Fire and Smoke Restoration

fire_restoration_sub_header

A fire is a chemical process in which fuel; oxygen and heat are combined to create a disastrous condition; the products of which include smoke, heat and toxic by-products such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, hydrogen cyanide and hydrogen chloride. Due to its hazardous and complex nature, fire and smoke damage require an immediate and professional response, which is why, at DSG Restoration, we offer specialized Fire and Smoke Restoration Emergency Services.

 

What We All Should Know:

Timely action is very important to the quality of restoration; clean up must begin as soon as possible. Smoke residues are acidic in nature and within minutes will cause plastic to yellow, surfaces to discolour and/or corrode. Within hours, other materials and surfaces such as fibreglass and uncoated metals may stain permanently. We are available to take your call, assemble our team of trained professionals and arrive on-site within 2 hours.

An experience Project Manager will begin with an assessment of the situation to determine:

    • The extent of the damage and/or loss
    • Any pre-existing damage
    • If an item can be restored or if it will need to be replaced
    • A scope of work
    • The most effective restorative cleaning method
    • What type and how much equipment will be needed for the restoration

Odour Removal

In addition to removing charred items and soot through restorative cleaning, it is also necessary to remove the odour from your property and belongings and restore your indoor air quality. Smoke odours can be difficult to remove due to absorption and/or penetration of smoke particles and soot into building materials. At DSG Restoration we offer a multi-tiered odour removal process (such as dry ice blasting, negative pressure cleaning, soda blasting etc) that permanently removes these stubborn odours.

Did You Know

 

Fact: Soot from a fire is acidic so after a fire every minute counts. Immediate action is required to prevent secondary damage (ie. discoloration due to acidic soot) as well as to prevent further water damage and possible mold growth (caused by water used by fire dept. to put out the fire).
The insured is responsible for:

  1. Contacting their insurance company as soon as possible.
  2. Hiring a qualified restoration contractor as soon as possible.
  3. Keeping safety in mind, remove any personal items from the affected areas.
  4. Minimize loss by moping up excess water and removing wet items from the affected areas.

A Qualified Contractor Should:

  1. Be available 365 days a year, 24HRS a day and respond within 24hrs.
  2. Be certified by the IICRC in flood, fire and water damage restoration.
  3. Have a minimum of $5,000,000 in liability insurance.
  4. Have up to date WSIB coverage.
  5. Be certified by the IICRC or IAQA in mold remediation so they can quickly deal with any mold issues that might arise (saves valuable time).

The Initial Assessment by the Contract Includes:

  1. Walk through fire and water damaged areas and evaluate safety.
  2. Conduct testing of building materials and contents to determine migration of fire, smoke and water damage.
  3. Develop a scope of work including what materials can be restored, what materials are not salvageable and how much restoration equipment is required to restore the affected areas to pre loss condition.

A Qualified Contractor will Require the Insured:

        1. To sign a Work Authorization Form so that restoration work can begin as quickly as possible to mitigate damages.
        2. To provide contractor will unrestricted access to the site.
        3. To not unplug equipment without consulting with the contractor. Doing so will prolong restoration times and increase the likelihood of mold growth.
        4. Do not rearrange the restoration equipment. They have been placed in such a way as to achieve the most effective restoration in the shortest period of time.
        5. For your safety, you will be requested to stay out of the affected area until the restoration is complete, unless accompanied by contractor.