Fire Damage: How We Secure Your Property After a Fire in Medway
Fire is overwhelming—smoke, heat, water from the fire service, and the shock of seeing your property damaged. If you’re dealing with fire damage anywhere in Medway (ME1, ME2, ME3, ME4, ME5, ME7 or ME8), we can help you make the building safe and secure quickly, day or night. We’re Boarding Up Medway—10+ years trading, fully insured, with DBS-checked technicians. We specialise in emergency boarding up, temporary steel doors and security screens across homes, shops and commercial premises.
If you need urgent help now to secure property after fire damage—broken windows, compromised doors, or a breached roof—call us. We’ll talk you through the next steps, give a realistic ETA, and prioritise urgent calls.
Need help right now? Call 01634 980 080 or see our urgent page: emergency boarding up.
When Fire Damage Leads to Boarding Up
Fires rarely damage just one thing. Even a small kitchen blaze can crack glazing, warp door frames, and leave openings that are no longer secure. Larger incidents often involve forced entry from the fire service (they’ll break doors or windows to gain access and ventilate), leaving your property exposed after the flames are out.
Common reasons we’re called after a fire in Medway:
- Smashed windows used for ventilation by the fire service
- Front or rear doors forced open, leaving frames split or locks destroyed
- Heat-warped uPVC or timber that won’t close properly
- Roof or skylight panels damaged by heat, debris or firefighting activity
- Shopfront glazing shattered by thermal shock or impact
- Voids created for smoke clearance that need immediate closure
What you need at this stage is not a full rebuild—that comes later. The priority is to make safe, keep weather out, and prevent unauthorised access. We secure the openings so you can start the recovery process with insurers, surveyors and contractors.
If you’re unsure what you need, call us on 01634 980 080. We’ll ask a few questions and recommend the right approach, whether that’s window boarding in Medway, door boarding, shopfront boarding or roof boarding.
Our Approach: Make Safe, Secure Fast, Document Clearly
Every fire scene is different, so our process is designed to be thorough, fast and safe:
- Initial phone assessment
- We’ll ask about the type of property (residential, shop, commercial), the areas affected, whether the fire service is still on site, and any hazards (live electrics, unstable structures, smoke).
- We’ll give a realistic ETA based on workload and location across ME1–ME8. We don’t promise fixed arrival times, but we prioritise urgent calls and attend as quickly as possible.
- On-site safety check
- We liaise where possible with the fire service if still present.
- Visual assessment for structural compromise: bowed lintels, fire-weakened frames, loose masonry, slipping roof elements.
- We won’t work under unsafe structures. If the frame is too damaged for non-destructive methods, we’ll explain options before proceeding.
- Securing windows and glazed openings
- We measure and cut 18mm exterior-grade plywood for larger spans; 12mm OSB may be used for small, low-risk openings.
- Boards are sized to overlap sound structure. Where the frame is compromised, we bridge back to masonry or studs.
- We fix with anti-tamper coach screws or security fixings so panels can’t be removed from outside—important if the property will be unattended.
- Securing doors and access points
- For split frames or blown locks, we can install internal bracing and board over to “board up door” immediately.
- Where access is still needed by owners, loss adjusters or contractors, we fit a temporary steel security door in a reinforced frame. It’s lockable, weather-resistant and suitable for medium-term use.
- Roof and skylight make-safe
- If a skylight or roof panel is damaged, we can install external boarding or a weatherproof sheeting solution to “make safe” and limit water ingress. Access may require ladders or a tower—our technicians assess practicality on site.
- We’ll be honest if specialist roofing access is required beyond emergency make-safe.
- Shopfronts and commercial spaces
- For large panes, we use multiple joined boards with back-bracing for rigidity, or steel security screens for longer-term protection where appropriate.
- Clear, itemised documentation can be provided for FM teams and insurers.
- Documentation for insurers
- You receive time-stamped photos, an itemised invoice, and a work statement describing the openings secured, methods used, and materials/specs.
- We’re not loss adjusters, but we provide the documentation insurers typically need. For more detail, see: insurance claims.
Ready to secure the property? For “temporary boarding” and 24/7 help, call 01634 980 080 or visit emergency boarding up.
Materials and Methods We Use After Fire Damage
- Plywood vs OSB: 18mm exterior-grade plywood is our standard for larger or ground-floor exposures. 12mm OSB is suitable for smaller internal openings or low-risk upper floors.
- Anti-tamper fixings: Prevent removal from the outside—vital when the building may be vacant.
- Temporary steel doors: Lockable steel doors with reinforced frames for ongoing access and security on properties with destroyed doors or frames.
- Steel security screens: Ideal for void or heavily damaged properties where glazing will be out for some time.
- Weatherproofing: For roof breaches or exposed openings, we combine boarding with protective sheeting to limit water ingress while permanent repairs are arranged.
Explore specific solutions:
What We Can and Can’t Do After a Fire
What we do:
- Make the property safe and secure out of hours or same day where possible
- Board up broken window openings and “board up door” areas
- Install temporary steel doors and security screens
- Provide documentation your insurer expects
What we don’t do:
- Smoke or soot remediation, deodorising or contents cleaning
- Structural repairs beyond emergency make-safe
- Loss adjusting or legal advice
If you need full restoration, we’ll keep the site secure so your repair contractors can work safely.
A Typical Call-Out After Fire Damage
A typical call-out might involve a terraced home in ME1 with a kitchen fire at 10pm. The fire service forces the back door and opens a small front window for ventilation. Once the fire is out, the house can’t be left open overnight. We attend out of hours, assess the frames and find the rear door split and the sash window cracked with the pane removed. We board the window externally with 18mm plywood using anti-tamper fixings into sound timber, and install a temporary steel door at the rear, braced to masonry where the frame is too damaged to hold screws safely. We take time-stamped photos and issue an itemised invoice with a work statement for the insurer. The family can return the next day to meet their adjuster, knowing the home is secure and weather-tight.
If this sounds like your situation, call 01634 980 080 and we’ll guide you step by step.
What To Do Immediately After a Fire (Medway)
- Stay safe: Don’t re-enter until the fire service says it’s safe. Watch for hot spots, weakened floors and live electrics.
- Call us to secure: If you have a “smashed window” or damaged door, we’ll help you “secure property” quickly: 01634 980 080.
- Contact your insurer early: Ask if boarding up is covered and how they want it documented. Keep your policy details handy.
- Keep your incident or police reference number: If the fire involved a break-in or arson, the police number helps your claim.
- Take photos if safe: Before we arrive, photograph damage from a safe position—inside and out. Don’t move debris if it’s unsafe.
- Protect valuables: If the building is accessible and safe, remove small valuables or ask us to install a temporary steel door for controlled access.
- Ventilation vs weather: If windows are missing, we’ll balance the need to prevent further water ingress with controlled ventilation as advised by your insurer or contractor.
Need emergency help out of hours? Visit emergency boarding up or call 01634 980 080.
How Long Boarding Up Takes and What You’ll Receive
- Typical on-site time: 45–180 minutes depending on number/size of openings and access. Larger shopfronts or roof works take longer.
- You’ll receive:
- Time-stamped photos of each secured opening
- An itemised invoice with materials used (e.g. 18mm plywood, anti-tamper fixings, temporary steel door)
- A concise work statement describing locations, fixings and any limitations
- Optional follow-up notes for your contractor about frames that may need replacement
For common fire scenarios, see:
Medway Coverage and Response
We cover Medway across ME1, ME2, ME3, ME4, ME5, ME7 and ME8, including residential streets, high streets and industrial estates. We don’t promise fixed response times—traffic, time of day and workload vary—but we prioritise urgent “emergency boarding up Medway” calls and give a clear ETA over the phone. Whether you’re in a ME1 terrace, a ME7 shop, or a ME3 property affected by storm-driven fire spread, we’re equipped to make safe and secure.
FAQs: Fire Damage Boarding in Medway
Can you attend out of hours to “make safe” after a fire in ME1–ME8?
Yes. We operate 24/7 for emergency boarding up. We’ll give a realistic ETA and prioritise urgent calls, especially where a property is exposed.
Do you coordinate with the fire service or police if they’re still on site?
Where possible, yes. If the fire service is present, we’ll check for safety clearance and follow their guidance on areas that remain hazardous.
My shopfront is smashed after a fire—do you board large panes the same night?
Typically, yes. We carry sheets to join and brace for wide spans and can install steel screens if longer-term security is needed. See shopfront boarding.
The door frame is completely destroyed—can you still secure it?
If the frame won’t hold fixings, we’ll bridge to masonry or internal structure, or fit a temporary steel door with a reinforced frame. We’ll explain options before we proceed.
Is boarding up covered by insurance in Medway?
Often it is, but every policy differs. Call your insurer early. We provide time-stamped photos, an itemised invoice and a work statement—documents insurers typically request. More info: insurance claims.
Do you do smoke or odour remediation after the fire?
No. We focus on securing the property. Smoke cleaning and deodorising are handled by restoration specialists. We’ll keep the site secure so they can work.
How quickly can you “board up broken window” areas after fire damage in ME4 or ME7?
Attendance varies by time and workload. Call us and we’ll provide a realistic ETA. We aim to attend as quickly as possible and prioritise urgent exposures.
Will the boards damage my frames further?
We use appropriate fixings and methods to minimise further impact. If frames are too weak for non-destructive boarding, we’ll discuss alternatives such as bridging or steel doors before proceeding.
Can landlords or facility managers authorise works without being on site?
Yes. We regularly work with landlords and FM teams. We can provide before/after photos and documentation, and install a lockable temporary steel door for controlled access.
Clear Next Steps and CTAs
- Need urgent help now? Call 01634 980 080 for 24/7 fire damage securing.
- Want to understand options? Explore:
- Making an insurance claim? See our guide: insurance claims.
Need help now? Call 01634 980 080 for immediate assistance, or email us if it’s not urgent. We’re local, fully insured, and here to help you secure your property safely after fire damage in Medway.