Philadelphia, PA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/10/2017 --House fires are tragic events that can take everything away from the homeowner. From lifelong possessions, family photos, and even beloved pets, fires can destroy lives in an instant. Therefore, it is important to understand certain facts about house fires and learn the proper steps to take immediately following a fire.

Household Fires: The Most Common Structural Fire

Statistically, household fires are the most common structural fires. According to a study conducted in 2014, an estimated average of 358,300 household fires occurred per year between 2010 and 2014. This means that house fires represent three-quarters of all structural fires. The same study revealed that household fires caused $6.7 billion in direct damage and that on average seven people died in house fires per day.

Prevention of Household Fires

Cooking equipment such as ovens are the leading cause of household fires and injuries. Second behind cooking equipment is external heating units. Smoking is the leading cause of home fire deaths. These types of injuries can be prevented with proper maintenance of household appliances. It is important for homeowners to keep their stoves and ovens clean. Grease will accumulate over time and is a highly flammable material. For external heaters, home owners must check for missing grounding prongs. The property owner must make sure they leave the external heater unit off when they leave their home. Finally, smoking is not only a risk to your lungs, it can be a risk to your home as well. Quitting smoking now can not only prevent future health complications, but could potentially prevent a costly house fire.

Steps to Take After a Fire

Once the fire is extinguished, the homeowner may naively believe that the home is now safe. However, this couldn't be further from the truth. The home needs immediate attention after a fire and hiring a professional fire restoration company from King of Prussia, PA is the only way to get your home back to normal. After a fire is extinguished ash and smoke will cause powerful odors, corrosion, etching, and discoloration of walls.

What Will a Remediation Company Do?

The remediation company will first identify the source of odor and affected materials. An untrained homeowner cannot do the cleanup themselves, since ash residue is difficult to clean. Ash needs to be removed immediately. It is best to hire an IIRC Certified Remediation company, since they know the correct techniques for mitigating fire damage. In addition to removing odor, remediation companies can restore and clean smoke affected items. It is important to note, that the homeowner must hire a restoration company as soon as possible. If a professional team is not hired immediately after a fire loss, the property owner could be hit with an even larger financial burden. A savvy homeowner will make sure to call a Turnersville, NJ restoration company after a house fire. If the damage isn't mitigated immediately the costs of repairs will be unaffordable for most property owners. For example, a smoke damaged wall needs attention right away, or else it will become permanently discolored.

Individuals interested in hiring an established fire and smoke restoration company in the Bucks County, Montgomery County, and Camden County areas can contact First Choice Restoration by visiting their website or by speaking with a customer service representative by calling 800-370-0770. Let First Choice Restoration, be your first choice!

About First Choice Restoration
First Choice Restoration is a water, mold, fire, and smoke remediation company headquartered in Philadelphia, PA. The company also operates additional offices throughout other areas of Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware. The company has been assisting homeowners and businesses with water, mold, fire, and smoke cleanup for over 40 years.