainesville, at your business as soon as possible. Once the fire is out and your business is safe to enter, the pros at SERVPRO of Gainesville can be on the scene and remove the water, drying the floors and walls, and treat the damage quickly to ensure more damage does not happen. If you wait, the water damage can lead to even more damage from mold. It can also permeate further into the walls and floors leading to further water damage in your business. SERVPRO of Gainesville is ready 24/7 to handle whatever emergency comes its way. Contact us immediately if your business or home should suffer a fire 770-536-1010.