In a house fire, smoke can cover an entire home in less than three minutes. Smoke damage is real, and your property will require specialized cleaning. Discoloration of walls, corrosion of material, that distinctive, pervasive odor usually accompany fire damage. The destruction of buildings and other property, however, does not even begin to reflect the actual extent of damages.
Even if the fire was small and contained, its byproducts can continue to cause damage to the property and jeopardize the well-being of its inhabitants long after the flames have been extinguished. The smell is one of the most difficult aftereffects of a fire to remove in the short term. Plus the long term effects can be dangerous. Smoke contains toxic chemicals that can cause throat irritation, wheezing, sneezing, coughing, runny nose, congestion, chest discomfort, eye irritation, and shortness of breath. The tiny particles in the smoke can linger for months in your home.
Also, the soot becomes more difficult to remove over time. Soot, if not cleaned immediately, can etch into glass objects and seriously damage other materials.
Success chances for safe living conditions in your home depends on a number of factors:
- Size of the fire – Larger fires produce more smoke, so the resulting smoke smell will be more pervasive and more intense;
- Length of exposure – The longer an area has been exposed to smoke, the more deeply the smoke odor will have embedded into the household materials;
- Types of burned materials – When burned, different materials produce different odors (plastics, synthetics, etc. )
Mold Is Another Risk
While you were concentrating on the flames, the firefighters were using water. In the time that has passed, the moisture introduced to your home might have accelerated mold growth. Replacing drywall and insulation that has been soaked by water from fire hoses is often necessary to protect the home from a mold infestation. It can not be dried out and maintain structural integrity.
Use This Opportunity to Upgrade
After this disaster, don’t just repair your home, build in fire-resistant features to help protect against future damage. Think about new products and equipment that can protect you in the future. Install hard-wired, interconnected smoke alarms with battery back-up on every level of the home, outside each sleeping area, and inside each bedroom. Wire alarms together so that if one sounds, they all sound. Select building materials, furnishings, and plants that resist fire.
Comprehensive Fire Damage Cleanup in Columbia
Allow Rumsey Construction and Restoration the honor of being your sense of hope. We specialize in fire damage repair and have years of experience cleaning and restoring properties damaged by smoke and soot. Rumsey Construction is a full service construction and restoration company with extensive experience to handle cleanup after a home emergency. Rumsey Construction and Restoration responds immediately to all types of disaster: fire damage, smoke damage restoration, water restoration, and storm damage.
Rumsey Construction and Restoration is here to assist you at every step of the fire damage restoration process. We cover every aspect of the repair process from the initial assessment and board up to the final reconstruction or full construction. Through the entire process, you only have to work with one team:
- Structural damage assessment and structural bracing
- Removal of soot and smoke
- Emergency tarping and board-up
- Extensive cleaning of all surfaces, interior and exterior
- Contents cleaning
- Consultation about what can be restored and what needs to be rebuilt
- Full reconstruction and restoration service
Rumsey Construction and Restoration is available to manage your entire rebuild process: demolition, structural framing, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, sheetrock, paint, carpet, and even custom cabinets.
