Smoke damage is not as noticeable as other types of fire-related damage, and it can linger and cause damage over a long period of time. In today’s post, local fire and smoke restoration company Special Touch Restoration discusses an overview of how smoke damage affects a home.

Types of Smoke Damage

Smoke from a house fire contains soot, ash and various other particles, as well as harmful gases like carbon monoxide. These substances linger long after the house fire is put out. This makes smoke damage restoration needs to be done properly, otherwise it can affect the following parts of the house:

Cloth, Curtains, Upholstery — Using standard cleaning on smoke-damaged curtains and upholstery may instead force soot and other particles into the fabric, making them more difficult to clean. The smell of burnt particles may be difficult to remove from clothes and bedding.

Furniture and Carpeting — Smoke-damaged wood and metal pieces may be permanently stained, which may transfer to carpeting.

Hardwood Floors — Like wood furniture, hardwood floors may suffer from stains caused by smoke damage, which can rub off on furnishings. Hardwood floors may also retain moisture from firefighting.

Plastic — Smoke damage can cause discoloration on plastic components such as appliance exteriors.

Porcelain — Porcelain and similar glazed fixtures may suffer permanent stains from smoke damage if not cleaned immediately.

Health Effects

Lingering particles produced by smoke from a house fire pose a health risk. This is why one can’t simply build a new structure over a burned one. The presence of such particles would place anyone not wearing suitable protection at risk of respiratory illnesses like asthma, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Some of these particles may also cause persistent eye irritation.

What Does Smoke Damage Restoration Do?

Smoke damage restorers do much more than just cleaning up, though a major part of the process involves hauling away burned fire and smoke-damaged debris. The house will be put in an enclosure, where a specially-designed vacuum cleaner is used to prevent the spread of soot and other particulates. Salvageable belongings will then be retrieved and set aside for cleaning and restoration. Dehumidification will also be performed to reduce water damage from during firefighting. Remaining components will then be cleaned and deodorized.

Special Touch Restoration is your leading provider of restoration and crawl space encapsulation services. Give us a call at (256) 330-4822 or (251) 512-1424. You can also fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.