Arkansas Fire and Water Damage - Carpet Cleaning

Hopefully, you will never experience the devastion that comes with fire damage. However, if you do, it is important to understand the process from the beginning to the final step of the fire damage restoration process. Knowing who to call and what steps to take can mean the difference in saving priceless possessions and losing them.

The first action to take once the fire has been extinguished is to contact your insurance company. They will assign an adjuster and get the entire process started. Once they have been notified, contact Steamatic of Hot Springs. We have a knowledgeable, dedicated restoration technician on call 24/7, 365 days per year. When you call our office, your call will be answered by a live technician who will dispatch the technician within minutes. We will be at your home in less than two hours to assess the damage and begin contact with your insurance adjuster. The technician will walk through your home with you and discuss any structural and content damages that need to be repaired or cleaned as well as any items that you will need back immediately. We will immediately remove any items that are of extreme importance such as paperwork, clothing, or a child's favorite teddy bear and take it back to our facility to begin cleaning. We will make sure that it gets back in your hands as soon as possible. Often times, homes receive a significant amount of water damage while the fire is being extinguished. We will begin any extraction and drying that is needed to prevent any further damage to your home or furnishings. If any windows or doors have been compromised, we will provide you with emergency board up services to secure your home.

Once we have made contact with your insurance adjuster and we have been approved to begin the restoration process, we will work efficiently and dilligently to restore your home and property to pre-loss conditions. Our Steamatic representative will remain in contact with you and your adjuster daily to update the progress of the work. Our representative will also be available any time to answer any questions you may have.

There are several stages to restoring fire damage depending on the severity of the damage. Below is a summary of the services we can offer.

Structural Cleaning

Typically, even with a small fire, most of the home sustains a considerable amount of soot damage. While it may be hard to see, the smell is still there. We can clean any part of the home including walls, ceilings, light fixtures, carpet and flooring, doors, and windows. If the central heat and air system was on during the fire or was turned on after the fire, it can carry soot to other parts of the house that did not sustain any physical damage. We clean the ductwork and HVAC unit to remove any contaminants and rid the home of the smoke odor. We also have a soda blaster which can remove heavy soot and char without damaging the structure. This is very effective in removing char from cabinets, studs, and ceiling and floor joists.

Structural Repairs

We use only top-notch, skilled laborers to perform all types of structural repairs. From drywall and roofing to cabinetry and painting, we perform all fields of repairs to restore your home to pre-loss condition. We also offer a warranty on all work performed by our company.

Contents Cleaning, Moving, and Storage

Most think that any contents that smell like smoke are not salvagable, but that is quite the contrary. We implement technology and cleaning techniques to save most items. If the fire damage is minimal, we can clean the contents on-site. If the contents have sustained heavy soot damage, we typically inventory and pack all contents, deliver them to our facility where they are cleaned, deodorized, ozoned, and repacked. All items are stored in our storage facility while the home is being restored. We are able to clean any item in the home from clothing and furniture to toys, housewares, and linens. In some cases, it is more cost-effective to replace an item than to clean it. That is determined at our facility, and the information is given to the adjuster for approval.

Final Inspection

Upon completion of restoration, you and your Steamatic representative will perform a final inspection to determine that all concerns have been addressed. Restored contents are returned to your home or office. You and / or your insurance provider will then receive a Work Complete statement.

Insurance Companies

We are currently preferred providers for the following insurance companies:
State Farm
Allstate
State Auto
USAA
Ohio Casualty
Crawford Contractors Connection
Encompass

If you insurance company is not listed, don't worry. We work with all insurance companies and adjusters. Just give us a call and we can help.

While you can't stop all fires from happening, there is a good chance that you can lessen the likelihood of it happening to you. Below is a list of some actions you can take to prevent a fire in your home.

If you burn candles in your home, never leave them unattended. Make sure that all candles are extinguished before leaving or retiring for the evening.

Have your dryer vent professionally cleaned once per year. Built-up lint in the vent can block the flow of air. Team that with excessive heat, and it can be a dangerous combination.

Never overload circuits or extension cords. Immediately turn off and unplug any appliances that short out, sputter, or emit sparks. Unplug appliances when not in use.

Do not place Christmas trees near a heat source as this will dry out the tree. Make sure when selecting a tree that the needles are green and the trunk is sticky to the touch. Fires that occur during the holiday season cause an estimated $500 million in damages each year.

Have your chimney cleaned once per year.

Have your heat and air system serviced once per year.

Keep in mind that if a fire occurs in your home, you need an escape plan for you and your family. Make sure that everyone knows where to meet outside once you have safely exited your home.

Also, keep a list of important numbers in a place that can be quickly accessed such as friends or family members or any other person that you want to notify immediately. Included in that, make sure you have contact numbers for your insurance agent and any after-hours numbers to report claims. (The sooner your insurance company is notified, the sooner the restoration process can begin.) Keep the number for Steamatic with that list, and with a quick call to us, we will arrive on scene and begin helping restore your home and your life.