Not all fire damages are structural. What about smoke odor damage?

10/8/2022 (Permalink)

Fire damage cleanup and restoration in Round Rock, TX.

Not All Fire Damage is Structural

Your home or business has been damaged by a fire. How do you know how much restoration is needed? The answer depends on the severity of smoke damage, which can be assessed by a qualified expert. Many people are unaware that “visible smoke” is only about 5% of total smoke produced by a fire. Even if an article isn’t touched by flames or soot, it can still be ruined by smoke odor particles that penetrate soft materials such as drapes, carpeting and upholstery. This can happen even if walls have not sustained structural damage from heat; they may simply smell like an old campfire due to lingering odors from clothing and other household items that were exposed to fumes during the blaze.

The most important step in smoke damage cleanup is to quickly begin the process of removing soot and odor particles.

The longer you wait, the more difficult it is to clean up. As soon as you’re able to safely access your property after a fire, begin removing smoke particles from floors, walls, and ceiling surfaces.

It’s also critical that you use products and equipment specifically designed for cleaning up after a fire or other type of smoke damage. You should never use chemicals or cleaning products on your own; instead, hire professionals trained in handling these types of situations to prevent further damage or contamination of personal items inside your home or business space (such as clothing). These professionals will have access to specialized equipment designed specifically for this. 

You may not be aware that “visible smoke” is less than 5% of the total smoke produced by a fire.

Did you know that “visible smoke” is less than 5% of the total smoke produced by a fire?Smoke is a complex mixture of gases and particles. When it's released into the atmosphere, it can affect everything from temperature to visibility to bacterial growth. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that "smoke damage" doesn't just mean soot from fires—it includes any type of airborne particulate matter. So, when talking about effects on your home or business, don't forget about chemical-laden smoke!

Even articles that aren’t touched by fire or visible soot can be ruined by smoke odors.

These odors may not be noticeable to the naked eye, but they can still damage the structure of your belongings and cause them to become unusable. This is especially true if you use any of these products for business purposes or for personal use.

Once smoke odor particles have penetrated soft materials, they must be removed carefully to avoid creating permanent damage.

Smoke odor particles are often so small that they can't be seen with the naked eye, but they still cause damage to materials and leave behind a smoky smell. Smoke odor removal requires specialized cleaning methods such as vacuuming, wet cleaning, or steam cleaning.

If you have experienced a fire in your home or business, SERVPRO can help restore structure and contents to preloss condition.

We know that a fire can have many effects, not all of which are structural. Smoke odor removal is one example of the damage that results from a fire.

We also offer structural repairs, contents restoration and rebuilding or reconstruction services. To learn more about our services and how we can help you recover from this type of loss, contact SERVPRO of East Round Rock’s office today.

Smoke damage is one of the most common types of fire damage. To remove smoke odors from soft materials, it’s important to know all the different sources of smoke odor, which include:

• Smoke particles (visible and invisible)
• Stored chemicals in your home or business
• Food products that have absorbed smoke odors during cooking
• Fabric fibers that have absorbed smoke while being stored in plastic bags or boxes after a fire
• Paint with black pigments (such as automotive paints), which can also absorb soot particles when applied over other surfaces

These are just a few examples of how soot can be transferred onto other surfaces through contact. If you suspect that there might be hidden odors lingering inside your home or business after fire damage restoration efforts have been completed, call us today at (512) 851-1876. Our experts will inspect everything carefully before recommending any additional cleaning services needed for complete restoration!