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What to Do After a House Fire
What to Do After a House Fire
4.9 RATING

What to Do After a House Fire

After suffering a house fire, it may be confusing here to start and what to do first.

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June 03, 2026
What to Do After a House Fire

After suffering a house fire, it may be confusing here to start and what to do first.

At Tidal Wave Response, we put together this guide detailing the steps to follow to get things back to normal in the event of a house fire.

Stay Out of Your Damaged House

Just because the fire has been extinguished doesn’t mean it’s safe to re-enter your house. Find a safe place to stay for at least a few days. Even small fires need to be inspected and the property needs to be thoroughly cleaned before it’s safe to reoccupy the house.

Call A Reputable Fire Damage Restoration Company

Once the fire is extinguished, the first thing you should do is to call an experienced fire damage restoration company like Tidal Wave Response to help you restore your property to pre-loss condition. A dependable restoration company can help you through the recovery process and suggest the next steps based on the severity of the fire.

A fire damage restoration company will use advanced equipment to rid your home of smoke and odors.

Reviews

Cassandra Abdus-Salaam

Alpharetta, GA

Hi. I don’t know where to start. John and Tidal wave his company were and still are a blessing from my Lord. One morning in January of this year I went down stairs and stepped in a puddle of water it was flooded. I also passed out. This was the second one in less than a year. I stood there for a minute and just cried. All I could think of was my insurance company may not take care of it a second time even if it was for a different leak. The last claim they paid out $23,000 for…

John Ayer

Atlanta, GA

John Mayer, Principal of Tidal Wave Response, and his project management team, lead by Colin Galubinski, has completed the restoration of my home in record time. The work included, but was not limited to the following: 1) Professional water leak detection 2) Professional plumbing that removed the concrete slab and backfill material, found and repaired the PEX cold water pipe 3) Backfilled and placed concrete to finish grade 4) Packed the furniture to storage. Restored the furniture without incident nor damage. 5) Dehumidified and removed the damaged carpet and hardwoods. 6) Cleaned the concrete surface and installed the new hardwoods.…

Spenser Hewett

Brookhaven, GA

I have worked in sales and also have experience in launching my own business. It is rare that you find a company that genuinely has your best interest in mind. Not only was John helpful outside of his business’ expertise, but he sent Chris to do a *free* evaluation of our water damage. John and Chris were both genuine and personable. They cared about what our situation was and they weren’t looking to get any sort of “fee” for their time. These are the kind of people you trust to handle big, catastrophic water damage to. I have previously had…

James B

Chamblee, GA

While others might categorize John as a fast talker, but on the other hand. I saw a man that's passionate about his business and willing to help others elevate their present situation. In early December 2022, our laundry room floor and wall got water damaged due to leakage from the hotline pipe, and other rooms got impacted due to water spreading. So, I reached out to John and he assured me they'll do everything within their power to get our house done before Christmas day. Boy was he right! John and the tidalwave response team were professional, helpful and got…

Anne Berman

Cumming, GA

We did not plan to renovate our terrace level but when the hot water heater leaked and flooded the entire area, Tidal Wave was recommended to us by the plumber who installed the new hot water heater. John, the owner was at our house the same evening and mitigation started early the next morning. The crew professionally removed wet drywall, flooring, and baseboard. Fans and dehumidifiers ran for several days and then the fun began. With Colin's help we were able to choose updated flooring, repaint a color of our choice, and new trim was installed. Everything was completed professionally.…

Hunter smith

Decatur, GA

Wow incredible company! I had a water damage that destroyed my entire main level. John and his team are very quick and efficient. When I was looking on google, tidal wave response was the only water restoration company with a 5 star review. Highly recommended using tidal wave response!!

Meme Dupree

Doraville, GA

I had a flood in my downstairs living room. It was devastating. John with Tidal wave was very professional. He had his team show up immediately to get the job done. Great work Tidal Wave. I'm definitely going to refer you to others.

pam kunc

Duluth, GA

Thank Goodness !!! Johnny on the spot! We had a pipe ruptured in the ceiling and we were looking for a 5 Star Rated Water Restoration company . Johnny came out with a Thermal Camera and found the pipe spraying behind the wall. I wish I would have called him sooner . My wood floors were so damaged by the water, they all will need to be replaced. We highly recommended Johnny with Tidal Wave. Very knowledgeable and even helped us start a claim with our insurance ..

Randy Fann

Dunwoody, GA

Had a shaky start with this particular project but I must say the owner took charge and corrected all the remaining issues. I will say that this particular job was the absolute worst I have taken on in 45 yrs. My hat is off to Mike and his crew and Allan was superb in making sure everything was done correctly. Thank you for your follow-up on this project guys. And Allan thank you especially for your thoroughness in making sure it was completed correctly.

Kadeja Edwards

Johns Creek, GA

Unfortunately, my water heater was old, cracked, and leaking water onto the supported area in my garage. I needed to replace the water heater with a new one, but the plumber told me that in order to meet the city code, I would have to handle the water damage first. I called out tidal wave (who I’ve worked with before), and they came out the very next day to cut out the affected area and treat for mold. This is my second issue with water in my house and tidal wave has taken care of both issues. They are fast,…

Call Your Insurance Company

The next thing you should do is contact your insurance company immediately to report the loss and determine what’s required to successfully file a claim. Ensure you have all the necessary information about the date and time of the fire, the cause of the fire, location of the house, amount of damage done to your house and its contents, and any other factors that may be related to your claim.

Your insurance agent will guide you on how to file your claim and they will send an adjuster to personally inspect the damage.

What Not to Do After a House Fire

  • Do not enter the house until the fire department has determined that it’s safe to enter the house. Fires can start again even if they appear to be out.
  • Do not turn on gas or electricity until a professional has deemed them safe.
  • Do not throw away any household items unless they’ve been examined by a restoration expert and deemed unsalvageable. You might be surprised that some items will retain their value after they’ve been cleaned and restored.
  • Do not try to clean the smoke or soot yourself. You’ll not only expose yourself to toxic particles, but you may also not be able to get the job done right. It’s best to leave the job to a competent fire damage restoration company.

Reasons to Choose Tidal Wave

We Bill Your Insurance Directly

We Bill Your Insurance Directly

We Accept All Insurance Claims

We Accept All Insurance Claims

Licensed & Certified Technicians

Licensed & Certified Technicians

30 Minutes Response Time

30 Minutes Response Time

Locally & Family Owned

Locally & Family Owned

24/7 Emergency Service

24/7 Emergency Service

Never an Overtime Charge

Never an Overtime Charge

Have You Suffered a House Fire and Need Help to Restore Your Property to Pre-Loss Condition? Get in Touch with Tidal Wave Response

No one wants to go through the traumatic experience of a house fire. In the unfortunate event of a house fire, you should call a reputable fire damage restoration company to assess the level of damage and create an effective restoration plan.

Tidal Wave Response is a reputable water damage company that you can rely on for fire damage restoration, water damage restoration and smoke and soot damage restoration services.

Our restoration team uses advanced restoration equipment to salvage as much of your belongings as possible and restore your house to its original state.

Our Services

From emergency water extraction to full property recovery, Tidal Wave Response provides the fast, expert care you need. Browse our complete suite of 24/7 restoration services below to see how we can help today.

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