If Your Commercial Roof Is Damaged in a Fire, Follow These Steps Before and After the Roof Repair

7/25/2022 (Permalink)

Fire damage in Bountiful, UT.

A fire can cause plenty of damage to your Bountiful, UT, building on its own. You do not want any additional harm to occur once the blaze has been extinguished. Yet a broken roof leaves your property vulnerable to further damage. That is why you should take extra steps to protect the premises while you wait for the completion of the roof repair. You should also fortify the roof once it has been fixed. If a fire does harm your commercial roof, follow the below tips.

What To Do Before and After the Fire Cleanup

1. Have a Tarp Placed on the Roof

Flames can easily burn through a roof and create a giant hole. Firefighters also often create holes in roofs to eliminate the dark smoke that hinders their visibility.

Leaves and other debris could fall through the holes and into your property. If it rains before the roof is fixed, water could flood your building, as well. Unwanted animals such as raccoons and squirrels could even jump through the hole.
That is why you should hire fire remediation professionals who provide tarp services after a blaze. A tarp will keep the elements and critters outside of your property.

2. Contact Your Insurer

Before the restoration experts perform any significant repairs, you need to contact your insurance company. The insurer will likely send an adjuster to assess the damage before the restoration begins. The adjuster may also request photos and videos of destroyed items. Ideally, the insurer will then work with the remediation company to expedite the claims process.

3. Get the Shingles Replaced

The fire likely destroyed or damaged shingles on your roof. Even if some of the shingles just have missing parts, you should replace them entirely to be safe. The builder who constructed your roof may have left behind some shingles that the restoration company can use. Otherwise, you can find them at your local home shop.

4. Clean the Attic

The fire cleanup experts may need to access your roof through the attic. If the attic is cluttered with debris, this may be more difficult for them. If it is safe to do so, sweep the attic floor and removed any damaged items from the room. Be sure to wear protective clothing with a face mask.

5. Prevent Future Fire Damage With a Steel Roof and Sprinklers

If you need to replace your entire roof, you may want to opt for a steel one instead of a traditional shingle roof. Steel roofs improve your building’s appearance and are energy efficient. They are also more fire-resistant, so they are a great option for companies that often deal with combustible materials.
Installing roof sprinklers is another great way to prevent future fire damage to your building. These sprinklers are particularly useful if your property is in a wildfire-prone area.

Fire cleanup and roof repair can take a long time. Yet if you leave your commercial roof exposed to the elements for an extended period, debris, water or animals could enter the premises and cause further harm. By following the above steps, you should mitigate additional damage.