Smoke Damage After a Fire

Fire is a devastating event in anyone’s life. Every year emergency responders in Toronto and Southern Ontario respond to thousands of distressed calls from people fleeing fire. If your home or business has been destroyed or heavily damaged by fire, then you know first-hand the destruction that can be quickly left behind by this disaster. Damaged furniture and fixtures are easy to see so you can understand why those items need to be replaced. But after a fire some items that appear to be in good condition may still need to be treated or replaced due to smoke damage.

Even if the damage after a fire seems minor, the lingering effects of smoke damage remain forever if the cleanup is incomplete or insufficient. To help you better understand the importance of proper fire recovery, let’s talk about the kinds of damage smoke can leave behind and what can be done to address that damage.

Soot

Smoke damage in the form of soot is hard to miss. It’s the black, powdery substance left behind after combustion. It clings to everything and because the particles are so small it can find its way into the smallest of cracks. Soot is a major obstacle to vascular functions and very dangerous to our health.

Odour

If you have ever been to a bonfire, you know that smell can linger in your hair and clothes for days or even weeks. Now imagine that on a much larger scale, in a confined space, and mixed with burning plastic and other household materials. The result is a smell that is much stronger and harder to remove.

Fire Damage Restoration

When it comes to treating smoke damage after a fire, there are generally three options: cleaning, resurfacing and replacement.

Cleaning may be the quickest option and can quickly remove visible soot and obvious odour. After the devastation of a fire it is perfectly understandable that you want this quick fix so you can get back to your home. With specialized dry ice blasting equipment, cleaning is more thorough than ever. The trouble with cleaning is that if it’s not done properly, in six weeks or six months you may find your home still smells of smoke or a puff of soot is released every time you open the oven door.

Resurfacing goes a little further to cover up the surfaces after cleaning. Repainting a wall that hasn’t sustained heavy damage and reupholstering furniture are examples of resurfacing. For a small fire that was extinguished quickly, resurfacing may be all that’s required to get your home or business back to normal.

Replacement of items that are beyond salvage is sometimes the only choice. Smells can bring on strong reminders of a memory and the devastation of a house fire is something you’d sooner forget.

No matter what method is used to help get you back on your feet after a fire, be sure to choose a professional fire recovery company with a long track record of helping people just like you feel safe at home again.

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