Saturday, April 27, 2013

Eight Steps in Restoring Your Fire Damaged Home


Old appliances such as old coffee makers, toasters, or even computers can be a dangerous fire hazard. Update your appliances immediately if they begin to smell smoky or work much less well. In addition, unplug any appliance after you're done using it and store it away properly.

Fire restoration services are crucial, especially in cases where homes and other properties have had serious smoke damage. Properly removing soot and smoke residue from homes or buildings is not an easy task to accomplish, so property owners should always look to the experts for such needs. Soot is a huge health hazard and can potentially cause a number of different respiratory complications and illnesses. Professionals will commonly remove soot first before administering any other repairs or restoration methods to properties, and because of the dangers present, home and property owners are advised to steer clear of the area during this part of the fire cleanup process.

Water damage also causes alarming damages to house, residential apartments, commercial buildings, offices etc. Causes of water damage can be numerous like leakages in pipes, sanitary malfunctions, broken plumbing; rusting of pipes, overflowing tanks, water damage caused by torrential rains and it also includes the water damage caused during fire damage repairs. When a building is on fire huge quantities of water at high pressure is hammered at the building which causes quite a lot of damage. Water combines with ash and forms sludge and slushy mire which is hard to get rid of can lengthens the process of fire damage repair as well. Water damage, if neglected, over time can cause an outbreak of mold, fungus and moss in the building which is dangerous for the structure as well as for human health. These molds eat away at the material of the building and rot the walls, floorings, roofs, and especially wooden structures, which makes them weak and susceptible to collapse. Some t ypes of molds have spores which are hazardous for human health if ingested or breathed.

The extent of fire damage depends on the intensity of the fire. If it is caused by a short circuit or gas leakage, it can spread in a rapid pace which means that losses will be severe. Whatever may be the reason behind fire accidents, it is enough to mention that all of them can be devastating.

For example, the smoke left behind from the fire can be absorbed by various materials in the house, especially if they are porous in nature. Carpets, walls and even ceilings will continue to absorb the smoke left behind and it will remain even after several months. Unless you know what chemicals and deodorizers to use, it will be very difficult to restore your home to the old self. A professional fire restoration company will use their expertise in dealing with smoke damage they may even move out furniture and other belongings to an offsite facility for cleaning and restoration this eliminates the risk of further contamination by smoke and water. Once they have been moved out, they will use various EPA approved chemicals along with ozone cleaners to rid the furniture and other belongings of the smoke odor. Fire damage experts will also be able to restore slightly damaged furniture if they are scorched or singed in the heat. However, materials that have been partially burnt or charred will be very difficult to restore.

These professionals can help you to prevent further damage to your valuables and home based on their years of experience. They will remove the water, smoke odor, and soot from your home and belongings (if possible). They will help you return your property to its original, pre-fire condition. State-of-the-art equipment is used to restore your home and possessions, and these professionals can also eliminate the smoke and other offensive odors caused by fire. Finally, they will clean and sanitize your home to complete the restoration process.

A common cause of house fires are portable grills and deep fryers. When using grills or any other outdoor cooking equipment, it is important to keep a good distance between the cooking apparatus and the house. Another important safety measure is to keep combustible material such as firewood, lighter fluid, or charcoal away from sparks that may shoot from the grill. One simple little spark can ignite a fire that can go out of control rather quickly.

Creating a safety zone around your house and property can help reduce the amount of damage done to your home by flames. Minimizing the amount of vegetation within thirty feet of your home will lessen the risk of fire damage to your possessions. It is recommended that trees and shrubbery be pruned to fifteen feet of fireplaces, stoves, and chimneys. Brick walls, stone patios, and swimming pools can also act as barriers against flames.

For additional resource material on understanding hazards associated with fire and smoke damage we would like to recommend this book, "Fire and Smoke: Understanding the Hazards". There you will find more specific information on some of the pollutants discussed on this page.

Fire and smoke damage is a very particular problem and requires more work than simply washing down surfaces. Smoke gets deeply into hard surfaces such as walls and floors and if it's not treated quickly, will linger for many years no matter how often you clean them.





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