Exploring the Fire Restoration Process for Your Business

7/25/2022 (Permalink)

Business owners like yourself need to be prepared for disasters, especially as part of an overall plan for workplace safety. Commercial fires not only pose a safety threat to your workers but they can also put your business at risk, especially if there’s a long interruption to your business. It’s critical to have a plan for recovery after a fire for your commercial property in Clearfield, UT. Knowing the steps to take ahead of time is critical, and can help you bounce back sooner from a fire-related disaster.

Creating a Fire Restoration Plan

After a fire has been completely extinguished, your recovery process should include the following actions:

• Documentation: Take several photos of the damage to your building and the objects inside. Make a note of anyone that you talk to, including officials, property managers or landlords. It’s critical to capture things as they are with photos and video. Do not touch impacted objects, and hold on to any invoices or receipts for expenses.
  
• Claims: Call your fire insurance company or representative as soon as possible. It takes time to process your claim, which can delay any payments you may need to make repairs or keep your business going.
  
• Professional Restoration: Notify a professional fire restoration or remediation services company. This company is experienced and equipped to find the most expedited and efficient way to restore your building to pre-damage conditions.
  
• Contingencies: Execute any contingency plans, which often include notifying clients, workers, subconsultants and other interested parties about the fire. Your plans should include special arrangements and changes to contractual agreements, where applicable.
  
• Security: Depending on the size of the fire and its impact, you may need to secure parts of your business to prevent damage and other types of loss, such as theft or vandalism.
  
• Offsite Removal: Any unaffected items should be removed so that they’re not damaged or destroyed during restoration or reconstruction.
  
  

Cleaning Up Your Space

When it comes to a fire, there may be other types of damage to consider. Smoke and soot can leave your interiors and items heavily soiled and damaged, requiring special cleaning techniques that only a professional fire remediation provider can handle. Any water used to extinguish the fire, whether by sprinklers or a fire hose, can also cause damage that requires cleanup and repair. From smoke cleaning to advanced drying techniques, you’ll be glad to have professionals on board to clean and restore your building.

Considering Insurance

In most cases, fire restoration costs can be covered by a fire insurance policy. Before a disaster occurs, it’s a good time to check to see if your coverage levels are sufficient. You may need additional coverages based on your operational needs. For example, umbrella policies often extend your coverage limits in the event of a catastrophic loss. The recovery period may be significantly longer than you planned, so business interruption or income interruption policies may help you with ongoing expenses, temporary costs, or other bills needed to keep your business open.

Understanding the fire restoration process helps you come up with a realistic recovery plan. Having such a plan can help expedite the time it takes to get back to business after a commercial fire in Clearfield, UT. It’s easier to dot all the I’s and cross all the t’s before disaster strikes.