Fire can be both dangerous and devastating when it attacks a home. However, it is not impossible to make repairs and get your home back in working order. Here are a few tips to follow when attacking the damage from a do-it-yourself angle in the Atlanta, GA area.
You will definitely want to clean your carpets if you have them. The best way to do this is to remove them and take them outdoors for a serious washing and shampooing. This is also a good idea so that the walls and ceiling can be cleaned while the carpets are outside, out of the way of falling soot and debris. If you cannot remove the carpets, they can be cleaned indoors, however, make sure you do two things: read the carpet manufacturers guide and make sure that you follow the cleaning instructions and also be sure do put plastic sheets down after they have been cleaned and dried to keep them from getting dirty again in the cleaning process. Work in two-foot spaces at a time and if the soot is really de ep, try scubbing with a wire brush carefully and a little club soda.
If you have wood floors and the damage was serious, you might have to strip them and re-finish. If you have tiled floors or laminate, you will probably have minimal damage unless your home was flooded with water to stop the fire, in which case it would be best to remove as much of the water as quickly as possible and then keep an eye out for water damage.
Next, cleaning the walls can be very easy even though smoke and soot can be very pervasive. If your walls are painted with a semi-gloss or satin paint, there is a very good chance you will not have to repaint them. You should be able to scrub the walls to get rid of the swirls of smokey discoloation by starting at the top and working your way down with a few rags or hard sponge and a solution made from water and trisodium phosphate cleaner. This product can be found at a hardware store and you should mix one tablespoon with a gallon of warm water. Make sure you wear gloves when doing this!
If you have wall paper, you will probably have to strip the paper and re-paper the walls or paint again if the damage is extreme. Try cleaning the worst spots and if you aren't having any luck, chances are the paper will have to come down. This might be a good solution anyway, because the smell of smoke and soot will linger in anything it can!
You will find that these methods for repairing your home after fire damage can save you loads of money, which might come in handy if you have to make certain replacements to make your home comfortable again!
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