After the devastation of a fire, the realisation there is a ton of soggy, sooty material to get rid of is disheartening. While you want to keep anything salvageable, items closest to the flames, smoke, and the firefighter’s hoses will have the most water and soil damage. Getting these items out of the home or business and away from any drywall, crown moulding, or furniture without damage is crucial.
A quick clean out can help avoid mould which can quickly grow out of hand following a disaster. Colonies of bacteria can begin to thrive and spread within as little as a day or two. Beating the clock helps prevent mould growth and removes materials that can grow spores and create a harmful environment will protect you and anyone around the fire damage.
Benefits of using skip bins for your rubbish removal following a fire
- Safer environment
- Can see to assess the damage
- Better air quality
- Get rid of everything at once
- Accessibility for cleanup efforts
- Commercial fire damage removal
- Flexible booking options
Why are skip bin rentals important
Did you know it only takes ten minutes for a fire to engulf a house to the point only a fire brigade can put it out? Flames, soot, smoke, and water damage can destroy thousands of dollars in materials fast. Besides removing items to prevent mould growth, the safety of cleanup crews, inspectors, and occupants is critical. With a fast response time, home and business owners know the job is more organised.
Five ways to keep your family safe from the most common house fire starters
There are five big reasons homes catch on fire. ABC News lists the culprits as:
- Charging electronics in or near the bed
- Improper smoke detector care and battery schedule
- Buying electronics and items with electrical connections from unregulated suppliers like third-party Internet sellers
- Forgetting about something cooking
- Not checking electric blankets before using each season
Fire experts offer up a few suggestions for avoiding household fire risks:
- Fire alarms – The first tip is to always replace old smoke detectors. Anything over a decade is too old. Check your batteries at least twice a year if not every season. Always clean and dust the monitor to keep it in proper working order
- Electric blankets – Always spread the blanket out on the bed and turn it on prior to using each season. Never roll up the blankets because it can cause wire breakage. Never leave a heating blanket turned on with no one in the room
- Forgetting items on the stove – Remain in the kitchen for the duration of cooking. If you must go to another room or leave the food, then it is best to turn off the stove (or oven) and return to cooking later. Timers are also helpful when walking away to remind you to check on the food more often
- Online electrical sales – Unless you can verify the product meets Australia’s safety standards and code, then it is important not to buy these items. Many impostors and knock-off products circulate the web with authentic looking branding and packaging. To be sure, it is best to buy these items in a store where you can ask questions and read the fine print
- Charging near the bed – Never put chargers and electronic devices under pillows or blankets. Avoid leaving devices on charge all night long. Place the charger and mobile device away from wooden furniture opting for metal shelves or plastic totes instead
Removing dead brush before it sparks a wildfire
When you own property with dead grass, shrubs, and trees, it is a fire hazard. When you live in a hot zone, then a wildfire risk can destroy your home and property. A few ways to avoid these issues is by using a skip bin to get rid of overgrowth and dead plant materials. Ready for Wildfire says to break up the property in two zones before beginning the clean up. Zone one should be from the house to ten meters away from the structure. The second area is from ten to thirty meters from the home.
Area one
- Get rid of any dead plant life within ten meters of the primary structure and wood buildings like sheds or decks
- Clean gutters and remove piles of plant debris by using a skip bin
- Move any wood objects further than ten meters away from the house
- Trim bushes and plants near the house and make sure there are no dead leaves
- Cut back trees in the first zone and keep a regular pruning schedule. Make sure tree branches are at least three meters away from the house and other trees
- Clean out debris and weeds from around and under decks, patios, pergolas, barbecues, fire pits, water fountains, and other garden structures
- Cut back branches that lean out onto the roof of any structure on the property
- Organise yards where each flammable structure is not touching the next including plant life like trees and children’s play equipment
- When building new structures, use as many fire retarding and fire safe materials as you can source
Area two
In this larger area, it is best to keep grass and weeds to four inches or smaller. Raking the grassy areas and keeping pine needles, leaves, and other combustible materials at three inches or lower is a good recommendation. Another huge help is to separate grass, trees, and bushes with walkways and dividers along a horizontal and vertical design. For example, trees with metal boxes are not only decorative, but they also help protect the plant life from flames.
Other tips for preventing brush fires
- Get rid of flammable plants and wooden planters
- Use metal containers to prevent fire from spreading around the yard and potentially reaching the home
- Plant hardy, fire-resistant greenery on your property. You can also use hardscaping like stone riverbeds, walkways, borders, and statues to create stunning yard spaces without a fire risk
- Use metal fence posts and wiring for animal pens and property fences
- Install metal roofs on all your structures
- Only keep the fuel you need to operate lawn equipment and such instead of stockpiling fuel for generators and weed eaters
- Ensure yard is obstacle free so that firefighting crews can access hot spots in case of a brush fire
- Seal eaves and other openings into the home
- Remove any plant debris from the roof
- Utilise screen doors and cover all vents, windows, and openings with wire mesh to stop embers from getting into the roof or the walls of the house
To find out more about choosing the right skip bin for your fire removal rental, call Backyard Bins seven days a week on (08) 9437 3733.
Why does my business need skip bin scheduling for commercial fire removal clean up sites
When a fire occurs at a large facility like a warehouse, manufacturing company, or transportation hub, the amount of rubbish is immense. Getting rid of the unsightly and unsafe material means bagging and tossing thousands of pounds of soggy, dirty material. One of the fastest ways to get this rubbish off-site is to use skip bins.
At Backyard Bins, we can create a custom bin replacement schedule. Our team is available for emergency assistance calls seven days a week. When your business needs rubbish removal to get you onto the rebuilding phase, our family-owned company is happy to personalise a rapid response plan.
Contact Backyard Bins for all your Perth skip bin needs
Whether you have questions about protecting your home or business, our Backyard Bins team is more than happy to give you authoritative answers. We are proud to be a local skip bin provider helping Perth and nearby communities handle rubbish removal after a fire.
To find out more about our flexible scheduling plans, please contact our office online seven days a week. One of our friendly staff members will be sure to return your call quickly since time is crucial. You can also reach us by phone any day of the week at (08) 9437 3733.
Other areas we service near Perth Include
- Ardross
- Manning
- Westfield
- Medina
- North Fremantle
- Victoria Park
- Riverton
- South Lake
- Bibra Lake
- Parkwood
- Oakford
- Winthrop
- Southern River
- Langford
- Kenwick and many other communities
