SERVPRO of Bear/New Castle: Fire Damage Cleanup

8/30/2018 (Permalink)

You may feel stressed, confused, and vulnerable, so you’ll need a caring expert to guide you through this crisis

The Details of Fire Damage and Smoke Damage Cleanup 

Unlike the flames of a house fire, the smoke that is produced is almost impossible to contain. It can pollute areas of your home that were never burned, and its odor can linger for years if not properly remediated. Smoke can contain pollutants, toxic chemicals that can cause serious illness and even death. While the cleanup after fire damage may appear to be a simple process, the average homeowner will simply not be prepared for what this task entails. 

About Smoke and Fire Damage

The nature of smoke will differ depending on the material that produces it. For example, when wood is combusted, the type of smoke it produces is different from plastics that have been combusted. Each type of smoke leaves its own kind of residue, and the different types of residue may react differently to cleaning chemicals. Anyone cleaning up smoke and fire damage should know which chemicals to use, or they risk worsening the property damage. The wrong chemicals can seal the smell into carpets, walls, and ceilings instead of deodorizing the home. This kind of damage often occurs when homeowners attempt to clean up their fire-damaged home on their own. The damaged items will not be restorable; they will need to be discarded and replaced. 

Benefits of Professional Smoke and Fire Damage Cleanup

Correct Equipment

Equipment like ozone generators can be used to get rid of the smoke odor in your fire-damaged home, and restoration professionals will have access to these machines along with the expertise to use them safely. Note that ozone gas can be dangerous if it is used incorrectly.

Effective Soot Removal Methods

Soot is one of the byproducts of smoke. It is oil based and can be a magnet for dirt when it gets into carpets, curtains, and upholstered furniture. One of the most important first steps when cleaning up smoke damage is to remove the soot, which can be difficult. Special methods and tools are needed to avoid grinding it even further into the fabric. Use of a standard household vacuum cleaner may make the problem worse. A professional restoration company will have the equipment and training to perform effective soot removal and to restore your belongings to their preloss condition. 

Safety Gear

Restoration professionals are aware of the risks associated with smoke. They have protective clothing and equipment to protect them from toxic residue that may include carcinogens like benzene and formaldehyde. 

Cleaning up smoke and fire damage is not something you should try to handle yourself. While you may be able rent some of the tools needed, they will be very different from those used by professionals. In addition, you might not follow all the necessary steps for smoke damage restoration to be performed successfully. To learn more about restoration after a fire or get recommendations on a restoration company to use, your insurance agent can help. 

Why Choose SERVPRO of Bear / New Castle?

SERVPRO of Bear/New Castle is locally owned and operated, and serves Bear, New Castle, Glasgow, Christiana, Delaware City, St. Georges, Corbit, Wilmington Manor, Minquadale, and the surrounding New Castle County communities.

Our certified cleaning and restoration specialists are faster to any size disaster. Providing emergency cleaning and restoration services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week—including all holidays. You can expect an immediate response time, day or night.

- 24/7 Fire Damage Restoration Service - 24/7 Water Damage Restoration Service - 24/7 Flood Damage Service - 24/7 Sewage Damage & Sewage Removal Service - 24/7 Mold Remediation Service - 24/7 Bio-hazard Cleanup - 24/7 Suicide & Crime Cleanup - 24/7 Board-up and Roof Tarping