Pre-testing Fire Smoke Damage for Tailored Restoration in your Sacramento Home

9/12/2022 (Permalink)

As soon as the fire truck leaves, we begin our restoration work.

A fire produces all kinds of chemical reactions as well as fluctuating the temperature and air pressure in your home. Combusting materials release these chemicals in the form of hot, smoke, which is attracted to cooling air and surfaces. Depending on the type of material combusting, the smoke released can vary between wet and dry smoke. Wet smokes are thick, oily substances that can be odorous and are generally produced by synthetic materials like plastics. Dry smokes, on the other hand, are produced by natural materials like wood and leave behind a sooty, dusty layer of soiling on surfaces. 

Tackling these two-types of fire and smoke in your Sacramento home can be tricky for a homeowner as cleaning products may be ineffective on certain types. Wet smoke, for example, requires an oil-based cleaning solution, whereas drier smokes can be tackled using vacuums or wet cleaning methods. To avoid choosing the wrong method, and risk spreading smoke deposits around, it is prudent to contact a professional restorer immediately after containment of the fire.

SERVPRO fire and smoke damage restoration technicians (FRST) are trained to recognize different types of soiling and stock a full inventory of chemical cleaning agents. By conducting pre-tests of materials and smoke deposits, our restorers can implement a solution tailored to the types of material burned as well as the requirements of each homeowner. We can use both oil-based chemical cleaning agents and water-based cleaning agents. 

Undertaking chemical action occurs after your SERVPRO technicians have thoroughly vacuumed to remove loose soiling from surfaces. When smokes contacts cool surfaces, the temperature, and air pressure cause them to bind to that surface. Chemical action helps to loosen that bind. If a pre-test reveals, soot is water-soluble a technician can apply water-based cleaners. However, oil-based deposits need dissolving in oil-based chemicals (solvents) before wiping away both oil and solvent. 

A fire can continue to cause damage long after extinguishment. Contact SERVPRO of North Sacramento at (916) 587-3438 for all your fire damage restoration needs.