Emergency Fire Board Up in Appleton, MN
Firefighters had to break the front window, force the back door and cut a hole in the roof to vent the smoke. 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 Appleton.
- 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.
Licensed and Insured Independents
Climbing a fire-weakened roof after dark is risky work, and coverage matters. Ask the independent crew for proof of liability and workers' comp before they set a ladder.
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
A dispatcher starts calling independent crews near Appleton as soon as you hang up. Timing depends on availability and distance; same-night securing is often possible.
Tools Built for Securing
A properly stocked truck carries plywood or OSB, lumber, bolts, saws, impact drivers, heavy tarps and work 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.
Window Openings Boarded Tight
The common method is a plywood or OSB panel, 1/2" or 5/8" thick, clamped from inside by 2x4 strongbacks and 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. One lockable entry saves your adjuster and future contractors from prying panels loose.
Covering Roof Vent Holes
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.
Glass and Debris Removal
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.
Securing a Business Storefront
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. If rain pours through an open roof or someone walks off with the copper wire, the insurer may say that loss wasn't caused by the fire. Boarding up is how you meet that duty, and the reasonable cost is usually part of the claim.
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
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.
- Clear the driveway so the crew can park near the house with their plywood.
- 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.
Thieves watch for fire-damaged houses, because copper pipe, wiring and tools are easy targets once the family has left. Raccoons, birds and stray cats will move into an open attic within a night or two, and squatters aren't far behind. That's why securing the openings tonight matters more than how they look.
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 Appleton the moment you call.
Call +1-833-336-1630 TonightFrom Open House to Locked Up
- 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. 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. Lights go up first so they can see the openings and the glass on the ground.
- 3
Measurements and Written Quote
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
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.
The back slider was shattered and the front door was splintered from the forced entry. 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.
Questions About Securing Your Property
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?
Screws driven from outside can be backed out by anyone with a cordless drill. 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?
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. Roof tarps break down quicker than plywood, so look at it after heavy wind or rain. 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. Every ground-floor opening gets bolted, vents and crawlspace holes get screened or covered, and fencing goes around the lot if needed. Check on it often and ask a neighbor to keep an eye out.
Board-Up Dispatch Across Appleton
Our dispatchers send independent board-up contractors to homes and businesses throughout Appleton 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 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.
