Austin Fire and Flood

How Does Fire Damage Affect a Building Structure?

Fire damage refers to material damage to a property due to burning. The flames can cause damage directly, but the smoke or other corrosive substances emitted during the fire can also damage properties. A fire damage restoration company can reverse the ruin and return the building to pre-disaster form.

Fire damage affects a building structure in different ways:

Unwanted Expansion of Materials

The average building fire burns at 1,112°F. Many building materials will feel the heat at that temperature range. If the fire continues at that temperature for a while, certain parts of the building will expand more than they should, leading to cracking or loss of structural integrity.

Loss of Compressive Strength

Concrete and other fire-resistant materials lose some of their compressive strength once the fire temperature exceeds 572°F. Therefore, important parts of the building, including the pillars and the foundation, may no longer have the strength to hold up the rest of the building. Rooms or floors can collapse.

Smoke Deposits

Parts of the property affected by the fire and areas near it will likely have large swathes of smoke deposits on the walls, floor, and non-combustible surfaces. These toxic deposits can make the air unsafe to breathe even after the fire is out.

Water Damage

Firefighters called in to quell a fire prioritize stopping the fire above anything else. Therefore, water damage often follows fire damage. Properties in the way of the water hose get soaked as the firefighters try to put out the blaze.

Fire Damage and Homeowners Insurance

Most homeowners’ insurance policies provide cover for fire damage. The policies usually cover wild and accidental fires but do not cover any fires set intentionally.

What to Do After Fire Damage

Homeowners need to check on their family members after a fire to ensure that everyone is safe. If there are no medical emergencies, contacting the insurance company (for property owners with home insurance) is the next step. The insurance company will offer more guidance on how to navigate the problem.

Avoid entering a fire-damaged building until a qualified fire damage restoration team like Austin Fire and Flood has inspected it and certified it safe to enter. If the home hasn’t sustained any structural damage, the company’s attention will shift towards assessing the water and smoke damage.

Fire Damage Restoration by Austin Fire and Flood

Austin Fire and Flood provides comprehensive fire damage restoration in Wooten, Austin, TX, Del Valle, TX, Leander, TX, Volente, TX, Jonestown, TX, Lago Vista, TX, Pointe Venture, TX, McNeil, TX, Manchaca, TX, Manor, TX, Pflugerville, TX, Briarcliff, TX, Spicewood, TX, Austin, TX, Bee Cave, TX, Lakeway, TX, Sunset Valley, TX, Rollingwood, TX, and West Lake Hills, TX.

A careful assessment by the Austin Fire and Flood team after a property has survived a fire can help the owners ascertain the structural integrity of the building. Where there are structural issues, the team will recommend restorative measures to make the building safe again for occupants.

If there are no structural problems, the attention will shift toward other restorative solutions such as water damage restoration and treating smoke damage. Austin Fire and Flood team members have nearly three decades of combined experience in restoration. They are also locals, which significantly reduces the response time during emergencies.