The first days after a house fire

The first days after a fire are about safety, a place to stay and a record of the damage. A local disaster relief group such as the Red Cross can help with temporary housing, food and medicine. The fire department decides when the house is safe to enter, and its crew should leave the utilities either safe to use or disconnected.

Before you go back in

Check with the fire department that the house is safe to enter. Don't cross colored tape over a door or window, or go in past a building inspector's color-coded sign, until you know what it means. If you have children, leave them with a relative or friend for the first visit, since the house may be unsafe and the damage upsetting.

Look at the outside first, for loose power lines, broken gas lines, cracks in the foundation and missing support beams. Damage outside can point to a serious problem inside. Ask a building inspector or contractor to check the structure before you go in.

Going through the house

• Sniff for gasIf you smell natural gas or propane, or hear a hiss, leave right away and get well away from the house. Call the fire department once you're safe.
• Don't force a jammed doorIt may be helping hold up the rest of the house. Find another way in.
• Stay off a sagging floor and away from a sagging ceilingA sagging floor can collapse under your weight, and a sagging ceiling is wet and heavy.
• Treat damaged furniture and stairs as unstableDon't lean on, push or hold onto damaged parts of the building.
• Check for smoke and embersLook through each room you can safely reach.
• Use a flashlightDon't use candles or other open flames, for light or for looking at the damage.
• Open windows and doors if the weather is dryIt airs out and dries the house.

Utilities and systems

Don't reconnect any utility yourself. If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or smell hot insulation, turn off the power at the main breaker or fuse box. If you'd have to stand in water to reach it, call an electrician instead. A tripped breaker can mean damaged wiring, so leave it off and call an electrician too.

• Water pipes: if they're damaged, turn off the water at the main valve and call a plumber.
• Sewer lines: if you think they're damaged, don't use the sinks, showers or toilets, and call a plumber.
• Propane or heating oil: turn off all the tank's valves, and have the supplier or a service professional check the system before it's used again.
• Appliances: unplug each one and have it checked for water damage before you use it.

Food, medicine and cleanup

Throw out food, drinks and medicine that were exposed to heat, smoke or soot. Food in the freezer can be kept if it still has ice crystals on it. Household cleaners can give off toxic fumes when they mix, so wear rubber gloves for any spill and follow local advice on disposal. Stay out of any building with water around it, and report dangling power lines to the power company.

Money and papers

Burned or damaged cash may still be worth its full value. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing examines mutilated currency for free, and fire is one of the most common reasons it's sent in. Leave the bills as they are and don't try to flatten or tape them. A paper savings bond that burned can be replaced through TreasuryDirect.

Insurance and records

Call your insurance agent, and ask about help with living expenses until you can move back, and with repairs. Tell your mortgage company about the fire. Make temporary repairs, such as covering holes, and save the receipts.

Photograph the damage, room by room. Then make an inventory of every damaged item, and don't throw anything out until the inventory is done. Keep the receipts for everything you spend because of the fire. Documenting damage for a home insurance claim covers the photos and the list in detail.

An annotated example

What to do next

Ask the fire department when the house is safe, then call your insurance agent and your mortgage company. Photograph every room and list what was damaged before anything goes to the curb. Keep a folder for every receipt from the day of the fire on.