Home Restoration After the Smoke Clears

Smoke damage from forest fires can be as harmful to your home as that from more typical fires. Forest fires may create significantly more destruction because of the amount of smoke generated, the length of exposure and the wide spread coverage areas of the smoke. And what is often not understood is that after the smoke clears and the ashes have fallen, the damage is just beginning.

To refurbish a smoke or fire damaged home and return it to its original condition, the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) recommends that you contact a professional who is certified in fire and smoke damage restoration. Homeowners may be tempted to perform complete clean up on their own, but many times this can make conditions worse.

Nesheim’s certified fire restorers are time conscious. They 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. Below 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 yellow; metals tarnish, counter tops may yellow; finishes on appliances, particularly refrigerators that extend into the heat line, 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 caret 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.

In addition to the removal of residue, ridding your home of its smoky odor is necessary. Professionals use this four-step process to remove odors:

1. Remove the source of the odor, including unsalvageable debris that contributes to odor generation and recontamination of cleaned and deodorized areas.
2. Physical removal of odor causing residue through cleaning of salvageable surfaces and items.
3. Recreate the conditions of odor penetration and apply an appropriate odor counterbalance. This is accomplished with direct application of deodorants, or by generating a deodorizing fog that seeks out and combines with the odor causing substances.
4. Seal salvageable surfaces that are inaccessible or slightly scorched – not only for aesthetic purposes, but primarily to encapsulate odor and prevent progressive recontamination.

After the initial pre inspection, we will proceed with clean up. These processed include cleaning deodorizing of walls and baseboards, cleaning and deodorizing of all textile surfaces including carpet, upholstery, area rugs, mattresses and upholstered head boards. Ozone treatments will be utilized for more severe cases of smoke damage.

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