Nashville Fire Damage - Why You Should Leave Smoke Damage Removal to a Professional

12/16/2014 (Permalink)

Fire damage is just the beginning when your house or office catches fire. Smoke and water also do a lot of damage, and it’s not safe to enter your house after a fire because there could be structural damage. Smoke damage needs to be mitigated as soon as possible in order for the building to be returned to its pre-fire condition.

Why Is Smoke Damage Serious?

Smoke leaves behind powerful odors because of the material burned. Carpets, upholstery, wood and plastics are all burned and create odors and ash that can corrode, etch and discolor as well as cling to the remaining structure. Some of the fumes from the fire damage will seep into the walls and floors and may contaminate the indoor air much later if they are not removed. These cannot be removed with a household cleaner. It takes special equipment and the expertise of professionals to mitigate smoke damage, so the house is odor-free.

The different types of damage include:

 Plastics that melt and change color

 Fiberglass that cracks

 Finishes on appliances that turn yellow

 Metals that tarnish or corrode

 Wood that may need refinishing

The longer you wait to call a professional mitigation contractor, the worse the situation will be. After the fire is out, the smoke and ash remain. It’s also more cost-effective to get the repair started as soon as possible. Even if the fire damage in Nashville is contained in a small part of your house, smoke damage can permeate a greater area.

How Is Smoke Damage Cleaned?

Professionals use thermal fogging to remove smoke odor. This technique opens the pores in the walls and floors to neutralize the odor from the smoke that has entered deep into them. The also use dehumidifiers to thoroughly dry the water damage and ozone generators to neutralize the odor. Different chemicals are required to remove the smoke from different substances such as wood and plastic. The final step in smoke mitigation is to repaint the walls and ceilings.

Professionals Know the Job

The best fire damage professionals are properly trained and certified by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). They take extensive coursework to get their certification. They will identify all the affected materials in your home and find the source of any odors. Smoke and heat will distribute ash through the home and it can remain in cracks and crevices. Experts know what can be salvaged and what needs to be discarded. They use specialized detergents that have been designed to treat specific types of odor.

Professionals can also increase the possibility of saving property rather than needing to replace it, and they can clean out your vents and ducts. Some of the services offered are:

  Removal of smoke and odor

  Cleaning and sanitizing

  Professional deodorization

  Temporary protection of surfaces already cleaned

  Removing carpets and pads if required

Fire damage is devastating, but it is not over when the fire is out. To get your home back to pre-damaged condition, professional fire and smoke mitigation is essential.

SERVPRO of Wilson County is locally owned and operated and serves Nashville, Lebanon, Mt. Juliet, Watertown, Old Hickory, Gladeville, Gallatin, Goodlettsville, Hendersonville, Inglewood, and the surrounding communities.

SERVPRO of Wilson County’s fully certified water removal staff can perform a complete damage assessment to your home of office, and then recommend and follow the industries standards to get your water removal restoration repaired properly available 24 hours a day

SERVPRO of Wilson County is a 24/7 emergency water removal & flood clean up repair service company, Our technicians are highly trained and experienced with every water damage situation from sewage damage clean up, mold removal, smoke damage repair, fire damage repair, flooded basement, wet carpet, wet walls, carpet water damage, basement water damage, flooded crawl space, sewer backup, sewage removal, mud removal, commercial water damage, restoration, house water damage, building water damage, hotel water damage, flooded building, crawl space water damage, crawl space sewage damage, pump out, dry out, flood water removal, commercial building water removal, building flood damage, hardwood floor water damage, wet hardwood floors, wet carpet drying, sewage restoration, flood cleanup, busted pipe water damage, broken pipe water damage, busted sprinkler water damage, frozen pipe water damage, flood pump out, basement pump out, restoration equipment rental, dehumidifier rental, fan rental, demolition, painting & construction.