The Wet Side of Residential Fires

10/22/2018 (Permalink)

Fire damage in Tusculum,TN

Nobody wants to watch a home go up in flames. Unfortunately, for even Tusculum,TN, homeowners with a prevention strategy, house fires sometimes occur. When you think about fire damage, you probably focus on both smoke and flame damage. You may not, however, consider the water damage that accompanies most residential fires.

Extinguishing House Fires

Often, when a residential fire breaks out, firefighters use expertise and equipment to battle it. For most fires, firefighters take the following steps:

• Ensure the house is vacant
• Locate the source of the fire
• Use water and chemicals to extinguish blazes
• Monitor the home to ensure the fire does not reignite
  

Dowsing Residential Blazes

After firefighters locate the source of a residential fire, they routinely use water to extinguish the blaze. Depending on water pressure, a fire hose can pump more than 100 gallons of water per minute onto a house fire. If a blaze is large, firefighters may use many hoses when battling a fire. While some of the water turns into steam and evaporates, much of it remains inside the home. As a result, following a fire, homeowners routinely have to address both water damage and fire damage.

Measuring Water Damage

Water has a way of working itself into both large and small spaces. When firefighters pump water onto a blaze, it often ends up on all levels of a home. Further, if pipes break during the blaze, additional water can enter the house. When measuring the damage caused by water, inspectors must examine all parts of the dwelling. Even if the fire resulted in minor fire and smoke damage, the effects of water can be considerable.

When homes are salvageable after a fire, restoration specialists work to remediate the effects of both water and fire damage. By understanding the extent of damage from house fires, you can better plan for preventing them.