When your home has been ravaged by fire, you may go through a wrenching and distressing experience. Even a small fire can cause extensive damage in your home. When most people think about fire, they only think about the property that has been damaged by the flames. However, there is more to fire damage than just property loss: it also causes smoke damage which is a serious issue. This article talks about smoke damage: a complete guide on how to clean it.
Tip #1: Understand Items to Be Cleaned Quickly
There are very many items that are found in your home. However, there are some items that can be damaged by smoke faster than others. These are the items that need to be given first priority. These include:
* Carpets
* Pictures
* Curtains
* Clothing
* Appliances
* Zoom decorations
* Ceilings
* Walls
* Beddings
* Brass and copper items
You need to make sure these items are thoroughly cleaned before the smoke damages them. However, you need to understand the process of proper cleaning so that you can be thorough. If you are in doubt about what to do, enlist the services of a professional smoke damage restoration company to do handle everything for you.
Tip #2: Know What to Replace
Some of the items that have been damaged by fire may not be cleaned up successfully. For example, a carpet that has been partially burned needs to be done away with and a new one acquired. Do not take a lot of time making a decision because the smell of smoke may end up contaminating the air, making your home dangerous to live in. The presence of smoke in your home may prove fatal to some of your family members especially those suffering from respiratory conditions. Remember, smoke is one of the triggers of asthma.
Furniture also represents surfaces that hold smoke. This means that your furniture has to be professionally cleaned or replaced.
Tip #3: Clean the HVAC System
Your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system is the one responsible for removing contaminants from the air inside your home. When a fire occurs in your home, the system will try to remove smoke particles from the air inside your house. Some of the particles will accumulate in the ducts and filters and may find their way back into your home unless the system is properly cleaned. This is a job that requires professionals who have the necessary training and experience to handle the system so that the air in your home is safe to breathe as soon as possible. You need to check and clean the system continually until the soot disappears.
Tip #4: Ensure there is Adequate Circulation
Circulation is a very key component of any smoke damage restoration exercise. Make sure all the windows and doors are open and allow fans to circulate air in all the rooms. The air circulation will allow fresh air inside and reduce any contaminated air that is within your home.
Tip #5: Call Your Insurance Company
Before you go ahead and perform any smoke restoration on your home, it is wise to call your insurance company to come and inspect the damage to your home. This is vital because the company needs to release the funds for restoration of your home.
Tip #6: Call a Professional Company
There are two types of smoke damage that may occur in your home: visible and invisible damage. Visible smoke is easy to clean up and can be done faster. However, the smoke that cannot be seen is the one that accumulates within the walls and on various other surfaces. You need to get professional help so that you can remove the second type of smoke. Professionals use advanced equipment to identify and remove all the smoke in your home.
Tip #7: Talk to the Authorities
When a fire happens in your home, you have to notify the local fire authorities concerned. This is because after the cleanup exercise, you have to get their permission before you re-enter your house. It is very crucial that you are sure the building is safe before you get back inside.
Smoke damage is a hard task because the smoke residues linger on several surfaces in your home. This means that you have to make sure everything is thoroughly cleaned up before you get back inside. You also have to know what to retain and what to dispose of. It is always good to talk to professionals to get some idea on what to do in such a situation.
Author Bio: Josef Albers is a blogger for Empire Carpet Care and likes to blog for business related topics.In his free time likes to research on various Business news, Strategy and Ideas.
