Smoke in the Air

8/27/2020 (Permalink)

Smoke can damage your Golden, Wheat Ridge, and Evergreen homes and belongings. Protect yourself from the dangers and know your next steps.

Smoke and Fire

This past month, fires have been devastating our state of Colorado.  Four fires are currently burning in different areas swallowing up thousand and thousands of acres in its wrath.  Fire fighters diligently work to stop the flames and contain them to 100%.  

While these wildfires are only in those 4 distinct locations, all of Colorado has been affected by their smoke.  From Fort Collins to Denver, Steamboat to Colorado Springs, we have been blanketed with a grey haze. Air quality has been poor and in some areas miles and miles away from the fires, it has reached levels that are deemed to be "very unhealthy". 

Many of us are now becoming aware that fire isn't the only danger in that disaster, but smoke is a huge factor as well.  So, what if you have a fire in your own home?  The firefighters come and they put it out fairly quickly.  Only your kitchen, for example, has been affected by flames.  But, while that fire rolled, so did the smoke....all over your home.

Soot and smoke can be very invasive and can penetrate various areas of your Golden, Wheat Ridge, or Evergreen home.  Smoke travels up and to the coolest part of a room or home. It travels alongside piping, getting into the holes as it goes from room to room. It causes hidden damage to the naked eye and can leave a nasty odor.  Even if the fire was contained in the microwave, the traveling smoke can affect your entire house, potentially leaving every room damaged. 

            There are 2 types of smoke that fire creates, wet smoke and dry smoke.  Each one varies in odor and level of damage.  It also great affects the restoration process.  The two require different measures in order to restore the damaged area to like new again.  Our SERVPRO team pretests the smoke to determine the type and course of action. 

            Wet Smoke

                        This type of smoke usually comes from a fire that was left unattended or unnoticed.  It comes from a slow burning fire that is of lower heat and from its smoldering.  An example of a wet smoke fire would be from an iron that was left on after you left the house.  During a slow burn fire, fewer air currents are created.  With less air currents, the smoke has more time to enter into cavities around the home.  Often times these crevices are harder to reach and therefore, harder to remediate. The odor it leaves behind is very pungent.  The smoke itself is sticky and smeary on surfaces.

            Dry Smoke

                        This type of smoke comes from a very hot quick burning fire often wood or paper being the primary source.  This type of smoke occurs when there are sufficient amounts of oxygen present, unlike a wet smoke situation where the fire was oxygen starved.  Since this smoke is dry, it carries with it less deposits and aerosols, and is easier to clean.  Additionally, the odor from a hot fire is less pungent and requires less aggressive cleaning methods.

            While we cannot fix a dining table that has turned into ash, we can fix almost everything that the smoke it produced damaged. Even your remaining furniture can be restored.  Restoring items after the damage of smoke is far less expensive than replacing it.  Plus, it can help to save a family heirloom.

3 Areas in Fire Damage Restoration

            Structural Cleaning

                        The first step in the remediation of a fire is structural cleaning.  After fire and smoke has made its mark on your home, ceilings, walls, flooring, and woodwork will need a thorough cleaning.  After the pretest, our SERVPRO team of Golden, Wheat Ridge, and Evergreen will use the appropriate cleaning chemicals for the type of smoke and specific surface it is on.  Often times, our specifically designed chemicals can completely remove the damaging smoke from the structure so that repainting or refinishing is not necessary, saving you money.  If we cannot clean the surface completely, we will restore it to a “prepare for paint” condition.  This process deodorizes and ensures that the new coat of paint will adhere properly.

            Content Cleaning

                        Area rugs, furniture, draperies, upholstery, and all restorable personal items in the affected areas will be professionally cleaned and deodorized. Some items can be cleaned onsite, but many are packed up and cleaned in-house.  The type of cleaning will be determined upon a pretest and an inventory list of all items will be made so our franchise and the home owner can keep track of them. 

            Deodorizing

                        After the structures and contents of the home have been cleaned, the home itself will also be deodorized.  We do not merely mask the smells, we seek the source and eliminate it.  SERVPRO teaches IICRC technical classes in the proper removal of odors, and our specialized equipment cannot be beat.

The 7 Step Process

Each fire situation is unique and will require its own specific steps in restoration. However, we follow a 7-step process for a typical fire damage emergency.  Here it is below so you may better understand what will take place.   

Step1: Emergency Contact

Step 2: Inspection and Fire Damage Assessment

Step 3: Immediate Board-Up and Roof Tarp Service (if needed)

Step 4: Water Removal and Drying (if water damage is present)

Step 5: Removal of Smoke and Soot from All Surfaces

Step 6: Cleaning and Repair

Step 7: Restoration

Why Choose SERVPRO of Golden, Wheat Ridge, Evergreen For Fire Damage Restoration

            SERVPRO is an industry leader in fire restoration.  We use advanced equipment and techniques to remediate the damage quickly and efficiently. We are a locally owned and operated family business, so customer care is our number one goal.  We live where we serve!  Heck, we might even be your neighbor. 

            We provide extensive training to our employees and are highly specialized in fire damage restoration putting great emphasis on monitoring and documenting the entire process until completion.

            We are a preferred vendor to many national and local insurance companies making the claims process easy and painless for the homeowner.

            Please give us a call for any of your home restoration needs! (303) 279-8055

Or visit our website at  https://www.SERVPROgoldenwheatridgeevergreen.com