It’s a fact of life - accidents, acts of nature, and the unexplained do happen. It’s devastating to go through but Porters is here to help pick up the pieces. We understand that your home is very important to you, and that is why we treat your home as if it were our own.
One of the first things in question is how to handle your restorable personal property. If the home is inhabitable, no problem, we can clean your contents on site. If your home is uninhabitable, again no problem, our trained staff will move the contents from your home to our facility for detail cleaning and storage while repairs are being made on your home.
What to do after a fire strikes:
- Practice safety first. Use a dust mask (like painters use) and gloves as you work.
- Ventilate the home. Place a box fan in an open window to draw the air and dust out.
- Clean from top to bottom. Start with the ceilings, walls and fixtures, and work your way down to the contents of the room, then to the floor.
- Vacuum floors and upholstery. Make sure your vacuum cleaner has a high efficiency filter. Otherwise, you risk blowing soot back into the air.
- Some draperies, clothing and machine washable items may be laundered. Use a mild alkaline cleaner to neutralize the acid in the soot. Fine clothing should be drycleaned.
- Most exterior walls (brick, stone, wood, paint, siding) and eaves can be cleaned by spraying with a detergent, agitating soot with a soft-bristled brush, and pressure washing from bottom to top, then rinsing from top to bottom.
- If the damage and residue are heavy or if the work is just too much for you, it may be best to give us a call to thoroughly restore your home and belongings. No job is too big or too small – we’re here to help you through this difficult time.
- If the fire has warped or distorted the structure, consult our structure repair division.
