How To Save Cabinets After a Fire

Residential fires can cause enormous emotional distress in addition to injury, financial damage, and even loss of life. Wooden furniture such as cabinets is particularly vulnerable to fire damage. Most homeowners get attached to their cabinets because they’ve grown to the role it plays in their interior decor.

But all hope is not lost.

You can call fire damage restoration services to conduct on-site repair, including cabinet restorations. These restorations cover everything, from wood repair to color blending and finishing. Unfortunately, this isn’t a DIY project you can complete over the weekend. Here are a few steps that fire damage restoration companies typically utilize to repair or restore cabinets.

Cabinet Cleaning

The fire damage restoration service has to analyze if the cabinet was doused with water and chemicals when putting out the fire. The clock is ticking on this one, especially if the cabinet was exposed to excessive water. Cabinet damage should be taken care of within 24 hours to prevent the growth of mold. Bring in humidifiers and blowers to improve airflow and reduce moisture in the air. If the weather permits, you can try opening the window to facilitate airflow.

Fire damage restoration also requires you to get rid of any oils, grime, or grit that may have clogged to the cabinets. Depending on the severity of the damage, your cabinet may require special tools such as HEPA vacuums. This device can remove small particles that aren’t picked up by regular vacuums.

Deciding if the Cabinet is Worth Fixing

After you’re done cleaning the grime, you can finally take a good look at the cabinet and its overall structure. You may be asked how the fire started and what ‘elements’ the cabinet came into contact with. Differences in repair processes will be used depending on how the cabinet was damaged.

The cabinet has to be structurally sound for repair work to continue. If the heat and fire have permeated the structure significantly, it may still be possible but expensive to repair and restore your cabinets. It may be too laborious a task to restore such cabinets, and replacing them could be more cost-effective instead.

Fire restoration experts in East Dallas often have experience with water, heat, and fire damage. And they also know how to deal with vintage cabinets. Most specialists are trained to salvage damaged cabinets and restore them.

Note: Older wooden finishes are usually more complex to deal with but worth repairing. Fire damage doesn’t have to mean the end of your cabinet – as long as you contact a reputable fire damage restoration company in East Dallas for help on time.

Cabinet Repair

After the initial cleanup and analysis, your fire damage service in East Dallas will provide you with realistic options. Most specialists are well-equipped to repair smoke damages, restore colors, and improve the look of your cabinet.

They can also match the color of the cabinet so that they look just like the day you first brought them into your kitchen.

Provided that the damage is minimal, restoring the stained color of your cabinet may require a few minor touch-ups – this is a relatively cost-effective option. The process includes refacing the wood, applying a new veneer, and replacing hinges, drawer fronts, and handles.

If your cabinet was protected under insurance, your fire damage restoration might also work with the insurer directly.

The Average Timeline of Cabinet Restoration

911 Restoration specialists know what your cabinets mean to you. This is why they will conduct a   thorough evaluation about the most cost-effective option for restoring your fire-damaged cabinets. The average timeline for repair work can vary from a few days up to a week in case of minor damages. For complete restoration of the cabinet, you may have to wait a few weeks for repairs to complete.

For a more detailed timeline, you can get in touch with your local 911 Restoration technician in East Dallas. They will be more than happy to provide you with an estimate based on the state of the cabinet. In most cases, cabinet restoration doesn’t take longer than the process of shopping around for a new one. For obvious reasons, full restoration of your old cabinets will take time.

Think About the Environmental Benefits of Cabinet Restoration

You could swap old cabinets with new ones or choose to repair them. The latter option is better because it is an environmentally responsible decision to make. You can minimize waste by salvaging your cabinet piece. This will save trees and lower your overall carbon footprint.

It can be hard to think these processes through after a fire accident has ravaged your cabinets. Whether the damage was caused by fire or smoke, the restoration process may be too much to handle on your own.

We recommend contacting an expert – such as the team at 911 Restoration. We can help you with the repair and restoration of fire-damaged furniture, including cabinets. And we can get started as soon as you’re ready.

Reach out to your local 911 Restoration specialist to see if your cabinets in East Dallas are salvageable.