Fire and Smoke Damage

Types of Fire and Smoke Damage

A fire is one of the most devastating events that a person or family can experience. Like any loss, fire and smoke damage can vary greatly in severity. You may be experiencing a slight lingering odor from a small fire in a neighboring unit to your entire house charred and inhabitable. The smoke and ash created from a fire can pose inherent respiratory-related health risks. We have seen the whole spectrum when it comes to fire and smoke, and we know how to clean it and remove the odor. The smoke and soot given off from a protein fire have a different chemical composition than that from a tipped candle or lighted cigarette on the upholstery, and may require different approaches to clean up the damage and deodorize the property. Soot residue is highly acidic and can corrode, discolor, and cause irreversible damage to your belongings and fixtures. Our professional cleaning crews know what to do in each situation, and can quickly and efficiently get your home back to normal and help you breathe easier.

Soot Cleanup and Deodorization Services

When you call us, our staff will schedule a time that works for you schedule to have a fire/smoke crew come out to your property. Our team of property restoration specialists will survey the damage in all affected areas, and determine the best course of action to mitigate the damage, restore your home to a pre-loss condition, and remove any lasting odor. In the case of a large fire, we will first focus on removing the bulk of the soot and ash. We can then evaluate, inventory, pack and photo-document any affected contents for cleaning on site or at an off-site facility, depending on the condition of the structural materials. Our well-trained technicians will remove any unrestorable fire-damaged materials and clean the affected areas from top to bottom using specialized cleaning agents and supplies; this will include walls, ceilings, floors, carpeting, area rugs, upholstery, and any furniture pieces.We will perform an air-duct cleaning to remove the soot and odor from your ductwork and coils, and we will apply ozone or hydroxyl treatment to the area using cutting edge equipment. This, combined with the previous very thorough cleaning, will neutralize any persisting odor, returning your home to a clean state without any residual odor. You will have the opportunity to inspect your contents and separate any items which were damaged during the fire and which you would like discarded. We can then return your cleaned contents to their original positions, or we can leave the packaged items in their respective rooms for you to unpack at a later time, whichever you choose.

Soot Cleanup and Deodorization Services

Our team has the necessary training and knowledge to remove the soot residue and prevent further damage and to eliminate that stubborn smoke odor. We also have access to specialized commercial equipment that should only be used by trained experts. An ozone generator, for example is one of our most effective weapons to fight odor, but this machine should only be run when all living things are out of the property – pets, plants, and people. This is because the machine converts the breathable oxygen molecules in the air into ozone, a heavier molecule that can bind to the odor molecules. This process removes the breathable oxygen from the area, and can be fatal to living organisms. When we operate specialized equipment like this, we do so with extreme caution, making sure that everyone is out of the property for the duration of the treatment. Let the experts at 1st Response Restoration help you with your fire or smoke loss and get your life back to normal quickly.