Did You Know? The Longer You Wait After A Fire To Get "Like it never even happened," The More Costly It Might Be!

6/20/2022 (Permalink)

Fire damage is costly to fix the longer it goes unattended. Smoke odors can invade belongings and porous building materials, and soot can ruin walls that flames have not burned. We understand that going through a fire can be devastating and that your cherished memories and possessions are at stake.  

After a fire has damaged your Valparaiso home, the fire restoration specialists at SERVPRO can assist you to prevent further destruction that can occur because of the buildup of soot. Our crews understand the science behind soot cleaning to restore your home to its preloss condition.  

Soot can build up on the walls, furniture, carpet, and other areas of your home. Inappropriate soot removal methods can increase the damage already done to your home. Soot becomes acidic after combining with moisture, and it can etch, discolor, pit or corrode non-porous surfaces if not removed promptly and thoroughly.  

Fire residues differ, and they include dry smoke, protein smoke, fuel oil smoke, and wet smoke residues. Fires progress through different stages, generating both wet and dry smoke. Some fires produce a large proportion of one kind of smoke to specify the total exposure as mostly dry or mostly wet smoke.  

Wet smoke residues are challenging to clean compared to dry smoke residues. Wet smoke usually contains high amounts of aerosols like solvents, varnishes, and other liquid solvents. If a fire is slow burning, air currents don’t drive the smoke from the fire’s heat. The smoke drifts and works its way into enclosed areas and crevices that a faster burning fire would not contaminate. It may be necessary to replace items damaged by wet smoke. Our technicians can restore many materials damaged by dry smoke. Dry smoke residues carry few deposits and aerosols, and they stain surfaces less intensely.  

Our SERVPRO technicians use the appropriate cleaning equipment, solvents, and techniques that come from training and years of experience. We follow a soot removal process that starts with dry soot cleaning using specialized HEPA vacuums and dry surface cleaning techniques. Afterward, we progress with wet cleaning as necessary.  

When your home has fire damage, SERVPRO of Porter County can assist you. Our experienced team works quickly and thoroughly to get a home back to normal. Contact us today at (219) 476-1883 for fire damage cleanup services.