Understand material damage. Why smoke damage? Soot exposure will sink itself into the fibers and surfaces of your structure. How to recover contents after a wildfire.

Fire or smoke damage is one of the worst types of structural damage. Smoke damage is both of smoke and soot. It can destroy prized belongings and ruin the home’s living environment. Fire can blaze instantly without warning and rage on, destroying everything in its path. It can damage any structure within the area. The flames and heat in the fire, along with smoke, can badly damage your property. This is because most combustible items like carpets, wood products and fabrics do not burn completely. They have considerable chemical levels that become dangerous due to off-gassing.

Smoke Related Health Risks

Smoke particles put your health at risk because of its toxicity levels. Microscopic particles are suspended in air and later settle as soot. The soot and particles that settle on clothes and furnishings severely irritate the skin. Breathing in these toxins over time will lead to health complications. It will affect the respiratory system making breathing difficult. It causes coughing, nausea, and sleepiness. It can lead to death resulting from increased carbon monoxide in the lungs that hinder oxygen circulation in the body. It can also cause irreversible brain damage.

Smoke damage may not seem obvious, it is still a threat to your health. Focus on your safety by having Precision Environmental cleanup and decontaminate your property professionally. Breathing and other respiratory complications like bronchitis or asthma can occur, in addition to skin and eye irritation, redness, dryness, and itching. If proper restoration is not completed after a fire, there can be long-term health risks, including cancer, stroke, heart attacks, and lifelong consequences for infants.

Toxic Building Materials Post Fire

In addition to unsightly damage and unpleasant odors, fire and smoke leave behind residues that can pose serious health risks. Building materials can release toxic chemicals when burned, and those chemicals can contaminate surrounding materials. It’s important to make sure any of the below damaged and affected materials are cleaned or removed:

• Plastics
• Carpets
• Upholstery
• Wood products
• Insulation
• Wool
• Foams
• All materials containing asbestos or lead

Toxic Chemicals Post Fire

After a fire, odors and discoloration can indicate that the environment has likely been contaminated with hazardous chemicals that were released during the fire. These chemicals pose significant health risks. Products that can release toxins when burned are common building materials and household items.

PVC (Polyvinyl chloride)

PVC is the world’s third-most widely produced synthetic plastic polymer— over 40 million tons are produced each year. It’s used in flooring, plumbing, roofing, siding, protective clothing, and more. When burned, PVC releases a number of chemicals, all of which can be harmful to humans, including:

• Hydrogen chloride
• dioxin chloromethane
• Halocarbons
• Phosgene
• Bromomethane
• Carbon Materials

Since carbon building materials are readily available and used in abundance, they can pose a serious health risk after a fire if not properly restored or removed. When burned, these materials can release:

• Ammonia
• Nitrogen oxide
• Tar
• Hydrogen
• Carbon monoxide

How We Restore Fire Damaged Structures

After a fire, homes and businesses usually have several kinds of damage, not just from the flames and smoke, but also from the water used to stop them from spreading. Our IICRC certified team know how to rewind time on your damaged structure and get it feeling like home again. While each fire event is different, some steps in our restoration process remain the same.

First Response!

We offer 24-hour emergency services. When you call we will respond immediately, and quickly assess the extent of the damage. Our team will then formulate a fire damage restoration plan, and get to work. We will record and document everything for the insurance company.

Secure Structure

Once we have completed the assessment and damage evaluation, we will take the necessary steps to secure your property, and prevent further problems. This can include:

• Installing Security and Temporary Fencing
• Temporary Board Up and Roof Cover-Up
• Bracing to Maintain Structural Integrity
• And more...

Water Mitigation & Structural Drying

Whether your sprinklers went off and drenched everything, or firefighters spent hours fighting the fire, the first step towards fire damage restoration is getting rid of the water and drying everything out. This will help prevent mold growth.

If our team sees evidence of mold, we can take care of it, as we are also experienced in mold remediation.

Soot & Smoke Damage Mitigation

If the blaze was contained to one portion of your property, it’s likely that you have soot and smoke damage to other areas. Our team will do a smoke damage evaluation and perform structural cleaning and odor control.

Before repainting any walls, ceiling, or trim not damaged by fire, we will scrub and sand before priming and painting to ensure the paint job lasts for years to come.

Fire Damage Restoration & Repairs

Once all of the above steps are complete, we begin structural repairs and restoration. Since 1982, we’ve built a reputation for performing highly complex fire damage restoration projects with speed, responsiveness, and quality.

We’ve solved unique commercial and residential Fire Damage Restoration challenges for thousands of properties in categories such as:

• Healthcare
• Hospitality
• Government
• Multifamily
• Education
• Commercial Offices
• Senior Living
• Religious Institutions
• Residential Homes

Equipment Needed for Cleanup

Air scrubbers: Remove pollutants from the air using a filtration system and then send out the ‘scrubbed’ air. The size of the area and density of the smoke will determine how long a scrubber will need to run.

Air movers: Draw air in through an intake and direct it out of a port – like a hairdryer. These are great for drying walls, floors, carpet, and furnishings. They force air over wet or damp surfaces, drawing moisture into the stream and moving it away from the material.

Dehumidifiers: Remove moisture from the air; as air flows into a dehumidifier a cooling coil causes water to condense and gather in the unit. Without a dehumidifier, the moisture that an air mover is taking from an object will just be sent into the air and will end up condensing on another surface.

Contents List For Insurance

Do you need the contents of your property professionally inventoried, packed up, and stored in a safe and secure facility? or Total Loss Inventory? We specialize in handling the items inside your home, business, or office during the restoration process. Home Inventory lists are essential to both you and your insurance adjuster!

NFPA US fire problem | Every 23 seconds, a fire department in the United States responds to a fire. Seventy-four percent of all fire deaths were caused by home fires. This includes the 64 percent that resulted from fires in one- or two-family homes and the 10 percent caused by fires in apartments or other multi-family housing.

EPA Prepare for or respond to a wildfire. Air quality health information. Are you living somewhere that is impacted by wildfire smoke?