Most fires are often referred to as “partial losses” because the home has only been partially destroyed. However, there are typically hidden damages caused by water or retardant to extinguish the fire and smoke and ash as a residual effect of the fire. It is important to shut down all ventilation systems and open all windows and doors to evacuate smoke.

In most cases, the insurance carrier is responsible to return your property to a “uniform and consistent appearance” as it was prior to the effects of the fire. Do not throw away any damaged property, leave it as it is and where it is until the fire marshal has completed his investigation. If you or a resident of your property has health sensitivities such as allergies or asthma, stay away from the property until remediation is complete. Smoke, soot and odor mitigation will eliminate future health concerns.

Coverage for the cost of landscaping replacement is typically a set amount or a percentage of your dwelling coverage amount. Experience has shown us that plants and landscaping affected by fire and smoke, return with time more vibrant than before. Odors are usually eliminated after a seasonal rain shower or two.

Coverage becomes a concern if you live on a hillside, loss of foliage from a fire can lead to landslides and/or mudslides in rainy conditions. It is important to quickly replant your property with native trees and grasses to stabilize the landscape. Sandbags or other storm water prevention systems are recommended until the replaced foliage takes root. Review your policy limitations with your insurance agent in this scenario. Read more information on what to do after a home fire provided by the US Fire Administration.

Although a fire may have been contained to a small area, like a kitchen or laundry room, the smoke created from that fire often travels throughout a home. Smoke contains microparticles of corrosive acids—and potentially all manner of toxins in a house fire—that attach to virtually every surface in your home. As time passes, those acids eat away at whatever they are attached to, causing plastics to dry and yellow, countertops to stain, metals to tarnish, furniture finishes to erode, glass and crystal to pit, and clothing, carpeting and upholstery to permanently stain.

Biohazards include:

• Sewage backup – The smell from sewage backup is a nuisance, but it’s the microorganisms in the sewage that represent a real danger.
• Blood-borne pathogens – Bodily fluids, tissue and other pathogenic substances that contaminate a home as a result of accident, trauma, crime or death can endanger you.
• Methamphetamine labs – The chemicals used in the production of this horrific drug are volatile and leave a dangerous residue throughout a home.

Biohazard Clean Up

National First Response technicians are trained to remove biohazardous waste and dispose of them in accordance with the standard set forth by local health codes, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Clean Trust (formerly known as the IICRC, the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration. Wearing safety suits and breathing apparatus, and employing the latest cleaning equipment and products, our technicians will completely remove all biohazardous waste, will clean, disinfect and deodorize the structure so that the environment is once again safe, clean and habitable.

Some common building products that might contain asbestos include:

• Steam pipes
• Boilers
• Furnace ducts
• Resilient floor tiles
• Vinyl sheet flooring
• Cement sheet
• Millboard
• Door gaskets
• Soundproofing or decorative material
• Patching and joint compound
• Textured paints
• Asbestos cement roofing
• Shingles
• Siding
• Insulation

Disaster Response Team

If you suspect that a portion of your home contains asbestos, then, first off, leave it alone. Asbestos is only dangerous when disturbed and it releases fibers.

However, if the suspected item shows signs of wear, tears, abrasions or water damage, then isolate the item (meaning close the space off) and contact National First Response. A member of our Disaster Response Team can more thoroughly seal off the item until it can be confirmed with lab test to, in fact, be asbestos. Our Clean Trust-certified technicians will suggest either permanently sealing the asbestos item or carefully removing the item altogether and clearing the impacted area of any contaminates using an air scrubber and other cleaning equipment. Whichever course of action, you’ll be left with the peace of mind knowing that asbestos will no longer threaten the health of you or your family.

Stay Clear of Asbestos

When asbestos is disturbed—by crumbling, flaking, sanding, cutting or sawing—it creates a fibrous dust that, if inhaled in high levels, can lead to an increased risk of lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis. Inhaled fibers can remain in the lungs for years before creating health problems.

Take all precautions to avoid damaging asbestos material. Never sweep, dust, or vacuum debris that may contain asbestos. Also, don’t saw, sand, scrape, or drill holes in asbestos. Local EPA officials can provide more information about asbestos identification, sealing or removal.

Often a fire or flood can leave your home uninhabitable, at least temporarily, and that forced separation can sometimes elevate your sense of uncertainty. National First Response begins to restore your peace by first securing your property. When we do that, you know that nothing else of yours is going to be lost.>

Emergency Response Team

When a flood or fire happens at your home, a member of our 24/7 Emergency Response Team will arrive within 60 minutes of your call to begin securing the site. Our experienced technicians will evaluate the situation, and put in place any and all equipment and services to secure your home. We will make sure that only you and the National First Response restoration team have access to your home and your personal property.

• Emergency board-up service
• Temporary perimeter fencing
• Building shrink wrap
• Emergency security personnel
• Emergency alarm service
• Window and door coverage

Better to be Secure

After the fire department or your plumber has dealt with the fire or flood, then you are faced with the question of what to do next. The best answer is to call a trusted restoration expert like National First Response. We draw from our experience of working on hundreds of restoration projects.

Cleaning and Repairing

We apply the latest in cleaning and restoration techniques to restore your personal items so that we can save as much as we can. If an item can’t be restored, National First Response will include it on a detailed list of the unrecoverable items so you can be fully reimbursed by your insurance carrier.

We can restore just about any personal possession, such as:

• Furnishings
• Clothing
• Electronics
• Artwork
• Vital records
• Appliances
• Trophies
• Taxidermy

Disaster Response Team

Even more so than with your home, it’s important to begin the restoration process as quickly as possible to limit further damage and reverse the impact that the fire and smoke, or water and mold, has had on your personal possessions. Call National First Response any hour of any day with your emergency, and we will have someone from our 24/7 Disaster Response Team—an experienced and Clean Trust-certified technician—respond to you within 60 minutes.

Expert and Skilled Craftsmen

Reconstruction is vastly different from building from the ground up, and requires different skills and experience than you will find with just any general contractor. The leadership of National First Response has more than 50 years of reconstruction experience, and will work closely with you to ensure that the reconstruction is exactly how you want it.

Our expert services include:

• Finish carpentry
• Trim carpentry
• Cabinetmaking
• Framing
• Electrical
• Mechanical
• Plumbing
• Exterior finishing
• Roofing
• Flooring
• Tiling
• Interior finishing
• Interior build-out

Rebuilding Your Home and Your Life

Even if you’ve used another company to dry your home or to rid it of toxic smoke particles, National First Response can finish the job. We will fully restore your home to how it was before the damaging incident occurred (or even better). With materials, design and skill, we ensure that the new construction blends perfectly with the existing structure; it will be as if the catastrophe never happened.