Emergency Fire Board Up in Eldon, MO
To fight the fire, the engine company smashed out windows, pried open a door and opened up the roof. Now it's night, and your house is wide open to rain, raccoons and anyone walking past. Call Unify Fire Solutions and a dispatcher will connect you with an independent board-up crew near Eldon.
- Windows, doors and roof openings covered
- The referral line is free and open 24/7
- Residential and commercial buildings
Four Things That Matter in a Board-Up
Unify Fire Solutions is a free referral service; the board-up crew is an independent local business. These are the points our dispatchers weigh before sending anyone your way.
Independent, Licensed and Insured
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. That document goes straight into your claim file.
Dispatch Begins Right Away
A dispatcher starts calling independent crews near Eldon as soon as you hang up. Arrival depends on who's free and how far they're driving, but same-night work is common.
The Right Board-Up Gear
Expect a truck with sheet goods, 2x4s, carriage bolts, a circular saw, an impact driver, reinforced tarps and portable lights. Everything needed to close the building in one visit.
Closing Up Every Opening the Fire Left
Ventilation and forced entry are how firefighters save a building, and they leave it full of holes. Here's the typical scope for an independent board-up contractor.
Broken Windows Covered Solid
The common method is a plywood or OSB panel, 1/2" or 5/8" thick, clamped from inside by 2x4 strongbacks and carriage bolts. Bolts can't be backed out from the street the way exterior screws can.
- 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. One lockable entry saves your adjuster and future contractors from prying panels loose.
Covering Roof Vent Holes
Firefighters often cut a square vent hole in the roof deck to let heat and smoke escape. 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. Large holes may get plywood over the joists first, then the tarp on top.
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.
Temporary Fencing Around the Site
Rental fence panels go up when the site is unsafe to approach or when kids and scavengers keep wandering in. Signage and battery motion lights are common add-ons. Fence panels are usually rented by the week, so ask how that's listed on the estimate.
Securing a Business Storefront
Large plate-glass storefronts need bigger sheet goods, more strongbacks and sometimes framing to span the opening. 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. A few simple things from the ground make the board-up go faster and protect your 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.
- Clear the driveway so the crew can park near the house with their plywood.
- Retrieve medicines, IDs and important papers only when firefighters confirm you can.
- Let a neighbor know nobody is staying there and ask them to report anyone poking around.
- Keep dogs and cats out of the yard until the glass is cleaned up.
Thieves watch for fire-damaged houses, because copper pipe, wiring and tools are easy targets once the family has left. 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?
There's no need to sleep in the car to keep an eye on things. A dispatcher can start finding an independent board-up crew near Eldon the moment you call.
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
Mobile Crew on the Way
You'll get a call from the contractor with a realistic window based on distance and workload. Work lights come out first so they can safely see the damage after dark.
- 3
On-Site Count and Written Estimate
The crew walks the exterior, measures each opening, checks the roof from a ladder and writes up the estimate. Approve it, and they start cutting.
- 4
Locked Up and Walked Through
Before they pack up, circle the building with the crew to check every panel and the roof cover. Make sure you have the padlock key and photos of the finished work for your adjuster.
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?
In most cases, 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. Carriage bolts pass through the panel and a 2x4 strongback inside the opening, with the smooth round head facing out, so there's nothing to grab or unscrew from the street. Screws are still used on some second-story openings where access is limited.
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?
Ask the crew to build at least one hinged access door with a hasp and padlock. 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 properly secured shell is your strongest defense. Crews seal all lower openings, cover crawlspace and attic vents, and add fencing when the lot needs it. Check on it often and ask a neighbor to keep an eye out.
Board-Up Dispatch Across Eldon
Our dispatchers send independent board-up contractors to homes and businesses throughout Eldon 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 open building doesn't stay empty for long. Call now, and if the first contractor isn't the right fit, call back and we'll connect you with another one.
