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Fire and smoke damage in Bowie, Maryland
Fire leaves three problems: the burned part, the soot and smoke that traveled, and the water used to put it out.
Give your ZIP code and say what happened. Calling soon after you find the water helps.
Before you go back in
Ready.gov and the Red Cross agree on the basics. Stay out until fire officials say the building is safe. Do not reconnect gas, electricity or water yourself. Look for sagging ceilings and floors, because water-soaked materials are heavy.
If the fire was in a rented home, tell the landlord as well as your own renter's insurer.
Smoke travels, soot stains
Smoke odor spreads through ductwork, closets and wall cavities well beyond the room that burned. Soot is a fine residue that smears if it is wiped dry. The cleanup depends on what burned, because plastics, grease and wood leave different residues.
Firefighting adds water on top of this, which is why many fire calls overlap with the water pages on this site. Wet insulation and ceiling drywall above a burned room are common, and the drying rules apply to them as they do to a burst pipe.
Photographs, then the insurer
Fire-recovery guidance from Ready.gov and the Red Cross advises contacting your insurer early and photographing the damage before cleanup. Keep receipts for hotel stays and replacement items, because they support the claim. The insurer's instructions come before any contractor's.
For a dispute over a claim, the Maryland Insurance Administration takes complaints online, where it lists how to reach the agency.
Water still running or standing?
Call and say where the water is and what caused it. You will be connected with an independent restoration contractor taking calls for your ZIP code.