OKC Fire and fire damage cleanup Information

2/20/2019 (Permalink)

Smoke can contain pollutants, toxic chemicals that can cause serious illness and even death.

The Details of Fire Damage and Smoke Damage Cleanup 

Unlike the flames of a house fire, the smoke that is produced is almost impossible to contain. It can pollute areas of your home that were never burned and its odor can linger for years if not properly remediated. Smoke can contain pollutants, toxic chemicals that can cause serious illness and even death. While the cleanup after fire damage may appear to be a simple process, the average homeowner will simply not be prepared for much of what this task entails. 

About Smoke and Fire Damage
The nature of smoke will differ depending on the material that produces it. For example, when wood is combusted, the type of smoke it produces is different from plastics that have been combusted. Each type of smoke leaves its own kind of residue and the different types of residue may react differently to cleaning chemicals. Anyone cleaning up smoke and fire damage should know which chemicals to use or they risk worsening the property damage. The wrong chemicals can have the effect of sealing the smell into carpets, walls and ceilings instead of deodorizing the home. This kind of damage often occurs when homeowners attempt to clean up their fire-damaged home on their own. The damaged items will not be restorable, they will need to be discarded and replaced. 

Benefits of Professional Smoke and Fire Damage Cleanup

Correct Equipment
Equipment like ozone generators can be used to get rid of the smoke odor in your fire-damaged home and restoration professionals will have access to these machines along with the training needed to use them safely. Note that ozone gas can be dangerous if it is used incorrectly.

Effective Soot Removal Methods
Soot is one of the byproducts of smoke. It is oil based and can be a magnet for dirt when it gets into carpets, curtains and upholstered furniture. One of the most important first steps when cleaning up smoke damage is to remove the soot, which can be difficult. Special methods and tools will be needed to avoid grinding it even further into the fabric. Use of a standard household vacuum cleaner may make the problem worse. A professional restoration company will have the equipment and training to perform effective soot removal and to restore your belongings to their preloss condition. 

Safety Gear
Restoration professionals will be aware of the risks associated with smoke. They will have protective clothing and equipment to protect them from toxic residue that may include carcinogens like benzene and formaldehyde. 

Cleaning up smoke and fire damage is not something that you should try to handle yourself. While you may be able rent some of the tools needed, these will be very different from those that the professionals use. Aside from the risks to your health and to that of your family, there are numerous steps necessary for smoke damage restoration to be performed successfully. If you need to learn more about restoration after a fire or need to know which restoration company to use, your insurance agent will be able to help.