What To Do After A Fire

3/17/2017 (Permalink)

After a fire displaces you from your home, it can be difficult to know what to do next. These tips will get you started in the right direction.

Set-up Shelter  For large scale fires that affect the community, local disaster relief services, such as the Red Cross or Salvation Army, may already be on site. They can be of assistance if you need temporary food, medicines, and a place to stay.

Contact Your Insurance Agent  You’ll need to start a claim. See if your policy has any  ‘Loss of Use’ funding available to cover living and other daily expenses while you are displaced. Be sure to save any receipts during this time, as you may need to have accountability of your spenditures. Once a claim has been placed you’ll need someone to begin the process of restoring your home to its preloss condition. You can contact us 24/7, at 919-790-1222 to handle your contents and structure needs.

Going Back to the Site   If the fire department has cleared your property as safe to return, conduct an inventory of all damaged property and contents. Taking pictures is the simplest way to do this. Attempt to locate any valuable documents and records, and your home safe deposit box.

Take Care of your Finances   During the midst of this loss, you are still responsible for mortgage payments, even if your home is totally destroyed. You will need to notify your mortgage company of the fire loss and they may be able to provide some guidance. 

Your local SERVPRO® of North Durham is available 24/7. We’re always here to help.