6 Steps After Commercial Fire Damage Restoration to Help Your Business Recover

11/18/2021 (Permalink)

Blog Summary: SERVPRO of Lake Travis and Northwest Austin area recommends what steps to take to quickly get back to business after a commercial fire causes irreparable damage. 

SERVPRO specializes in commercial damage restoration and cleanup after a flood or fire, aiming to minimize disruption and get operations back on track. Their highly experienced team serves the Lake Travis and Northwest Austin area, offering 24/7 emergency assistance when needed. Services include smoke odor removal, fire damage cleanup, and restoration, as well as water damage cleanup and restoration that occurs from firefighting efforts. 

The SERVPRO team undergoes intensive water and fire damage training, which includes completing the IICRC program, a SERVPRO specific certification course, and specified continuing education classes. Staff must also participate in ongoing web-based workshops to ensure their training is up to date. As a trusted member of the community, SERVPRO has been helping restore businesses in the area since 1998.    

6 Steps After Commercial Fire Damage Restoration to Help Your Business Recover

#1: Contact the Insurance Company

Contact the insurance company as soon as possible to learn what steps need to be taken to file a claim. They will also likely recommend having emergency water restoration performed by a commercial cleaning service right away. Calling them immediately will help prevent delays and help your business recover faster. If the business space has been leased, it's important also to contact the landlord or building manager. 

#2: Protect Any Remaining Property

One of the first steps to take after the fire has been extinguished is to safeguard the property. Doing so protects the business from theft and further damage and is often required by insurance companies. This step may include patching holes, covering the roof with a tarp, and turning off the water, gas, and other utilities. A security fence may need to be installed, and you may want to consider hiring a private security team. 

#3: Document Everything

Take photos and video of the damage. Keep a log of everyone who was contacted and why. Track all business costs during this period and hold on to receipts. Find out what documentation is required by the insurance company and start getting it together. 

#4: Contact Fire Restoration Companies

Fire restoration companies will clean up and restore everything, getting business operations up and running again sooner. Water cleanup will likely be needed as well due to firefighting efforts. Fortunately, most companies that deal with fire damage can also perform water damage restoration. 

#5: Notify Anyone Affected

Update your staff, vendors, and suppliers with new contact information. Have any deliveries or mail forwarded to a different address, and inform customers of what has happened. New contact information may also need to be given to utility companies, credit card companies, the fire department, and the police. 

#6: Retrieve Any Valuables

Once the fire department has given the okay, retrieve any valuables from the building. These may include servers, external hard drives, laptops, cash, credit cards, checkbooks, business licenses, employee information, inventory records, and accounting statements.

SERVPRO serves over a dozen cities in Northwest Texas including, River Place, Canyon Creek, and Spicewood, TX. Their staff’s intensive training makes them a leader in the water and fire damage restoration industry. If you require commercial damage restoration, call them now at (512) 318-2202 and get your business up and running as soon as possible.