Smoke Damage Explained

A fire in your home or place of business can be one of the most traumatic experiences you can have as a property owner. And once the fire has been dealt with you will be left to deal with the aftermath. One issue you will have to tackle is the smoke damage that has occurred. Read below to discover everything you need to know about smoke damage and smoke damage restoration.

What is smoke damage?

Smoke damage is the physical harm to a property that is caused by the smoke from a fire rather than the fire itself. The damage can affect walls, ceilings, windows, furnishings, and furniture. Forms of smoke damage include stains and discoloration, coatings of ash or soot, and odor issues. 

What does smoke damage look like?

• Discolouration of painted, wooden, and varnished surfaces. This can be a result of protein residue from the fire and will usually be accompanied by an unpleasant smell. 
• Greasy, oily residue on furniture and décor. After a fire, you may find that areas of the property not directly burnt may have collected oily or sooty stains because of the incident. 
• Black smoke stains on walls, furniture, and windows.  This residue of wet smoke can leave a thick layer of dark, sticky material which can be hard to get rid of without professional equipment. 
• Unpleasant, persistent odor. Even when you have managed to get rid of the stains and soot in the room, you may notice there is still an unpleasant smell. This may be because dry smoke has invaded porous materials or small cracks in the room which you have missed during the cleaning process. 

How do you start cleaning up smoke damage? 

Depending on the level of damage to your home, there are some steps you can take to begin cleaning up smoke damage yourself. These include:

• Open windows, switch on fans and turn on the A/C to battle the smoke and smells. 
• Use a good vacuum cleaner to start removing ash, soot, and other small residues. 
• Wipe down your surfaces with a cleaning rag. 
• Use a sponge to wipe down washable painted walls and wallpaper. 
• Remove and deep clean your curtains, blankets, and any other furnishings. 
• Do a deep shampoo treatment on upholsteries. 
• Deodorize your carpets and curtains. 

Consider calling in a professional smoke damage restoration and clean-up service

If you find that the smoke damage is substantial and your efforts for cleaning up the damage are making little difference you should consider calling in a professional smoke damage restoration company that will have all the right equipment, cleaning products, and expertise to tackle the problem quickly and effectively.