Heavy Smoke Damage Remediation Is Only Effective When Handled Professionally

8/30/2022 (Permalink)

Heavy Smoke Damage Remediation Is Only Successful When Done Professionally

One of the most difficult parts of a fire cleanup is a full-scale smoke cleaning throughout a home. Smoke is insidious – it gets into every nook and cranny, coating everything it touches with a nasty, oily residue.

A small fire, like when a candle touches a tablecloth and is put out quickly, probably can be handled by the homeowner. A little baking soda in water will strip away the light film.

However, once the damage has spread beyond a single room – or if it’s heavy in that room – you’ll need professional equipment for a quality smoke cleaning. Residential fires produce toxic materials in the smoke, including from items such as

• Plastics
• Electronics
• Treated wood
• Foam and bedding
• Synthetic fibers
  
  

A Royal Mess

Smoke from a house fire is disgusting. Humans may have a small amount of resistance to natural wood smoke, having lived around it for as many as 1 million years. But modern houses use a wide variety of chemicals and building materials that we’re not used to. Additionally, inside every house is a huge variety of personal property, and all will leach some toxins into the air while burning.

Cleanup of the Smoke Odor Is Tricky

Soot is caused by incomplete combustion of a material. Oily residue is also produced, combining with the soot to produce a sticky, abrasive goo. It latches on to everything, but porous material is especially tenacious.

There is no effective way a homeowner can clean up this level of smoke damage. It requires professional techniques and specialized equipment, including

• Air filtration devices
• Thermal foggers
• Ozone machines
• Industrial solvents
  
  

TSP used to be the leading way to perform a smoke cleaning, but real TSP is no longer available, and the substitute isn’t up to professional standards. Your local experts in smoke remediation use sanitizers recommended by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification to strip away the stench and absorb toxic soot. The damage is usually covered by insurance, and the restoration company will work with you and your insurance agent to ensure your home is returned to its former condition.