What is Really Hiding in Soot and Ash from a Fire Loss?

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What is Really Hiding in Soot and Ash from a Fire Loss?

poppy johnson • August 22, 2020

Why you need the pros to clean up that fire loss, pronto!

In the scenario that a homeowner has experienced a fire or smoke damage loss in the home, it is important to initiate cleanup and remediation right away. Of course, there are insurance matters and replacement costs, but this is not a DIY project. What is required is an intensive deep cleaning that needs to be performed by the professionals.

Smoke, fire and soot are not what they seem, it is not as easy to clean up as running a vacuum or wiping down ash filled surfaces. It is imperative to clean the fire loss areas in a way to help preserve the health and welfare of anyone living in that home going forward. This is the only way to remediate the property back to a livable condition that is safe for everyone who is exposed to the fire loss after the loss is cleared to be cleaned by the Fire Marshall and other official authorities investigating the blaze.

In the case of smoke and the remnants of a fire, there is more than can be seen in what remains after this type of loss. Soot is made up of several elements and can be a factor in staining carpets, upholstery, draperies and other household materials. It will be extremely difficult to just vacuum up soot particles, because it has the tendency to stick to materials and become hard to remove as a DIY project. For this reason, professional fire restoration cleaners who are highly trained need to be called, to utilize the proper counter-agents to break up smoke particulate and smoke molecules to eliminate the soot and smoke-related residue that will remain after a fire loss.

Additionally, there are other problems with the leftover byproducts from a fire. Soot is not just the ash that is the leftover byproduct from a fire loss, but also contains something even more dangerous – which is a potentially lethal mix of chemicals, gasses and particles that are characterized by particulate matter.

Particulate matter is a specific type of air pollution that is dangerous to come into contact with or to be exposed to after a fire. These particles are always inherently dangerous to breathe, touch or ingest, and can cause cancers in anyone with prolonged exposure to them. The particulate matter that remain after a fire can be in a variety of shapes and sizes, and can be found in solids or even liquid droplets that remain in the air after a blaze. Most of these particles are around 25 to 100 times thinner than a strand of human hair, and they are virtually impossible to see! But breathing in these elements can be dangerous as it can be related to cause serious respiratory issues in humans.

Smoke and fire losses can also result in smoky odors that will linger in a room long after a fire. Professional fire restoration technicians will utilize ozone treatments to break down smoke particulate matter and residue to reduce lingering odors in a room affected by a fire loss. It is necessary to provide a deep cleaning to a room that has been affected by soot, ash, fire and smoky odors. For this reason, household DIY solutions and over the counter deodorizing room fresheners or sprays will not be an effective solution to remediate a fire damage loss in a home.

When you have experienced a fire loss, just call Restoration 1 of Central Houston for relief. We are able to come to you quickly to remediate and clean up this type of dangerous loss. We are able to manage the cleanup of fire and smoke damage, as well as water damage after a fire loss.
We will come to your home after a fire damage event and offer full and complete restoration of cleaning a room back to pre-loss status or state of functioning.

Our technicians are able to effectively and safely clean up soot particles and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are considered to be carcinogenic to humans. We remove soot residues in living spaces and perform all structural cleaning of ceilings, walls, carpeting, floors, materials, furniture and surfaces of particulate matter that can cause illness and affect human health. We will also secure the home or business with sturdy durable board-ups for protection against the weather or intrusion by outsiders when necessary.

Fire and smoke restoration are not DIY projects, as you can disturb dangerous particulate matter by trying to perform these cleanups on your own. We are here for you 24/7, just give us a call. We will come to you without delay, call now for the professional cleanup that you need after a fire damage loss occurring in the home. Call today!

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