Emergency Fire Board Up in Exeter, CA
To fight the fire, the engine company smashed out windows, pried open a door and opened up the roof. Tonight the house is open to weather, wildlife and whoever comes looking. One free call to Unify Fire Solutions starts the search for an independent board-up crew in Exeter.
- Windows, doors and roof openings covered
- The referral line is free and open 24/7
- Homes, rentals and storefronts
What to Expect From the Crew You Get
Unify Fire Solutions is a free referral service; the board-up crew is an independent local business. Here's what our dispatchers look for when they line one up.
Licensed and Insured Independents
Climbing a fire-weakened roof after dark is risky work, and coverage matters. Ask for proof of the contractor's liability and workers' comp coverage before anyone climbs.
Upfront Written Estimates
The crew should count the openings, measure them and write a line-item estimate before cutting a single sheet. Your adjuster will want that paper.
Dispatch Begins Right Away
A dispatcher starts calling independent crews near Exeter as soon as you hang up. Timing depends on availability and distance; same-night securing is often possible.
The Right Board-Up Gear
A properly stocked truck carries plywood or OSB, lumber, bolts, saws, impact drivers, heavy tarps and work lights. No guesswork, no trip back to the store at midnight.
How Crews Seal Up an Opened Building
Breaking glass, forcing doors and venting the roof are standard firefighting tactics that leave a building wide open. Here's the typical scope for an independent board-up contractor.
Broken Windows Covered Solid
Most crews cut 1/2" or 5/8" plywood or OSB to overlap the frame and hold it with 2x4 strongbacks inside, tied through with carriage bolts. Unlike screws driven from outside, through-bolts can't be unscrewed by a passerby.
- Loose glass knocked out of the sash first
- Panel overlaps the opening on every side
- Upper-floor windows reached by ladder or lift
Doors Rebuilt as Locked Access
A door that was kicked or pried open usually won't latch again. The crew can seal it completely or frame a hinged plywood door with a hasp and padlock. Ask for at least one locking access point so adjusters and later crews can get in without tearing boards off.
Tarp-and-Batten Roof Covers
Vertical ventilation means a saw-cut hole in your roof, often several feet across. The crew stretches a heavy reinforced tarp well past the hole, wraps the edges around wood battens and fastens the battens down so wind can't get under it. Big openings sometimes get a plywood deck patch before tarping.
Clearing Glass and Hazards
Broken glass and charred debris spread around the yard and walkways. The crew bags loose glass and debris and sets anything that might be claimable aside for inspection.
Fence Panels and Site Security
When a structure has collapsed sections or the whole lot is a hazard, temporary chain-link fence panels keep people out. Some crews add warning signs and motion lights for extra security. Fence panels are usually rented by the week, so ask how that's listed on the estimate.
Storefronts and Commercial Glass
Wide storefront glass calls for framed panels and extra bracing to cover the span. Crews can leave a lockable service door so you can pull inventory, records and the safe out.
Why Boarding Up Can't Wait Until Morning
Read your policy and you'll find a clause about protecting the property from further damage. Rain through an untarped roof or a looted house can be treated as a separate, avoidable loss. Boarding up is how you meet that duty, and the reasonable cost is usually part of the claim.
Before any plywood goes up, photograph every broken window, the forced door and the roof hole from the ground. Those shots prove what the fire department had to do.
Safe Steps Until the Truck Pulls Up
You don't need to climb a ladder or handle broken glass yourself. Some quick steps from the ground will speed up the job and help the claim.
- Circle the building and make a list of each opening the fire crews left.
- Take photos and video of each opening, the roof from the street and glass on the ground.
- Move cars out of the driveway so the truck can park close and unload sheet goods.
- Grab medication, wallets, documents and phone chargers only if the fire department says it's safe.
- Tell a neighbor the house will be empty tonight and ask them to call if they see a flashlight inside.
- Keep dogs and cats out of the yard until the glass is cleaned up.
Scrappers and burglars look for empty burnt-out homes, where copper, wiring and tools sit unguarded. An open attic invites raccoons and birds almost immediately, and an open door invites squatters. Getting it closed tonight matters far more than making it pretty.
Is the House Open Right Now?
Don't spend the night guarding the driveway. Call and dispatch starts looking for an independent crew in Exeter right away.
Call +1-833-336-1630 TonightHow a Board-Up Call Goes
- 1
Phone the Dispatch Line
Give a rough count of broken windows and forced doors, mention any roof opening and say whether it's one story or two. That tells the crew how much plywood and tarp to load.
- 2
The Board-Up Crew Arrives
The contractor calls you directly with an arrival window, which depends on availability and how far they're coming. Work lights come out first so they can safely see the damage after dark.
- 3
On-Site Count and Written Estimate
Every opening gets measured, the roof is checked from the ladder, and you get a line-item quote. Once you sign off, the saws come out.
- 4
Building Secured, Final Walk
When the last panel is bolted and the tarp is battened down, walk the perimeter with the crew. Get the access-door key and ask for after photos to send to your insurer.
Nights the Building Got Closed Up
Our roof had a hole you could stand in after the firefighters vented it, and rain was forecast for the morning. The crew got a tarp wrapped on battens over it by flashlight, and it held through a hard storm two days later.
Every downstairs window was out and the front door wouldn't latch anymore. They bolted panels on with strongbacks inside and built a little plywood door with a padlock so my adjuster could get in. I didn't have to drive over every time someone needed access.
The fire started next door and took out our whole storefront window. The crew boarded the front with braced OSB and gave us a locked door to get our stock and register out. Nobody got in overnight.
Common Board-Up Questions
Does homeowners insurance pay for emergency board-up after a fire?
Usually, yes. Policies generally require you to protect the property from further damage, and the reasonable cost of boarding and tarping is normally treated as part of the fire claim. Hold onto the estimate, the final invoice and your photos for the adjuster.
Why do board-up crews use carriage bolts instead of screws?
A thief with a drill can remove exterior screws in a minute. With a carriage bolt, the rounded head sits outside and the nut is tightened against an inside strongback, which makes the panel very hard to remove from outside. Some crews still use screws on upper windows that no one can reach.
Should I take pictures before the house gets boarded up?
Yes, and do it before the first panel goes up. Photograph each broken window, the forced door, the roof hole from the ground and any glass in the yard. After the boards go on, the adjuster would have to pull them off to see what happened.
How do adjusters and contractors get inside once everything is boarded?
Request a lockable plywood access door on hinges. You keep the key, or put it in a lockbox so the adjuster and later contractors can let themselves in. Otherwise, someone has to remove a sealed panel every time access is needed.
How long can plywood and a roof tarp stay up?
A well-installed board-up can stay up for weeks or months while the claim and repairs move forward. Tarps wear out faster under sun and wind, so check the roof cover after every storm. If anything shifts, have the crew come back right away to resecure it.
Can a board-up crew keep squatters and animals out of a vacant fire house?
A tight board-up is the best deterrent you have. Every ground-floor opening gets bolted, vents and crawlspace holes get screened or covered, and fencing goes around the lot if needed. Drive by when you can, and tell the neighbors to call you if anything looks disturbed.
Board-Up Dispatch Across Exeter
Our dispatchers send independent board-up contractors to homes and businesses throughout Exeter and surrounding areas. Single-family homes, duplexes, apartments, garages, shops and restaurants all get the same approach.
- Broken windows
- Forced-entry doors
- Roof vent holes
- Storefront glass
- Detached garages
- Vacant rentals
An unsecured house invites trouble by morning. Make the call tonight; if the first contractor isn't the right fit, call back and we'll connect you with another one.
