Residential fires are horrid events. Unpredictable, highly destructive, and overall traumatizing experiences, they can take a hefty toll on your physical and mental health and your security and finances. Your home is your safe space, filled with security and comfort, and having that damaged or even taken away from you is harmful and will disrupt your everyday life. However, if you’ve had the misfortune of going through a household fire, you should know that all is not lost. Below are some tips that may be helpful as you navigate these trying times.
Prioritize mental health
The most important thing to do after a house fire is to check if anyone has been injured and get them prompt medical help if so. After the physical wounds have been healed, however, you need to pay special attention to emotional injuries. Seeing your home engulfed in a blaze is very intense and may result in dire emotional shock. You may find yourself overwhelmed by disbelief and bitterness, unable to understand why it happened to you. You can even deal with guilt if you consider yourself directly responsible for what’s happening. If you have children, the stress of this crisis can negatively affect their sleep and cause them to experience vivid nightmares and even night terrors. Your entire family might deal with anxiety troubles, and it can feel like you have nobody to lean on as everyone is coping in their way. If you believe you lack the necessary emotional resources to traverse these moments, consult with a therapist to get professional advice.
Take care of family and pets
The after-effects of fire will affect both the family members you live with and those who live away. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need someone to talk to. And similarly, don’t shy away from advising others. After all, when you share a common experience, you know what to say and may even prove valuable insights. Pets, much like children, will be terrified, and you must take the time to comfort them. When you do so, try your best to calm your nerves before proceeding in order to avoid further stressing an already high-strung pet. Remember that scared animals tend to react aggressively, so make sure you approach with caution to avoid being scratched or bitten.
However, if you’d rather get an outsider’s perspective, you can always rely on your found family, your friends. Friends are usually very close companions and always willing to lend a shoulder to cry on. You may even require accommodation from them while your house undergoes all the reparation work, which brings us to our following point.
Start restoration work
The duration of repair work following a conflagration depends on the extent of the damage, how powerful the fire was and how long it took to be put out. The cause of the fire is also essential when starting rehabilitation. You won’t be able to recondition your home yourself, and require the support of professionals. Hire Water Mold Fire restoration to get a dedicated team of experts working hard to give your house back to you the way you remember it. They’ll run a professional assessment of the scene and establish the degree and effects of the problem. They’ll remove all the objects affected by the flames to start the rebuilding process.
Another problem that can occur after a fire is mold. It may seem improbable, but you must remember that a significant amount of water is left behind from firefighting efforts. This creates lingering moisture, which permeates the very structure of your home and can result in mildew problems. You are probably aware that fungus can be potentially dangerous for human health and create or aggravate health problems. The same crew of professionals can help you in this area and ensure that you don’t have to put up with mold on your walls or ceiling.
Replace valuable documents
One of the worst ways household fires affect you is by causing the loss of many objects that are very close to your heart. Clothing, photo albums and other treasure items, such as family heirlooms, are likely to sustain significant damage in the aftermath. In some cases, you may lose them altogether. However, as big as the heartache of losing these near and dear things is, it’s important to maintain a pragmatic view. The first things that need replacing are essential documents. If some or any of these were affected, you must take the necessary measures to have them replaced as soon as possible. This category includes birth and marriage certificates, passports, driver’s licenses, medical records, credit and debit cards, citizenship papers, mortgage contracts and tax papers. They are critical to getting your life back on track.
Secure for the future
After finishing off the rebuilding efforts and resuming your livelihood, you are probably looking for ways to secure your home from similar incidents in the future. It’s important to know what started the fire in the first place and avoid that same error in the future. Be careful where you store flammable objects or materials, remove clutter from your home, and never leave fires unsupervised, whether it’s your oven, your fireplace or perfumed candles you’re lighting to relax. Also, you should run periodical electricity checkups. Make sure that the power in your home is consistent and you’re not subjected to sudden electricity flare-ups. They’re very dangerous, can potentially damage the protective layer surrounding live wiring, and start sparks. If you’re experiencing constant power outages, flickering lights or notice the power outlets are overheating, you should probably have an electrician check that for you.
Recovering after a house fire can be tremendous work, and it’ll take a lot of energy and both internal and external resources to take your life back. After the initial, unavoidable shock has dispersed, start taking small steps towards rebuilding. You’ll have plenty of support along the way.
