What to Do About Secondary Damage After a Fire

12/20/2021 (Permalink)

The damage left behind after a fire can be devastating. While some of the remediation requirements are obvious, it's important to remember to take care of the secondary aspects, such as smoke cleaning, to ensure that your home is fully livable.

Smoke Odor

Before you can remove the smell of smoke, you must eliminate all sources of smoke damage, such as burned materials. From there, be sure to ventilate the room by opening windows and turning on fans.

To circulate and filter the air, you'll need specialized equipment, including:

• Air-filtration devices
• Hydroxyl generators
• Ozone machines
• Thermal foggers

Soot Residue

Even if an area of the home or a specific object wasn't burned, the particles carried by smoke can still leave black residue behind. Soot, or carbon residue, is the result of organic matter that hasn't burned completely. If you attempt to clean it with a sponge or rag yourself, it can smear and permanently stain your walls or surfaces. Instead, use a dry cleaning sponge that can absorb the buildup, or leave it to the team at SERVPRO of Aberdeen/Holmdel.

Water Damage

The fire-fighting process can cause significant water damage as well. If water issues aren't addressed, you can have a much bigger problem to deal with: mold. Because materials like carpeting, insulation, and certain types of drywall aren't able to dry thoroughly, there's a good chance you'll have to get rid of them. Be sure to remove and dry all other items.

Contact SERVPRO of Aberdeen/Holmdel After a Fire

The longer fire damage stays unaddressed, the more issues you're likely to deal with down the road. The experts at SERVPRO of Aberdeen/Holmdel are available 24/7 and will respond quickly to any restoration emergency. Call our office at 732-290-3170.