Smoke Damage on Your Personal Items

4/19/2022 (Permalink)

Fires can cause extensive damage to your home and personal effects. The heat radiating from the flames will radiate and cause items to melt or crack. After the flames have been delt with you are left with the devastating after math of smoke damage.

 What Can Be Saved?

It all depends on the extent of the damage as well as the cost involved. Some items will cost more to salvage then to replace. A specially trained SERVPRO professional can assess and determine what items should be cleaned, discarded or replaced.

How Does Smoke Affect Your Home?

Smoke does not affect all materials the same. Also, just how hot the fire got and what it originated from will affect the outcome. The worst way smoke can cause damage is when it sneaks into small cracks. The particles are so fine so they often go undetected for a long period of time, leaving a smoke smell that can last for a very long time. You can remove the smell from your home only by removing or cleaning the affected items and clean your home with special formula cleaner.

How Do You Clean Smoke Damage?

First and foremost, the home needs to be properly ventilated. Next all debris needs to be removed and every surface area needs to be cleaned. The quicker this step is complete the more likely you are to reduce the possibility of cross-contamination.

Hardwood Floors

Hardwood floors are porous so smoke particles are often impossible to get out. The floor may have to be refinished or completely replaced.

Clothing

Commercial cleaning detergents should be enough to remove most, if not all of the smoke smell.