Home fires are devastating, so it's no wonder that most homeowners have no idea what to do after a fire. In this episode of the Disaster Podcast, we discuss common Do's and Don'ts that you can follow to help you recover from home fires as quickly as possible! Please check out our other Podcast Episodes for tips to prevent home fires as well. With franchise opportunities available across most of the country, Disaster Blaster is YOUR chance to take control of your future and be part of a thriving restoration brand. Contact our Franchise Team at 302-242-1042 or Franchising@disasterblaster.com to start your future TODAY! Disaster Podcast is brought to you by Disaster Blaster! https://disasterblaster.com/ With franchise opportunities available across most of the country, Disaster Blaster is YOUR chance to take control of your future and be part of a thriving restoration brand. Contact our Franchise Team at 302-242-1042 or Franchising@disasterblaster.com to start your future TODAY! Franchise Opportunities: https://disasterblasterfranchise.com

- Do you know what to do after a home fire? Stay tuned for some important do's and don'ts. When you experience a fire, you want your home back together as quickly as possible, but there's a process that's important to follow. Here are some dos and don'ts to help you through the process! Do contact Disaster Blaster. Your local Disaster Blaster knows how to clean up fire and smoke damage, and is also knowledgeable in the insurance claims process. We're always here to help. Do document damage. Take pictures of all of the damage to your home, contents, and yard and keep a list of anything that has to be disposed of. This will be helpful for your insurance company. Do prevent further damage. You may need to have your roof tarped or windows boarded up to prevent additional moisture damage. A mitigation company may also be necessary to begin the drying process if, for instance, the fire was put out with water. Do start drying right away. If your fire was put out with water, it's going to need to be professionally dried to prevent further damage. Your local Disaster Blaster should start this work right away to prevent further damage and mold growth. Do protect plumbing. If your fire occurred in the winter, you may need to have a plumber winterize the property to prevent frozen pipes. Do save receipts. Save everything - contractor bills, hotel and dinner receipts, material receipts. Your insurance company will need these. Now let's take a look at some fire damaged Dont's. Don't enter the home. Until your home is deemed safe, It's important to stay outside. A Fire Marshal should conduct an inspection and let you know when it's safe to return to the property. Don't use water, electric, or gas. Fires can damage supply lines and electrical wiring. It's best to avoid using these utilities until you know it's safe. Don't start cleaning yourself. Smoke cleaning is very specialized. If you try to clean it yourself, you could make it worse. It's best to leave this to the professionals. Don't take laundry to a normal dry cleaner. Not all dry cleaners can handle smoke damaged items. Your local Disaster Blaster should have someone they work with that they can refer. Don't save contaminated food or medicine. If food or medicine was contaminated with smoke, it has to be thrown away. Don't forget to make a list of these items for your insurance company. Don't paint over or cover up smoke and soot. Without proper cleaning, soot odors won't go away. Simply covering up the smoke damage can make proper cleaning much more difficult. While we hope you never experience a home fire, with these fire damage do's and don'ts, you'll know what to do to get your home and life back together as quickly as possible. Would you like to take control of your future and build a business you can be proud of? We can help. As a Disaster Blaster Franchise Partner, our industry experts will help you unlock the potential of the $210 billion restoration industry. Disaster Blaster offers the most revenue streams in the restoration industry, training and support from industry experts, a unique model primed for your success, and more! Call our franchise team today to learn more at 242-1042 or visit us on the web at www.DisasterBlasterFranchise.com. Stay tuned for some frequently asked questions, but while you're here, don't forget to Like and Subscribe. What are the most common causes of home fires in the United States? One, cooking. The leading cause of residential fires starting almost half of all home fires. Cooking fires happen at any time of the year, but are particularly common on holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the 4th of July. Two, heating. The second leading cause of residential fires, heating system fires are most commonly the result of fireplaces or wood stoves that have not been properly cleaned or serviced, or otherwise malfunction. Three, electrical systems. The third leading cause of home fires. Electrical systems that malfunction often result in fires inside walls or above ceilings. As a result, these fires are often not discovered right away and can be difficult to extinguish. Four, candles. While this is a surprise to many people, candle fires are extremely common and generally occur when a candle is left unattended, isn't extinguished fully, or is placed too close to combustible content items such as curtains or bedding. Five, smoking though only accounting for 2% of residential building fires, smoking is the leading cause of civilian home fire deaths. This high mortality rate is due to the fact that smoking fires are particularly common among the elderly, and often occur when someone falls asleep with a lit cigarette. While we hope that you never experience a home fire, knowing some common causes allows you to be more aware of these risks. Are you prepared for a fire? While no one ever expects to have a home fire, it's always a good idea to prepare for the unexpected. Here are some of the most common questions about fire extinguishers. Do you know what type of fire extinguisher you need? There are several different classes of fire extinguishers that are all intended for specific uses. Class A fire extinguishers are intended for paper, wood, plastics, fabric, rubber, and trash fires. This is a general purpose fire extinguisher that is good for areas of the home, such as bedrooms and living rooms, where special grease and oil fires are unlikely. Class B fire extinguishers are specially formulated for fires that involve gasoline, oil, grease, paint, and solvents. This is a special purpose fire extinguisher that is great for basements and garages. Class C fire extinguishers are intended for fires that involve electrical equipment, circuit breakers, computers, appliances, and wiring. This is an extremely special purpose fire extinguisher class that is generally reserved for commercial and industrial uses. Class K fire extinguishers are specially formulated for fires that involve cooking oils, animal fats, and vegetable oils. This is a special purpose fire extinguisher that is designed specifically for kitchen uses and is the perfect fire extinguisher to keep in home kitchens. Do you have the right fire extinguishers in your home? Do you know how to use a fire extinguisher? It's as simple as P-A-S-S. P - Pull the safety pin, A - Aim at the base of the fire S - Squeeze the handle S - Sweep from side to side. It's always recommended to go over with your family where fire extinguishers are kept as well as the proper use of them so that everyone is prepared in the event of an emergency.