When a fire occurs in your home, the damage to the structure and items inside from the hot flames is easy to see. However, lingering smoke can also cause a lot of damage. Unlike the flames, the damage from smoke can go unseen or cause issues for years to come.
Learn four ways that smoke can cause damage and how professionals can help restore your home after smoke damage occurs.
1. Lingering Odors
The strong smoke smell can absorb into your home and linger there for weeks or months if left untreated. Just like in a home with smokers, the walls, carpets, and upholstery in your home will soak in the smoke and create a strong smell that is hard to remove. The physical attributes of smoke allows it to seep into small cracks and areas you do not expect.
For example, if you have holes or gaps in your walls, then smoke can get into the insulation of your walls and cause strong odors. Professional services will complete an inspection and determine the best areas to clean. In some cases, materials need to be completely removed from the home. In other cases, a deep cleaning will remove the soot and odors.
2. Rust & Corrosion
Smoke from a fire can contain all kinds of particles and materials. Acids and toxic materials can float through the air and impact areas where fire didn’t even touch. Smoke can even contain moisture that impacts metal elements of your home. After a fire, you may notice the presence of rust or corrosion due to smoke.
Rust can slowly appear over time, and this is why you need to treat your home as soon as possible following a house fire. Metal objects like furniture, appliances, and electronics can all experience rust and corrosion due to the heavy smoke. Along with the exterior of your home, the smoke can impact outdoor items like patio furniture and grills.
3. Flooring Damage
If you have wooden floors or tiles in your home, then you need to watch out for smoke and soot that got into the cracks. Even though smoke rises, the limitation of room size often pushes smoke back down again. Just like metal materials, excess smoke can rust any nails, screws, and fasteners used in your flooring.
The smoke seeps through the smallest cracks in the floor and can create odors and damage. Smoke can push between the cracks and create dried soot that changes the shape of floors and causes extra pressure. A detailed floor inspection will highlight areas where smoke has caused the most problems.
When service comes quickly, flooring damage is kept to a minimum, and often a deep cleaning is the only thing needed to properly restore the floors.
4. Smoke Stains
One of the more obvious ways smoke causes damage is through stains. Soot and black smoke can easily stain walls, curtains, and carpets in your home. In a kitchen, smoke can stain wallpaper, backsplashes, and the ceiling of your home. The unsightly looks can remain in areas for a long time if not properly cleaned.
The longer the smoke stains sit, the more permanent they become. For smaller items, you are better off just tossing them out and replacing everything. For more permanent areas, steam cleaning and deep cleaning products will help restore the home to its previous state.
Some areas could show more subtle signs of smoke damage. Instead of appearing black, the stains can have a slight discoloration due to the chemicals and materials in the smoke. The discoloration is similar to the way cigarette smoke can stain a home after years of use but on a more intense scale.
For all of your smoke and fire restoration needs, contact us at Ace Restoration Services. We will help you clean your home and are available for 24 hour emergency services to give you prompt and urgent care.