Smoke Damage Could Well Be Hiding Behind The Walls

Most people understand how dangerous fire can be with property damage and personal health. But not many realize how dangerous and destructive fire smoke can be. Clearly, smoke is harmful to the respiratory system, and can pose life-threatening risks. And needless to say, health is of the highest priority. But fire smoke can also affect the structure of a home, both outside and inside. This type of damage can be visible and invisible, sometimes lurking in unseen parts of the home.

Fire smoke comprises carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and black soot. As well, depending on the source of fire, there could be many harmful chemicals flowing into the air. Along with the inherent dangers to humans, residual smoke will cling to walls, furniture, and even clothing. This is why it’s so important to restore a property, and to do it properly and immediately. With smoke damage, quick reaction is the only way to minimize destruction and avoid additional damage.

While fire is sufficiently damaging itself, the damage worsens and restoration costs climb if the cleaning and remediation is delayed. In other words, the sooner the cleanup occurs, the sooner appropriate repairs and remediation can take place. After a fire incident, soot immediately settles into the walls, the furniture, and practically everything in proximity. With porous material, smell and discoloration can be permanent, but with other surfaces cleaning can be very successful.

If smoke damage is left unattended, even for a few short weeks, cleanup and restoration will take much longer and will cost much more. And with soot, the damage could be so imbedded that only replacement or reconstruction would suffice. Worse still, inadequate cleaning or poor restoration could lead to additional deterioration. For professionals, managing smoke damage is all about fast reaction time and systematic restoration – it’s about getting things back to normal quickly.

Smoke damage professionals know how to provide a clean, uncontaminated environment after a fire. In many situations, smoke damage is actually “hidden” and often more serious than assumed. The truth is, smoke can penetrate into areas that aren’t visible to the eye - inside the walls, under the floors, even in the ceiling. That’s why it’s essential to have a professional team on hand, with experts who can assess the damage comprehensively, and completely restore everything.

With smoke, it’s absolutely necessary to eliminate all traces of damage, and every lingering smell. Also important is to eradicate any possible health risk for occupants. With the right equipment, and powerful cleaning compounds, it’s the professionals who can ensure successful restoration long after the fire incident. Ideally, it’s all done under one roof – the smoke damage inspection; the proposed scope of work; and the restoration to bring things back to the way they were.

For the homeowner, it’s advisable to contract a smoke damage company that is IICRC Certified. In this way, certain industry standards can be assured for cleaning and restoration. Usually, eco-friendly cleaning products are used - powerful cleaning agents that aren’t harmful to occupants. From cleaning, to disinfecting, to restoration, the job is complete and comprehensive.