A house fire, large or small, is a traumatic event and even if the fire was a relatively minor one there are some important steps to take to return to normal.
One of the most important factors is to try to keep a level head so that your thinking is clear.
Panic or rushed decisions might simply result in more damage on top of the initial fire damage.
A fire does more than simply burn the house and the items inside the house.
A fire leaves behind smoke damage, soot and structural damage that must all be dealt with correctly.
The most sensible course of action is to call in a fire damage restoration expert to deal with the restoration process properly.
Fire and smoke damage is a very particular problem and requires more work than simply washing down surfaces.
Smoke gets deeply into hard surfaces such as walls and floors and if it's not treated quickly, will linger for many years no matter how often you clean them.
Soot can coat surfaces and belongings and must be carefully cleaned using the correct specialist equipment.
Soot covered fabric such as lounge chairs, bedroom furnishings and clothes can all be restored if treated properly.
But equally, taking the wrong approach can result in permanently damage being done.
Finally, structural damage must be assessed to determine how much repair work will be required and whether it is safe to stay in the house until repairs can be made.
A good fire damage restoration specialist will be capable of performing all of these important tasks, not to mention others such as organizing and carryout packing and storage of belongings and general damage assessment.
The sooner a fire damage restoration expert is called in the more chance you can be sure you will save your belongings.