If you have had a fire you are familiar with the amount of damage that can occur. Nearly all property suffers from smoke and heat damage. Then, depending on the size of the fire you can occur large losses due to water damage.

     However, you may be surprised to how much property is recoverable..

     The following information was provided from a booklet by FEMA, Federal Emergency Management Agency, named "After the Fire Returning To Normal". The booklet was also developed with the assistance of the Hollywood, Florida Fire Department. Salvage Hints were also furnished by the Fire Center of the University of Minnesota.

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      Recovering from a fire may take a long time and many of the things you have to do will be new to you. This booklet may introduce some of the information you may need after a residential fire has occurred.

If You Are Not Insured

If you are not insured, your recovery from a fire loss will be based upon your own resources and help from your community.

     Private organizations that help with disaster relief include the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. Your church or synagogue can put you in touch with your denomination's helping group. Local civic organizations such as Lion's Clubs International and the Rotarians may be sources of aid.

     Some state and local governments have emergency aid programs. Check with your state or municipal emergency services office or the state department of social services for information on what help is available.

     Disaster relief services, both privately funded and government sponsored, usually work together to coordinate their services to those in need. For instance, Red Cross will refer clients to groups which have clothing and furnishings available, if these are needed.

     State social services agencies are aware of what groups in the community offer housing or food grants. A contact with one helping group will usually connect you to a network of agencies who will work together to help you.

     Losses due to fire may be deductible from you Federal income tax. Get receipts and keep records of the money you spend in repairing or replacing damaged property and in covering your living expenses during the loss recovery period. These records and receipts will be the basis for calculating the casualty loss on your income tax. If your loss in one year was larger than your income for that year, you may be entitled to a tax refund. Check with your accountant or IRS for special tax information.

If you are insured

Your insurance will be the most important single component in recovering from a fire loss. It is extremely important to contact your insurance representative as soon as possible after a fire. There may be a couple things your insurer may want you to do, for example:

     Besides your obligations to the insurer, you also have a responsibility to inform your mortgage company of the fire and to keep them informed of activities to restore the property.

Inventorying the damage

     Most insured individuals are requested by their agent to make a pre-fire household inventory. Almost no one does. A pre-fire inventory, or even photographs/video taken before the fire, can help immeasurably in the claim estimating procedure.

     You may find the inventory process difficult and upsetting. However, try to take the time necessary to assure that the inventory and estimate are complete. You may want to go over the damaged area more than once. But it is also important to avoid unnecessary delay.

     Some people have found it helpful to use a tape recorder to create the basic list of items for the inventory. Your insurance agent or adjuster may have inventory forms that can help you organize the job. Photographs may prove valuable in recording specific damage.

     Next comes the task of valuing the loss. This could be on an actual cash value or replacement cost basis, depending on your policy. Receipts are helpful in establishing the items' original value. Insurers understand that in most cases people cannot provide receipts for all the damaged items; such evidence may even have been destroyed in the fire. Nonetheless, the insurer and insured must come to an agreement about the value of damaged articles. If this cannot be arrived at in the loss adjustment process, provision is made in the policy for the appraisal of goods and the arbitration of differences.

     Some insurance policies give the insurer the option to repair or replace an item, whichever is less. Other policies give the option to the owner. In either case, when the dollar value of the property has been transferred to the owner, the property belongs to the insurer and may be disposed of by the company for its salvage value.

Replacement of valuable documents and records

     Here's a check list of documents you will need to replace if they have been destroyed and who to contact for information on the replacement process:

The total cost of the fire

     The total financial effects of a fire are far-reaching. There are the obvious financial losses of the damaged structure and contents. These are formally called the direct fire losses. There are the less obvious financial effects such as the cost of temporary living arrangements, or lost income due to time lost from your job.

     These are called the indirect fire losses. Both direct and indirect fire losses may be covered by insurance. Some, if not all, of your damaged property will be covered. The extent will depend on the type and amount of the insurance policy and the scope of coverage. Also, a portion of extra living and medical expenses may be covered by homeowner and medical insurances. Lost work time may not be insured against but the financial effect may be lessened by applying sick leave or vacation time to missed hours or days. In short, the effects of a fire will most likely cause you out-of-pocket expense.

     Some of the expense not reimbursed by insurers may be deductible on your Federal income tax return. For instance, portions of the actual cash value of a loss that are not reimbursed by the insurer may be deductible after the first $100. Also, monies you collect as part of disaster relief services or that are reimbursed by the insurer as additional living expenses are not added to your income (and therefore not taxed). Expenses and lost value due to damage must be documented by receipts and appraisals. IRS Publication 547, the IRS information service or an accountant can give you the details you will need. Contact your local IRS office for specific information.

Salvage Hints

     A word of caution before you begin. Several of the cleaning mixtures described in this section contain the substance Tri-Sodium Phosphate. Tri-Sodium Phosphate may be purchased at a hardware store under brand names TSP and Oakite. Tri-Sodium Phosphate is a caustic substance used commonly as a cleaning agent. It should be used with care and stored out of the reach of children and pets. Wear rubber gloves when using. Read the label for further information.

Clothing

     Smoke odor and soot can sometimes be washed from clothing. The following formula will often work for clothing that can be bleached:

4-6 tbsp. Tri-Sodium Phosphate
1 cup Lysol or any household chlorine bleach
1 gallon warm water
Mix well, add clothes, rinse with clear water
Dry well

     To remove mildew, wash the fresh stain with soap and warm water. Then rinse and dry in sun. If the stain has not disappeared, use lemon juice and salt, or a diluted solution of household chlorine bleach.

Test colored garments before using any treatment

     If you are taking woolen, silk, or rayon garments to the cleaners, first remove trimmings, shoulder pads, etc. Then, if the garment is damp or wet, dry it in a well ventilated area. Shake and brush well, and take the garment to the cleaners as soon as possible.

Cooking Utensils

     Your pots, pans, flatware, etc., should be washed with soapy water, rinsed, and then polished with a fine-powdered cleaner. You can polish copper and brass with special polish, salt sprinkled on a piece of lemon, or salt sprinkled on a cloth saturated with vinegar.

Electrical Appliances

     Do not use appliances that have been exposed to water or steam until you have a service representative check them. This is especially true of electrical appliances. In addition, steam can remove the lubricant from some moving parts. 

     If the fire department turned off your gas or power during the fire, call the electric or gas company to restore these services. Do not try to do it yourself.

Food

     Wash your canned goods in detergent and water. Do the same for food in jars. If labels come off, be sure you mark the contents on the can or jar with a grease pencil.

Do not use canned goods when cans have bulged, dented, or rusted.

     If your home freezer has stopped running, you may still be able to save the frozen food:

     Keep the freezer closed. Your freezer may have enough insulation to keep food frozen for at least one day, perhaps for as many as two or three days.
Move your food to a neighbor's freezer or rented locker. Wrap the frozen food in newspapers and blankets, or use insulated boxes.

Do not refreeze food that has thawed

     To remove odor from your refrigerator or freezer, wash the inside with a solution of baking soda and water, or use one cup of vinegar or household ammonia to one gallon of water. Some baking soda in an open container, or a piece of charcoal can be placed in the refrigerator or freezer to absorb odor.

Flooring and Rugs

     When water gets underneath linoleum, it can cause odors and warp the wood floor. If this happens, remove the entire sheet. If the linoleum is brittle, a heat lamp will soften it so it can be rolled up without breaking. If carefully removed, it can be re-cemented after the floor has completely dried. Small blisters in linoleum can be punctured with a nail and re-cemented if you are careful. Dilute regular linoleum paste thin enough to go through a hand syringe and shoot adhesive through the nail hole. Weigh down the linoleum with bricks or boards. It is usually possible to cement loose tiles of any type. Wait until the floor is completely dry before beginning.

      Rugs and carpets should also be allowed to dry thoroughly. Throw rugs can then be cleaned by beating, sweeping, or vacuuming, and then shampooing. Rugs should be dried as quickly as possible--lay them flat, and expose them to a circulation of warm, dry air. A fan turned on the rugs will speed drying. Make sure the rugs are thoroughly dry. Even though the surface seems dry, moisture remaining at the base of the tufts can quickly rot a rug. For information on cleaning and preserving carpets, call you carpet dealer or installer or qualified carpet cleaning professional.

Mattresses

     Reconditioning an innerspring mattress at home is very difficult, if not impossible. Your mattress may be able to be renovated by a company that builds or repairs mattresses. If you must use your mattress temporarily, put it out into the sun to dry. Then cover it with rubber or plastic sheeting.
It is almost impossible to get smoke odor out of pillows. The feathers and foam retain the odor.

Leather and Books

     Wipe leather goods with a damp cloth, then a dry cloth. Stuff purses and shoes with newspapers to retain shape. Leave suitcases open. Leather goods should be dried away from heat and sun. When leather goods are dry, clean with saddle soap. You can use steel wool or a suede brush on suede. Rinse leather and suede jackets in cold water and dry away from heat and sun.

     Wet books must be taken care of as soon as possible. The best method to save wet books is to freeze them in a vacuum freezer. This special freezer will remove the moisture without damaging the pages.

     If there will be a delay in locating such a freezer, place them in a normal freezer until a vacuum freezer can be located.

     A local librarian can also be a good resource.

Locks and Hinges

     Locks (especially iron locks) should be taken apart, wiped with kerosene, and oiled. If locks cannot be removed, squirt machine oil through a bolt opening or keyhole, and work the knob to distribute the oil. Hinges should also be thoroughly cleaned and oiled.

Walls and Furniture

To remove soot and smoke from walls, furniture and floors, do the following:

Mix together:
4 to 6 tbsp. Tri-Sodium Phosphate
1 cup Lysol or any chloride bleach
1 gallon warm water

     Wear rubber gloves when cleaning. After washing article, rinse with clear warm water, and dry thoroughly.

     Walls may be washed down while wet. Use a mild soap or detergent. Wash a small area at one time, working from the floor up. Then rinse the wall with clear water immediately. Ceilings should be washed last. Do not repaint until walls and ceilings are completely dry.

     Your wallpaper can also be repaired. Use a commercial paste to repaste loose edges or section. Contact your wallpaper dealer or installer for information on wallpaper cleaners. Washable wallpaper can be washed like an ordinary wall, but care must be taken not to soak the paper. Work from bottom to top to prevent streaking.

     You can also rub the wood surface with a 4/0 steel wool pad dripped in liquid polishing wax, wipe with a soft cloth and then buff.
Money Replacement

     Handle burned money as little as possible. Attempt to encase each bill or portion of a bill in plastic wrap for preservation. If money is only half-burned or less (if half or more of the bill is intact), you can take the remainder to your local Federal Reserve Bank for replacement. Ask your personal bank for the nearest one. Mutilated or melted coins can be taken to the Federal Reserve Bank. If your U.S. Savings Bonds have been mutilated or destroyed, write to:

U.S. Treasury Department
Bureau of Public Debt
Division of Loans and Currency
537 South Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60605
Attn: Bond Consultant

      Include name(s) and address(es) on bonds, approximate date or time period when purchased, denominations and approximate number of each.