Emergency Fire Board Up in Downs, IL
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 Downs.
- Every opening on the building closed up
- Free call, answered day and night
- Residential and commercial buildings
Four Things That Matter in a Board-Up
We're a free referral line, and every crew we dispatch is an independent local company. These are the points our dispatchers weigh before sending anyone your way.
Licensed and Insured Independents
Board-up means ladders, roof work and power saws at night, so insurance matters. Ask for proof of the contractor's liability and workers' comp coverage before anyone climbs.
Upfront Written Estimates
Before any plywood gets cut, expect a written estimate that lists each opening and the materials for it. Your adjuster will want that paper.
Rapid Local Dispatch
The moment you call, a dispatcher starts contacting board-up crews close to Downs. Arrival depends on who's free and how far they're driving, but same-night work is common.
Tools Built for Securing
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
Breaking glass, forcing doors and venting the roof are standard firefighting tactics that leave a building wide open. These are the jobs a board-up crew in our network usually handles.
Window Openings Boarded Tight
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. 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
Forced-entry doors rarely close properly afterward. 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.
Covering Roof Vent Holes
Vertical ventilation means a saw-cut hole in your roof, often several feet across. A heavy poly tarp gets rolled onto 2x4 battens at the edges, then the battens are fastened down so the wind can't lift it. Big openings sometimes get a plywood deck patch before tarping.
Glass and Debris Removal
Broken glass and charred debris spread around the yard and walkways. Crews sweep and bag it, clear the walkways, and stack anything salvageable off to the side for the adjuster.
Fence Panels and Site Security
Rental fence panels go up when the site is unsafe to approach or when kids and scavengers keep wandering in. Some crews add warning signs and motion lights for extra security. Ask whether fencing is rented weekly so you know how it will show up on the estimate.
Storefronts and Commercial Glass
Large plate-glass storefronts need bigger sheet goods, more strongbacks and sometimes framing to span the opening. A locking service door lets you remove inventory, files and cash drawers while the front stays sealed.
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. Securing the building is how you meet that obligation, and the reasonable cost is typically covered.
Take photos of every opening before it's covered, since the adjuster may not see the house until it's boarded. They document exactly what the firefighters opened up.
Safe Steps Until the Truck Pulls Up
Leave the ladders and the jagged glass to the crew. 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.
- Film each damaged opening, the roof from across the street and the debris in the yard.
- 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.
- 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?
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 Downs the moment you call.
Call +1-833-336-1630 TonightHow a Board-Up Call Goes
- 1
Call and Describe the Openings
Tell the dispatcher how many windows are broken, which doors were forced, whether there's a roof hole and how many stories the building has. The crew uses those numbers to stock the truck.
- 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. Approve it, and they start cutting.
- 4
Locked Up and Walked Through
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.
How Other Callers Got Secured
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.
Fire in the shop next door blew out our front glass. They framed the opening, sealed it with OSB and left a locking door so we could pull inventory out the next morning. Nobody got in overnight.
Common Board-Up Questions
Does homeowners insurance pay for emergency board-up after a fire?
In most cases, yes. Because nearly every policy includes a duty to prevent further loss, reasonable board-up and tarp costs are typically covered under the claim. Keep the written estimate, the invoice and before and after photos together for your adjuster.
Why do board-up crews use carriage bolts instead of screws?
Screws driven from outside can be backed out by anyone with a cordless drill. 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?
Absolutely, and before any plywood covers the damage. Photograph each broken window, the forced door, the roof hole from the ground and any glass in the yard. Once everything is covered, your adjuster can't see the original damage without removing panels.
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?
Properly fastened panels and a battened tarp can last for months during the claim process. Tarps wear out faster under sun and wind, so check the roof cover after every storm. If a panel loosens or the tarp starts flapping, call the crew back before water gets in.
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.
Securing Buildings in Downs, IL
Our dispatchers send independent board-up contractors to homes and businesses throughout Downs and surrounding areas. Houses, rental units, detached garages and commercial storefronts are all common calls.
- Broken windows
- Forced-entry doors
- Roof vent holes
- Storefront glass
- Detached garages
- Vacant rentals
An unsecured house invites trouble by morning. Call now, and if the first contractor isn't the right fit, call back and we'll connect you with another one.
