Fire Damage Boarding Up in Enfield (EN) – Securing Your Property After a Fire

Fire damage is stressful, messy and often unpredictable. Even a small kitchen fire or an electrical fault can leave you with broken windows, a compromised door, a hole in the roof, or a property that’s no longer secure once the fire service has finished.

If you need fire damage boarding up in Enfield or across the EN postcodes, we secure the building quickly and professionally so you can move on to the next steps (insurer, loss adjuster, landlord, builder) without worrying about opportunistic entry or further weather damage.

Need help now? Call 020 4634 5688 for immediate assistance.
Prefer email? info@boarding-up-enfield.co.uk

When fire damage boarding up is needed (and why it matters)

After a fire, the building can be left exposed in ways that aren’t always obvious at first glance. In Enfield, we commonly get called out to properties where:

The fire service has forced entry (often a front or back door, sometimes a ground-floor window) to gain access quickly.
Heat has cracked glazing in nearby rooms, or the pressure changes have blown out panes.
Smoke and water damage has swollen frames so windows/doors no longer close or lock properly.
Roof timbers or felt have been damaged, leaving gaps around a loft hatch, skylight or broken tiles.
Commercial premises have damaged shopfront glazing or shutters that won’t secure after an incident.

Enfield’s mix of housing stock means the risk points vary. Victorian and Edwardian terraces around Bush Hill Park and Enfield Town often have older timber sashes and glazed rear extensions; 1930s semis around Winchmore Hill and Southgate may have side access and rear doors that are vulnerable after forced entry; flats near Ponders End and along the A10 Great Cambridge Road can be affected by communal access and shared stairwells. Wherever the damage is, the priority is the same: secure the openings and stabilise access points.

For urgent out-of-hours help, see our dedicated page: emergency boarding up.

What to do immediately after a fire (practical steps)

If you’re dealing with a fresh incident, these steps usually help:

Follow the fire service instructions and don’t re-enter until it’s declared safe.
If a crime is suspected (for example, arson), ask for and keep your incident/crime reference number.
Take photos if safe—wide shots and close-ups of damaged doors/windows/roof edges can help later.
Call your insurer early. You don’t need to have everything figured out; just log the claim.
Arrange property security as soon as you can—especially if the building will be unattended overnight.

We’re not loss adjusters and we don’t provide smoke/odour remediation. Our role is clear: we secure the property after fire damage and provide the documentation insurers typically ask for.

How we secure a property after fire damage (our approach)

Every fire-damaged property is different. Sometimes the damage is concentrated (one window and a door). Other times it’s multiple elevations, plus roof or skylight issues. Our approach is practical and measured:

1) We assess what can be safely secured

We’ll look at:

Which openings are exposed (doors, windows, shopfront glazing, rooflights)
Whether frames are stable enough for non-destructive fixing
Whether there are hazards that affect access (water, soot, cracked glass, loose masonry)

If something is too unsafe to work on immediately, we’ll tell you plainly and discuss options (for example, securing an internal opening, or returning once scaffolding/access is in place).

2) We board up windows, doors and vulnerable glazing

Most post-fire callouts involve window boarding and door boarding. We’ll choose the most suitable method based on the opening, the condition of the frame, and how long the property needs to stay secure.

For typical window openings we often use 18mm exterior-grade plywood for strength and weather resistance.
For smaller or less exposed openings, OSB may be suitable.
We use anti-tamper fixings where appropriate—important if the building is vacant and someone might try to remove boards from outside.

Related services:

3) We secure damaged entrances with the right level of access control

If the front door has been forced or burned and the building needs regular access (insurers, surveyors, landlords), boarding the doorway isn’t always the best long-term option.

In those situations, a temporary steel door can provide a much better balance of security and access. It’s particularly useful for:

Void properties between tenants
Fire-damaged rentals where repairs will take weeks
Commercial units awaiting reinstatement works

Learn more about options for longer-term security on our vacant property boarding page.

4) We deal with roof openings and high-level vulnerabilities

Fires can damage roof coverings, loft spaces and skylights. In those cases, the goal is to reduce water ingress and deter entry.

We can carry out roof and skylight boarding where safe access is possible, and we’ll explain any limitations (for example, if a roofer/scaffold tower is required before works can be done safely).

Related service:

roof boarding in Enfield

5) You receive clear documentation for your records/insurer

After we’ve secured the property, we can provide:

A clear description of what was done and where
An itemised invoice
Time-stamped photos of the secured elevations (useful for insurers and property managers)

For practical claims guidance, see: insurance claims support.

Materials and methods we commonly use after fire damage

Post-fire boarding up is not “one size fits all”. The aim is to be secure, tidy and proportionate to the risk.

Common approaches include:

Plywood boarding (often 18mm exterior grade) for strength and durability
OSB boarding (typically 12mm) for smaller openings or temporary internal protection
Through-bolting and timber bracing where frames are compromised (used carefully to avoid causing unnecessary extra damage)
Anti-tamper fixings to reduce the chance of boards being removed from outside
Temporary steel doors for medium-term security and controlled access

If the frame is too damaged for non-destructive methods, we’ll explain the trade-offs before proceeding. The priority is to secure the building without making later repair work harder than it needs to be.

Want a plain-English overview? Read: what is boarding up?

Local, realistic scenario: fire damage in Enfield

A common job for us is a small flat fire near Enfield Town, where the fire service has forced the main entrance and a heat-damaged window no longer shuts. The building might be secure while you’re there, but once everyone leaves, an unsecured door or a partially open window becomes an obvious risk—especially close to busy routes like the A105 Green Lanes or around Enfield Town Station where footfall is high.

In a situation like that, we’ll secure the door opening (boarding or a temporary steel door depending on access needs), board the affected window with exterior-grade sheet, and provide photos and paperwork for the claim. The result is simple: the flat is locked down, weather is kept out as much as practicable, and the next trades can attend safely.

Fire damage in commercial properties (shops, offices, and units)

If you manage or own a business premises, fire damage causes immediate operational and security pressures. We regularly secure:

Shopfront glazing and display windows
Side/rear service doors
Office windows in mixed-use buildings
Roller shutter openings where the shutter has failed

If your shopfront has been affected, see: shopfront boarding in Enfield and our commercial property boarding guidance.

Fire damage vs. fire restoration: what we do (and what we don’t)

It’s important to be clear:

We do:

Boarding up and physically securing damaged doors, windows, shopfronts and roof openings
Temporary security solutions for vacant or at-risk properties
Provide photos and paperwork to support insurance/admin

We don’t:

Carry out smoke/odour remediation, cleaning, or fire restoration works
Certify electrics, gas safety, or structural integrity
Act as loss adjusters or give legal advice

We’ll always be straightforward about scope—security first, then you can appoint the right specialists for reinstatement.

FAQs – Fire damage boarding up in Enfield

How quickly can you attend after a fire?

We prioritise urgent fire damage calls, including evenings and weekends, but we don’t quote guaranteed arrival times because conditions vary. If you need urgent help, use our dedicated emergency boarding up line and we’ll advise the next available attendance.

Is fire damage boarding up covered by insurance?

Often, boarding up after a fire is treated as an emergency mitigation measure, but policies vary. We’re not your insurer, however we can provide the itemised invoice and photos that insurers typically request. More guidance is on our insurance claims support page.

Can you secure a property if the door frame is badly burned or cracked?

Usually, yes—either by boarding the opening securely or by fitting a more robust temporary solution depending on the site and access needs. If the surrounding structure is unstable, we’ll explain what’s safe to do immediately and what may require additional access equipment.

Do you cover my area in the EN postcodes?

Yes. We cover Enfield and the wider EN postcode area. You can check our areas we cover page for local pages and coverage.

I’m near Green Lanes / Enfield Town Station—can you still attend out of hours?

Yes. We regularly attend callouts around Enfield’s busier corridors and station areas. If the property is exposed and you’re worried about security overnight, call us and we’ll prioritise the risk.

Next steps after your property is secured

Once the property is boarded and safe, the usual next steps are:

Notify/continue your insurance claim and arrange assessment
Arrange a glazier/builder for permanent repairs
Consider medium-term security if the building will be empty (especially after major fire damage)

If you’re managing multiple properties, we can also help with planned securing works—see boarding up services in Enfield.

Helpful links

Need help now? Call 020 4634 5688 for immediate assistance.
Prefer a written enquiry? Email info@boarding-up-enfield.co.uk.

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