Why Are There So Many Different Cleaning Methods After a Fire in Monroe?

5/8/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO has the experience and advanced equipment to restore your home from any size fire damage.

SERVPRO Techs Have Extensive Training in Restoration of Monroe Properties After a Fire

A single fire can burn with low or high intensity and leave behind varying levels of charring and different types of smoke residues. The contents of the home damaged by the fire loss also contribute to the various types of clean up needed that get left behind. It is never one-size-fits-all, and a single method or cleaning agent will not work for every issue.

How Do I Remove Fire Damage From Walls and Furnishings?
There are numerous ways the DIY fire damage cleanup in Monroe properties can go wrong. A professional fire loss cleanup involves multiple applications of cleaning solutions and methods. Plus, soot has the potential to be an irritant, and protective clothing should get worn when removing fire loss items or cleaning smoke damage. SERVPRO technicians bring everything needed in their green service vans to restore a home, and even one gutted from fire loss.

Methods for Stopping Soot Spread
Airborne soot particles may be large enough to be visible or so tiny the human eye cannot see. Upon arrival, one of the first actions SERVPRO techs perform is the creation of containment of the loss area. The barrier to other areas of the home may take the form of a negative air chamber collecting particulate matter and porting it away or the placement of heavy gauge plastic over interior doorways and vents. Air scrubbers, with a labyrinth of HEPA filtration, also typically run during mitigation to improve the air quality.

How Do I Remove Soot From Walls After a Small Fire?
It is vital to test residues on every surface before cleaning. Commonly seen residues include:
    •    Dry smoke - powdery and pick up easily with dry cleaning sponges.
    •    Wet smoke - Smears easily, often looks wet and, in most cases, needs a carefully chosen cleaner with a solvent base to release the grip on a surface.
    •    Protein residues - these are vaporized fats from cooking fires, and although nearly invisible, they are pungent and need handling akin to wet smoke cleaning to remove it thoroughly.

Furniture Blackened with Soot May Not Be a Loss
The finish of your hardwood furnishings affects how they react to heat exposure. Finishes may range from varnish, shellacs, paint, or waxes. This is the top layer of protection and, in some cases, can be the saving factor for a treasured piece of furniture. Signs that the furniture may not have restoration potential include heavy charring resulting in blistering of the wood due to the item's proximity to the fire. A damaged finish that allowed smoke to penetrate, resulting in permanent staining, can also leave the furniture a loss.

Unfinished furnishings are porous, and as the hot air expands during a fire it pushes smoke residue and odors, The loss can get further compounded if water gets used to extinguish the fire as moisture can wind up inside the furniture. When chalky or gray areas appear on wood furniture, that is typically the staining left behind by water. The use of water-based cleaning products on this type of furniture has the potential to cause further damage and stains. That is why a single piece may need multiple cleaning agents. Unfinished wood gets typically found on finished furniture:
    •    Backings
    •    Interiors and bottoms of drawers
    •    Tops of bookshelves

Cleaning Hardwood Furniture
SERVPRO technicians test the residues to determine the best cleaning agent for the job. The goal of the techs is to clean and restore the furniture and save the homeowner the cost and pain of finding a replacement. The careful use of alkaline agents, followed by oil-based cleaners, assists in restoring the natural oils to the wood. After the smoke discolorations get removed, the furniture may need refinishing for a full restoration.

Odor Removal Actions After a Fire
There are so many areas that need help after a fire loss in a residential property. If any structural elements in the home required removal, the eradication of fire odors needs to happen before any rebuilding can occur. When the techs remove the smoke residues, there may still be odorous soot present within the paint. This gets handled with the application of a sealant to prep the wall for priming and painting. The techs also have access to a diverse array of odor control methods to neutralize any remaining odors.

SERVPRO of Monroe / West Monroe at (318) 345-5121 has the experience and advanced equipment to restore your home from any size fire damage. The certified technicians are available 24/7 to assist local property owners, call now.

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