Fire damage boarding up in Harrow (HA) – securing your property after a fire
A fire is one of the most stressful incidents a property owner or tenant can go through. Even when the flames are out, you’re often left with broken windows, forced entry points from the fire service, and a building that can’t be left open overnight. If you need fire damage boarding up in Harrow, we help you secure the property quickly and sensibly across the HA postcodes—so you can protect what’s left and start arranging the next steps with your insurer and contractors.
If you need urgent help, use our emergency boarding up service.
Need to secure the building now? Call 020 4634 5472 or email info@boarding-up-harrow.co.uk.
When fire damage boarding up is needed (and why it matters)
Fire incidents don’t always mean the whole property is burnt out. Often, the biggest immediate risk is exposure—open doors, missing glazing, unstable frames, or roofing holes that let in rain and invite opportunistic entry.
We’re usually called out after:
- Fire brigade access damage: a door has been forced, locks are broken, or a window has been removed to vent smoke.
- Heat damage to uPVC/timber frames: frames warp and won’t close or lock, even if the glass looks intact.
- Cracked or missing glazing: from heat stress or impact during firefighting.
- Shopfront or commercial unit fires: damaged frontage that cannot be left unsecured on a busy parade.
- Roof or loft incidents: where a skylight, rooflight, or section of roof has been opened up.
In Harrow and the wider HA area, we see everything from small kitchen fires in flats to smoke damage incidents in mixed-use blocks near town centres. Whatever the size of the incident, the first priority is the same: secure the envelope of the building so you’re not dealing with theft, weather ingress, or further damage while the claim and repairs progress.
What to do immediately after a fire (practical steps)
If you’re reading this right after an incident, these steps help you stay organised:
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Wait for the all-clear
Only re-enter when the fire service confirms it’s safe. Fire-damaged buildings can have hidden risks (weak ceilings, live electrics, contaminated water). -
Get a reference number
If the fire service or police attended, note any incident/reference number. Insurers commonly ask for it. -
Take photos if it’s safe
A few clear photos of damaged doors/windows/shopfronts can help your claim. Don’t risk going inside or handling debris. -
Call your insurer early
You don’t need every detail yet—but letting them know quickly usually helps with claim handling. -
Arrange emergency securing
If the property can’t be locked properly or the glass/frames are compromised, call us for boarding up or temporary security.
For urgent attendance, go straight to emergency boarding up and call 020 4634 5472.
How we secure a fire-damaged property in Harrow
Every fire scene is different. Our approach is to make the building safe and secure without making the situation worse—and without unnecessary damage.
1) We assess what can be secured safely
On arrival, we’ll check:
- Which openings are vulnerable (doors, windows, shopfront glazing, rooflights)
- Whether frames are intact enough for standard boarding methods
- Any access constraints (scaffolding, high-level windows, shared entrances)
- Whether there’s ongoing site control (fire service, building manager, insurer-appointed team)
If something looks structurally unsafe, we’ll tell you plainly. We’re boarding-up specialists—not structural engineers—and we won’t take risks that compromise safety.
2) Window and glazing boarding (post-fire)
For smashed or heat-weakened windows, we typically use:
- 18mm exterior-grade plywood for robust security on larger openings
- 12mm OSB where appropriate for smaller or lower-risk apertures
We fix boards using methods suited to the substrate and frame condition, including anti-tamper fixings where the property is likely to be unattended. Anti-tamper fixings matter because they reduce the chance of boards being removed from the outside.
If you specifically need damaged windows secured, see window boarding in Harrow.
3) Securing damaged doors (including temporary steel doors)
Fire brigade entry and heat exposure often destroy locks and door edges. If a door can’t be made secure with straightforward boarding—especially for a main entrance—we may recommend a temporary steel door.
A temporary steel door is useful when:
- The property needs repeated access (loss adjuster, electrician, cleaning team)
- You don’t want to rely on a boarded doorway for days or weeks
- The original door/frame is too compromised for a reliable lock-up
For more detail, see door boarding services.
4) Shopfront and commercial frontage protection
If your premises has suffered fire damage, you may be dealing with:
- Large glazed panels and aluminium frames
- Exposed frontage on a busy parade
- Requirements from landlords, insurers, or managing agents to secure quickly
We can board up shopfront glazing and entrances to reduce risk of break-ins and weather damage while you arrange glazing replacement.
Learn more about shopfront boarding.
5) Rooflights and high-level openings
Fire crews may vent through rooflights or skylights, and heat can crack roof glazing. Where access is safe and appropriate, we can secure openings with boarding methods designed for overhead areas.
This isn’t about cosmetic repair—it’s about reducing water ingress and unauthorised access until roofing contractors take over.
What you get from our fire damage boarding service
When you’re dealing with insurers and multiple contractors, clear documentation helps. We aim to provide:
- A clear description of what was secured and how
- Time-stamped photos of boarded areas (useful for insurers/landlords)
- An itemised invoice and written work statement for your records
We’re not loss adjusters and we can’t approve claims, but we can provide the practical paperwork insurers typically request.
If you’re dealing with a claim, this may help: insurance claims support.
Fire damage realities: what boarding up does (and doesn’t) do
Honesty matters after a fire, because you need the right help in the right order.
Boarding up does:
- Secure vulnerable openings against theft and trespass
- Help reduce weather ingress through broken windows/doors
- Provide a controlled way for approved access (especially with temporary steel doors)
Boarding up does not:
- Remove smoke odours or soot (that’s specialist remediation)
- Make a structurally unsafe building safe to occupy
- Replace glazing, doors, or roofs permanently
If you’re unsure what you need first, call us and explain what happened—we’ll tell you what we can do and what needs a different trade.
Local experience across Harrow and the HA postcodes
We cover Harrow and the surrounding HA districts—from busy town-centre areas through to quieter residential streets and mixed commercial parades. That means we’re used to:
- Flats with shared access and entry systems
- 1930s semis with bay windows and older timber frames
- Retail frontages that must be secured out of hours
- Vacant properties awaiting surveys and reinstatement work
You can also explore areas we cover or go straight to your nearest local page, such as boarding up in Harrow HA1 or boarding up in South Harrow HA2.
Micro case study: securing a fire-damaged flat entrance and windows in HA
A typical job we see: a small fire in a kitchen causes heavy smoke damage, and the fire service forces entry to check for spread. The flat is left with a door that won’t lock and a cracked window pane from heat stress.
Our technician attends, checks the frame condition, and then:
- Boards the compromised window using exterior-grade sheet material and suitable fixings
- Secures the entrance—either with door boarding or (where appropriate) a temporary steel door so the resident/insurer can access the flat safely over the coming days
- Provides photos and an itemised invoice for the policyholder to pass to their insurer
The aim is simple: make the property secure again so the claim and reinstatement can proceed without added risk.
Fire damage in commercial buildings: keeping your premises secure
If you manage a shop, office, restaurant, or light industrial unit in Harrow, a fire can create immediate compliance and security pressure—especially if the frontage is exposed or the unit is part of a larger block.
We regularly help with:
- Boarding up large shopfront glazing
- Securing side/rear doors that have been forced or warped
- Reducing risk of trespass while you organise surveys and repairs
- Supporting facilities managers/landlords with documentation
For commercial-specific information, see commercial boarding up in Harrow.
FAQs about post-fire boarding up in Harrow
Can you board up a property after the fire brigade has forced entry?
Yes. Forced entry is one of the most common reasons we’re called. If the door or frame is too damaged for a reliable temporary fix, we’ll explain options—often including a temporary steel door for better access control.
Is fire damage boarding up covered by insurance?
Often it can be, but policies vary. We recommend you contact your insurer as early as possible and keep any incident/reference numbers. We can provide photos and an itemised invoice to support your claim—see insurance claims support.
How long does boarding up take?
It depends on the number and size of openings, access (especially for upper floors), and the condition of frames. When you call, we’ll ask a few quick questions so we can plan the right materials and fixings.
My property smells of smoke—can you help with that?
We can secure the building, but smoke/odour remediation is outside our scope. After we’ve boarded up, you’ll usually need a specialist fire restoration team for cleaning, deodorising, and reinstatement.
Do you cover my area in the HA postcodes?
Yes—our coverage includes HA0 to HA9. If you’re near Harrow town centre, South Harrow, Kenton, Wealdstone, Rayners Lane, Pinner, Stanmore, Edgware, or Wembley areas, you’re within our service area. Use areas we cover to find your local page.
Next steps: get your property secured after fire damage
If your door won’t lock, your glazing is compromised, or the building can’t be left open, we can help you secure it and document the work for your records.
Need help now? Call 020 4634 5472 for immediate assistance.
Or email info@boarding-up-harrow.co.uk if it’s not urgent.
