How Smoke Damages Your Home’s Contents

When a fire breaks out in your home, it can spread quickly, causing severe damage to the property and your belongings. The flames devour everything in their way, burning and charring items and structural elements. Given the amount of damage caused by the flames, it’s a relief when the fire’s extinguished. However, the damage is not done just because the flames are no longer present.

When flames burn, they produce smoke which is a byproduct of incomplete combustion. This occurs when there is an insufficient amount of oxygenOxygen is a chemical element essential for combustion and li... More to burn the item. The smoke will continue to linger and cause damage after the fire is out.

The severity of the fire damage varies based on the fire’s type and temperature. Depending on the extent of the damage, your property and belongings might be salvageable.  When it comes to smoke damage, some items can be cleaned more easily while other items can suffer permanent damage within hours. The longer the smoke damage goes untreated, the greater chance there is for permanent damage. Because of this, it is crucial to conduct fire damage restoration right away.

 

The Effects of Smoke and Soot Damage to a Home

Homes are often regarded as a place of sanctuary where people can be comfortable and relaxed. After all, there’s a reason people use the phrase “home sweet home.” However, if a disaster strikes, your home can be in jeopardy, because there’s a chance it can cause significant smoke damage.

Depending on the type of disaster and the extent of the damage, what was once a cozy place for you and your family can become a hazardous, unstable structureStructure refers to the framework or components of a buildin... More that requires extensive restorationRestoration is the process of returning a property to its pr... More work. This can often be the case if a fire broke out and damaged your home.

Dangers of Home Fires

Fires are known to be among the most destructive of all disasters because of just how much damage they can cause. Their flames will burn anything in their way and can weaken your home’s structureStructure refers to the framework or components of a buildin... More enough to leave it in an unstable condition. To minimize the amount of damage done, it’s crucial to have the fire extinguished as soon as possible.

Knowing the dangers of a fire, homeowners often feel a sense of relief when the fire is finally out. However, the flames themselves are just one component of the fire that you need to be concerned about, because the damage doesn’t stop there. That’s just the first level of damage.

When there’s a fire, you also need to worry about smoke damage and sootSoot is fine black particles composed of carbon and other ma... More damage. When the flames burn synthetic materials, this produces smoke. When fossil fuels get burned but do not combust completely, the fire will produce sootSoot is fine black particles composed of carbon and other ma... More. These substances will remain present even after the fire is out. Furthermore, smoke and sootSoot is fine black particles composed of carbon and other ma... More cause their own secondary damageSecondary damage is additional damage that occurs after the ... More, and it can be even more harmful than the initial damage done by the flames.

Keep reading to learn more about smoke damage, sootSoot is fine black particles composed of carbon and other ma... More damage, and how to clean these types of damage.

How Do Soot and Smoke Damage Homes?

Smoke OdorAn odor is a smell, often detectable by the human nose, whic... More

Although an invisible and intangible thing, smoke odorAn odor is a smell, often detectable by the human nose, whic... More can be a huge problem in your home following a fire. The odorAn odor is a smell, often detectable by the human nose, whic... More can continue to linger well after the fire has been extinguished. This is because the smoke particles settle onto objects and materials, becoming embedded in them.

For example, if you have carpeting or upholstery that still remains after the fire, it’s likely that their fabrics have absorbed smoke particles, thus giving off the smell of smoke. The odorAn odor is a smell, often detectable by the human nose, whic... More particles are deep within the materials, so simply using an air freshener will not rid of the smell but just temporarily mask it instead.

Discolored Walls and Stained Objects

When smoke and sootSoot is fine black particles composed of carbon and other ma... More come into contact with walls and other objects, they can cause discoloration and/or stains. Walls and floors, however, do not always show immediate signs of discoloration. It can take a few days for your home’s walls and floors to change color.

The staining caused by smoke and sootSoot is fine black particles composed of carbon and other ma... More can become permanent if not cleaned in a timely manner. The damage can also become permanent if it’s cleaned incorrectly.

Corroded Objects

SootSoot is fine black particles composed of carbon and other ma... More can be either a powdery, dry substance or a sticky substance. It depends on the nature of the fire. But when sootSoot is fine black particles composed of carbon and other ma... More comes into contact with metals, it can cause them to corrode. Such an occurrence can happen because sootSoot is fine black particles composed of carbon and other ma... More residueResidue is any leftover material, such as soot, dust, or che... More can be very acidic.

This can be particularly concerning if sootSoot is fine black particles composed of carbon and other ma... More makes its way into your home’s HVAC system. The sootSoot is fine black particles composed of carbon and other ma... More can cause the metal parts to become corroded, which can then leadLead is a heavy metal that can be toxic to humans, especiall... More to a malfunctioning HVAC system. Even worse, there’s a chance that it could cause a fire.

SootSoot is fine black particles composed of carbon and other ma... More can also cause etching and tarnishing to affected objects. This damage, too, can become permanent if not addressed right away.

Read on to learn more about how smoke damages your home’s contents and how you can clean these items of any smoke damage.

General Smoke Damage

One of the greatest concerns with smoke damage is smoke odorAn odor is a smell, often detectable by the human nose, whic... More because the smell can linger for months. Smoke particles are very fine, so they can get into small crevices and cracks and settle. It is easy for these affected areas to go undetected, allowing the smell to remain until it is properly addressed.

Because of this, your home must be sufficiently ventilated to allow the particles to leave the property. Using odorAn odor is a smell, often detectable by the human nose, whic... More neutralizing products can help remove the odorAn odor is a smell, often detectable by the human nose, whic... More, but it will only be completely eliminated when the smoke particles are removed. The particles’ presence is what allows the smell to linger. This only accounts for the particles out in the open air. Affected surfaces and materials need to be properly cleaned to rid of the smoke odorAn odor is a smell, often detectable by the human nose, whic... More.

Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood flooring is a porousPorous describes a material that contains small openings or ... More material, so it can easily absorb smoke particles. These particles will become deeply embedded into the material, making them difficult to remove. If the damage is minimal, then simply mopping and deodorizing the flooring can be sufficient. Otherwise, the hardwood flooring needs to be refinished or replaced if it suffered extensive damage.

Wooden Furnishings

Wooden furnishings can be tough to clean of smoke damage because of the stain and varnish. You do not want to use any cleaning products or methods that will strip the furnishings of the stain, so it is important to clean these items using a proper cleaning agent. If you are unsure of how to clean your wooden furnishings, then consult a professional for help.

Curtains and Upholstery

Smoke particles will settle onto curtains and other upholstery, eventually becoming embedded into their fabrics. You will need to use special tools and methods to remove these particles. Do not use a standard home vacuum to remove smoke particles from curtains and upholstery. Doing so can worsen the smoke damage because it can push the particles even further into the material.

Clothing and Bedding

Clothing and bedding can also be affected by smoke damage, and this even includes those items that are placed in a closed closet or drawers. These materials suffer damage by absorbing the lingering smoke odorAn odor is a smell, often detectable by the human nose, whic... More. Because smoke particles are so fine, they can easily make their way through any small cracks and crevices, which is how they can reach your clothing in enclosed areas.

To eliminate the odorAn odor is a smell, often detectable by the human nose, whic... More, the unburned chemicals must be completely removed. Washing these items in a washing machine is sometimes sufficient. However, if the odorAn odor is a smell, often detectable by the human nose, whic... More is strong enough, more advanced cleaning methods and products might be necessary.

Metals

If it sits too long, then smoke can cause your metallic items, such as large kitchen appliances, to corrode and rustRust is a reddish-brown oxide that forms on iron or steel du... More. To prevent such an occurrence, wipe down metallic surfaces with cooking oil.

 

How Can I Clean Soot and Smoke Damage from My Home?

Restoring smoke damage isn’t simple, because you don’t want to make any of it worse. Proper methods must be taken and can vary based on the product and material it’s made up of. Because of this, it can be easy to make things worse when cleaning smoke damage.

However, you also need to act quickly to ensure that the damage suffered doesn’t become permanent. It only takes 72 hours for the damage to become irreversible, so immediate action is crucial. Additionally, the smoke and sootSoot is fine black particles composed of carbon and other ma... More can harm people’s health as well.

While there are various home remedies that can be used in such a situation, your best bet for smoke and sootSoot is fine black particles composed of carbon and other ma... More damage restorationRestoration is the process of returning a property to its pr... More is to get professional help.

If your home was the site of a fire and has suffered smoke and sootSoot is fine black particles composed of carbon and other ma... More damage, then get in touch with a professional smoke damage restoration service. With these services, any and all smoke and sootSoot is fine black particles composed of carbon and other ma... More damage will be cleaned properly by professional technicians who have the necessary training, equipment, and products to complete the job. That said, you won’t need to worry about whether the job is done correctly.

 

Fire Damage Restoration

In the event of a fire, immediate action is crucial. This not only means getting immediate help to extinguish the fire but to clean up the damage caused by the fire and its after-effects, such as smoke. If the damage is not addressed in a prompt manner, then there is a greater chance the damage — particularly the smoke damage — becomes permanent. Because of this, it is best to get fire damage restorationFire damage restoration is the process of repairing and rest... More help from a professional.

With help from fire damage restoration services, fire and smoke damage your home suffered can cleaned. The emergency pre-cleaning performed as part of the fire damage restorationFire damage restoration is the process of repairing and rest... More services will help prevent the smoke damage from becoming permanent. Then, professional technicians proceed with the service by cleaning and restoring your home and personal contents of the damage sustained. Your home will be restored to a clean, healthy living space free of smoke odors once again.