Suffering the loss of a house because of a fire can be a devastating experience for many people. Along with losing the place where they are raising a family, they may have family heirlooms or important personal items they lost as well. Fortunately, you can recover from this loss with these tips.
Prepare Yourself for Loss
Whether it is a fire that was responsible for burning down the house or it was in one room, seeing the damage can be an emotional experience. Mentally prepare yourself to go back into your home once you get the all clear from fire authorities by knowing what to expect.
During the fighting of a fire, firefighters sometimes need to cut holes in the roof or the walls of the house. Also, there will be water, fire, and smoke damage, and you may see some valuables in your home damaged as well. Knowing this information can prevent shock when seeing the damage.
Wait for Permission to Re-Enter Home
The structure of your home may be compromised after a fire, so you should wait until you receive the all clear to be in it before assessing the damage. The last thing that you’ll want to do is compound your losses by sustaining an injury from falling debris or through the floor while inspecting the house.
Hire Help for Damage
In a home with minor damages or damage in only one room, don’t try to restore it to normal yourself. Most insurance policies pay for companies to take care of fire and water restoration for homeowners, so take advantage of that coverage and hire professionals to help you.
Help Pets Cope
Along with the humans who may be temporarily displaced, your pets may be as well. If your home is unlivable, your insurance policy will help you pay for temporary housing, but they may not be pet-friendly. If this is the case, leave them with a friend or family member that you trust.
Visit your pet to reassure them that you didn’t abandon them. A pet that you’ve had for years will miss you almost as much as you miss them, so spend some time cuddling with your cat or dog and playing with them.
Salvage What You Can
After getting the all clear to be in your home, salvage all the personal items that you can. Wear gloves when combing through the ashes and debris to find valuable jewelry, check for photographs or papers that may have survived the fire, and find any fireproof safes that you own.
Saving personal items can be a relief for many people, especially if they were family heirlooms that are impossible to replace. If you have children, look for their items that may have survived as well. Finding a familiar toy or a favorite blanket can reassure them too.
Before attempting to assess the damage and recovering what you can from the fire, use your smartphone to take pictures and call your homeowner’s insurance company. Inform them of the fire, so they can send someone to assess the damage and explain to you what your policy covers.
The sooner you call them, the sooner you can start recovering financially as well.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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