Emergency Fire Board Up in Mitchell, SD
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 Mitchell.
- Every opening on the building closed up
- Free call, answered day and night
- Homes, rentals and storefronts
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
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 Mitchell as soon as you hang up. 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. No guesswork, no trip back to the store at midnight.
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
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
Forced-entry doors rarely close properly afterward. 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.
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. 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. Fence panels are usually rented by the week, so ask how that's listed 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.
The Cost of Leaving It Open Overnight
Almost every property policy includes a duty to protect the property from further loss. 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.
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.
What You Can Do Before the Crew Arrives
Leave the ladders and the jagged glass to the crew. Some quick steps from the ground will speed up the job and help the claim.
- Walk the outside and count every broken window, forced door and vent opening.
- Film each damaged opening, the roof from across the street and the debris in the yard.
- Move cars out of the driveway so the truck can park close and unload sheet goods.
- 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 pets away from the yard, where glass and nails are scattered.
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. That's why securing the openings tonight matters more than how they look.
Doors and Windows Still Gone Tonight?
Don't spend the night guarding the driveway. Call and dispatch starts looking for an independent crew in Mitchell right away.
Call +1-833-336-1630 TonightHow a Board-Up Call Goes
- 1
Phone the Dispatch Line
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
You'll get a call from the contractor with a realistic window based on distance and workload. Lights go up first so they can see the openings and the glass on the ground.
- 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. Once you sign off, the saws come out.
- 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.
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.
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.
Questions About Securing Your Property
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. 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. Some crews still use screws on upper windows that no one can reach.
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?
Request a lockable plywood access door on hinges. Keep the key yourself or use a lockbox so your adjuster and future crews can get in without you. Without one, every visit means unbolting panels and bolting them back.
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. 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 Mitchell
The line connects property owners in Mitchell and nearby neighborhoods with independent board-up crews. 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. Make the call tonight; if the first contractor isn't the right fit, call back and we'll connect you with another one.
