The Effects of Fire and Smoke on a Home
The fire trucks may be gone but without proper immediate response, the real damage and the costs are just beginning. To return your residential or commercial property to its pre-loss condition requires professional restoration. This is not the job for a do-it-yourself property owner.
Professional restoration technicians know that damage increases and restoration costs escalate the longer neutralization, corrosion control and cleaning is delayed. When homeowners prolong the restoration of their home, they extend the effects brought on by the smoke exposure. The following is a timeline of the effects of fire and smoke on a home.
Within Minutes: Acid soot residues cause plastics to yellow; small appliances located close to the source of combustion discolor; highly porous materials (marble, alabaster) discolor permanently.
Within Hours: Acid residues stain grout in bathrooms; fiberglass bath fixtures may yellow; uncoated metals tarnish, counter tops may yellow; finishes on appliances, particularly refrigerators, may yellow; furniture finishes may discolor.
Within Days: In time, acid residues cause painted walls to yellow permanently; metal corrodes, pits and rusts; wood furniture requires refinishing; vinyl flooring requires refinishing or replacement; clothing becomes soot stained; upholstery stains permanently.
Within Weeks: Restoration costs escalate tremendously. Synthetic carpet fibers may yellow or discolor permanently; silver plate is corroded permanently; glass, crystal, china may require replacement due to severe etching and pitting caused by prolonged exposure to acid soot residues.
Cleaning up soot residue must be done as quickly as possible. During combustion, soot residue and volatile vapors are carried by rising and expanding air to surfaces throughout a structure, and are deposited. This process occurs repeatedly until combustion ends, with soot residue building up on surfaces layer by layer. By the time restoration technicians arrive, lacquer-like soot residue may be quite difficult to dissolve and remove.
Calling a professional immediately following a fire damage is imperative.
HiCaliber has developed a strong reputation in the restoration business for being entirely customer driven! We’re not a chain or national franchise; we’re local and working among our neighbors. Without our exceptional clientele and reputation we couldn’t have stayed in business for so long. We have serviced more than 40,000 customers on restoration jobs alone, and those numbers are still rising. We work 24/7, 365 days a year. Our business phones are always on and will be answered regardless of the time of day. We understand the emotional sensitivity of your situation and we’re here to help take some of the stress and burden off of your shoulders. You’re in good hands!
To return your home to its preloss condition, call the restoration professionals at HiCaliber today!