If
a house sustains fire damage, proper cleanup is crucial since the ash,
soot and water will wreak havoc on what remains. It’s bad enough there was a
fire, but the water and chemicals used to extinguish it can cause secondary
damage. The remnants will continue to do damage long after the flames are
extinguished. Conventional cleaning methods include renting a steam cleaner and
using common cleaning products available at the store. Unfortunately, this
could cause bigger issues. Chemical agents could react with the residue and
cause permanent damage, and in some cases, cause toxic fumes. Fire damage
cleanup is one of the most difficult jobs out there and might require
professional service to restore the home.
Smoke particles are incredibly small
and may be smaller than .01 microns in size.
This
is typically too small for standard residential air filters to catch. If the
smoke particles are allowed to settle inside the home’s walls, they will create
odors that are difficult to track down. Smoke is also acidic in nature, so it
will slowly deteriorate various materials within the home. Therefore, a
homeowner should contact a professional fire damage restorer as soon as possible; acting quickly
is the best defense in reversing the damage.
Removing smoke and soot requires the
proper machinery and expertise.
Homeowners
should only consider professionals who have been certified through the
Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification, or IICRC. This
agency has overseen the certification of fire damage restoration companies for
decades and is responsible for regularly updating the best practices in the
industry. Technicians with IICRC certification are aware of the most advanced
techniques and technologies in the industry. They are among the most
knowledgeable members of their field.
The
fire may be gone, but the ash, soot and smoke odors that remain can continue to
do harm. Certified firms will use their knowledge of fire restoration to
accurately test the damage and apply the proper repair techniques to bring the
items back to a pre-loss condition when possible.
Contact reputable fire restoration
services immediately after the flames die down.
The
acidic ash residue left behind by the disaster will make a bad situation even
worse if it is not removed within a few days, and the only way to do so is with
a thorough cleaning. This isn’t an undertaking that home or business owners are
equipped to handle on their own, and professionals have access to special
equipment and cleaning products to make the job much easier.
Fire restoration services have the
manpower to quickly approach a full-scale cleanup.
During
cleanup, the technicians will treat walls, ceilings and anything else that has
been affected by ash. If smoke odors are present, and they usually are, they
will also require removal to make it possible for people to inhabit the
building once again. Smoke odors, though, are extremely hard to remove and
can’t be done with standard equipment. Fortunately, experienced firms keep
thermal foggers and other sophisticated odor removal equipment on hand to
counter noxious smoke odors. They can reach into all parts of the home,
including inside floors and walls.
Consult About New Cleaning Methods
Ultrasonic
cleaning is a rapid process of complete removal of contaminants from objects by
immersing them in a tank of liquid while high-frequency sound waves create a
scrubbing brush-like action. Ultrasonic technology has changed the contents
cleaning industry by making precision cleaning faster, safer, and less
expensive. Ultrasonic cleaning greatly surpasses the results of traditional
cleaning methods, for everything from medical instruments to precious antiques.
Non-toxic ultrasonic bubbles remove microscopic contaminants in the tiniest
crevices. This type of contents cleaning process doesn’t require harsh
chemicals or hand cleaning.
