Once you are faced with fire damage in Pasadena, there are decisions that have to be made, some of these decisions have to be made quickly. The first thing you must do is to attend to safety and security.
Once you have found alternative shelter for you and your family, along with a source of food and clothing, you are free to attend to the damaged structure. In co-operation with your insurance company, secure the house. Make sure all windows are boarded up; this simple act will keep unwanted intruders out as well as protect what’s left of the building from the weather.
Now comes the task of determining whether the structure can be salvaged or if it has to be torn down all together. If you can salvage the place you will save money, fire damage in Pasadena is always less costly to repair than building a replacement. When you first look at the place after the fire you may think it’s beyond repair, but that is not always the case. You may be pleasantly surprised.
The painted walls and ceilings of your home may look like they are burnt, perhaps not. Smoke and soot can give you the impression of being burnt. As long as the drywall or plaster is not actually burnt or ruined by water, they can be repaired. What’s important is that they are still structurally sound. Fire damage in Pasadena can often be more visual than structural.
If you have to replace the drywall because it actually has been burnt or destroyed by water that’s one thing. The next to look at is the studs and beams. If they have a slight char they can be repaired by adding a second piece of wood to the beam. If the burn is more than ¼” deep, they will need replacing. Wiring that has no apparent damage to the insulating cover is fine, and plumbing that has not been burnt is also salvageable.
Wooden windows that are not charred to badly by fire damage Pasadena will be reusable. Vinyl windows will probably have to be replaced as the vinyl stains from the heat, smoke and soot. Metal windows can be repainted and reused.
All flooring except vinyl may escape permanent damage and be reusable. Carpet and wood floors may be damaged beyond reuse by water more than fire. The woodwork used as trim may be difficult to match, especially if the fire was in an older dwelling. The furnace and air conditioning ducts will be salvageable but will need cleaning.
Wooden cabinets can survive the effects of heat, smoke and water. Cabinets made from particle board or laminates will not have a good chance of survival and will need replacing. The appliances, washer, dryer, fridge etc. are often finished in a vinyl coat. Anything vinyl that is subjected to fire damage Pasadena usually is beyond repair, this is the same for shower stalls and tubs.
