Family Owned & Operated Since 2002
A fire in your home or business is undoubtedly one of the most traumatic events many people will face. Having an IICRC-certified restoration company in your court during the recovery process is critical to getting your family or business back in order as quickly as possible.
Just like water damage, when a fire happens it is critical that the restoration process begins quickly. The longer the water from the fire department sits and the longer the smoke and soot linger, the deeper the damage reaches into the structure itself and the longer and more complicated the fire damage restoration process becomes. Our skilled and trained crews will get your residential or commercial property back to the condition it was in before the fire damage, guaranteed. Here's our promise to you:
No matter the extent of the fire, smoke, and soot damage, Water Out has the experience and expertise to set things right.
Good restoration companies, like Water Out, understand the longer you let the smoke and soot sit, the harder it will be to fix the damage that's been done.
An estimator will take a walk through your home and see the damage, and create a plan of action. This estimator will likely also be able to work with your insurance adjuster or insurance company during the loss. Once an inspection is complete, our certified fire damage restoration technicians will start the damage restoration process. This could include removing the carpet or other porous materials, scrubbing down walls with special solutions that will remove the soot and the odor, and wiping every single surface over and over until it's clean. It could also mean doing things like removing cabinets from the wall to clean behind them, or removing charred beams saturated with smoke and soot.
There are a number of innovations restoration companies can use to address smoke damage. If not properly removed, the smoke smell can reappear during a change in the weather, the presence of moisture, or other environmental changes. That's why it's important to have an experienced team making sure not only that your home is clean and the visible damage removed, but also that the smell is removed as well.
Our promise to you in a fire, or any property disaster, is this:
There were 1.24 million house fires in the U.S. in 2013 alone, according to FEMA. The good news is that is down more than 20 percent from a decade earlier, the bad news is that fires do still happen and are more common than most of us realize. Those 1.24 million house fires in 2013 did about $11.5 billion dollars in damage.
According to the National Fire Prevention Association, U.S. fire departments responded to more than three thousand business fires a year between 2007 and 2011, resulting in $112 million in property damage. Unlike house fires that happen more in the middle of the night, business fires are much more likely to happen during the day.
It's never a quick fix, though we've gathered together a multi-discipline team of contractors and technicians to work in tandem to complete the work as soon as possible. From structural repairs to sand/soda-blasting to odor removal to contents cleaning, our fire damage restoration crew begins as soon as the project scope is determined, and we don't stop until the job is done and both you and the insurance company are satisfied with the results.
Most often, yes. You'll need to check your specific policy for the full scope of coverage, but in general, if the damage was caused by a flame, it's covered. Your best bet is to hire a professional restoration company to help you through the claims process. We know how to avoid some common missteps when it comes to making sure the entire loss is documented and covered. Many homeowners and insurance companies forget, for instance, to consider that your HVAC system will need to be cleaned of soot, and, since fires are extinguished using water, many areas of your home may need to be restored due to water damage even if they weren't directly affected by the fire.
Depending on the extent or location of the fire damage, some homeowners can move back in a few days or longer. The fire department will usually turn off electricity and gas to the property right away, and that won't be restored until a building inspector says that it's safe to turn those utilities back on. If you experienced significant smoke damage and the home's occupants include elderly persons, young children, or those with chronic health conditions, you may be wise to stay until the smoke cleanup is complete. Contracting with a company experienced in fire damage restoration can often get you back home sooner because they'll have the resources to hire and manage the many tradespeople who will need to work together to make the home liveable again.
DIY soot removal is not recommended. Commercially available products can actually cause permanent damage to surfaces. Soot itself is primarily oil-based, but that residue also contains toxic, possibly biohazard contaminants.
Smoke damage is rarely limited to one area of the house, and it leaves behind a residue that can hide in crevices and out-of-reach areas, and a simple "airing out" may not be sufficient. We recommend consulting with a smoke damage technician who can help you troubleshoot the next steps.
"So happy my plumber shared Water Out's info with us. As they responded rather quickly and took care of EVERYTHING super fast!!! Plus they took care of helping us with speaking directly with our homeowners insurance. Would highly recommend and use should it be necessary."
Pamela Requena-Camacho
"Water Out did an amazing job at our house after my son plugged the bathroom sink and let the water run. It was even a holiday, and the guys came out, set the equipment up promptly, and were very nice and professional. They came back each day to check on the progress, and each person that came was very friendly and professional. At the end, they were able to save our bathroom floor and drywall! I would highly recommend these guys to anyone! Thank you so much!"
Sara Hayden
"I was delighted by the fact that the technicians who were dispatched to my home were so kind and courteous. They made sure not to dirty anything on their way to the problematic area downstairs, and did a fantastic job containing all of the dust created by removing the damaged drywall. I would trust them anytime I need help. I am very appreciative of them getting to me in my emergency situation so quickly, knowing well, that they have appointments for non-emergency services also. Thanks again!"
Ben Buchanan
"Very quick to respond despite COVID restrictions, where other companies simply refused! Water damage was addressed and cleaned up in reasonable amount of time, and Water Out handled everything with my difficult insurance company. Only one issue in entire process, and this was rectified immediately. I have no complaints!"
Lisa Vincent
"First time using them was for carpet cleaning a couple days before our open house, Chris and his team went above and beyond to get to us after hours doing an amazing job. We had the unfortunate need for them a second time, months later, during the "arctic freeze" when we lost heat causing multiple leaks from our water supply pipes and hydronic heat. Chris and Chad were awesome kept me informed through the entire process. Great experience highly recommended."
Mike Adams
Because fires never fits into your schedule.
Water Out is your local commercial and residential disaster and property restoration company. We are proud to serve Fort Wayne, IN and the Northeast Indiana, Southwest Michigan and Western Ohio with top-rated water and fire damage restoration, mold remediation and cleaning services. We offer free inspections and estimates for commercial and residential customers in our service areas.
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