Smoke and Soot: The Damaging After effects of a Fire

12/29/2019 (Permalink)

Smoke and Soot: The Damaging After effects of a Fire

The smallest of fires, even it isn’t at your Chicago, IL, business can lead to smoke damage and soot damage. Although the flames may be gone, the high acidic levels of smoke and soot can penetrate into materials and leave long-lasting effects.

Rapid Damage

Within minutes of a fire, smoke and soot are already beginning to damage your property. As soon as the fire is out and everyone is safe, making preparations for smoke cleaning and restoration are keys to getting your business back to normal. If left unchecked, the damage timeline can be extensive.

• During the first few minutes, walls, plastics and porous materials will become stained.
  
• Within hours, the acidic properties of soot and smoke can begin to affect metals, grout and other materials.
  
• After a few days, stains can become permanent corrosion and rust can begin forming. Porous materials, such as flooring and upholstery, will likely need to be replaced.
  
• As weeks go by, without proper cleaning, it can result in the loss of furniture, electronics and other supplies, as well as require more extensive repairs to walls, flooring, ceilings and other structural materials.
  
  

The Cleanup

Luckily, staying on the ball and contacting a fire restoration specialist can keep smoke damage from becoming permanent. They will do an assessment of the damage and work with you to get your business back up and running as quickly as possible. After the assessment, a professional will have the tools and expertise to begin the cleanup process.
While not everything may be salvageable, the right cleaning process can eliminate the smoke odors. The pros use various methods for cleaning, which will depend on the item, including dry, wet, spray, foam, abrasive and immersion. These professional methods can possibly save electronics, furniture, documents and more.
Instead of dealing with a fire’s aftermath alone, count on a professional to guide you through the process. They can help reduce the lingering effects of smoke damage, making it seem “Like it never even happened”.