What Do Smoke Damage Restoration Companies Actually Do?

Having a house fire can be incredibly traumatizing and life-changing. After the fire is put out, homeowners often need to take a deep breath, recoup, and come to terms with what has happened. Once you do feel like your head is on straight again, it's time to call a smoke damage restoration company. Here's what this kind of company will do for you.

Remove Soot From Surfaces

When a home burns, it does not usually burn cleanly. The smoke contains a lot of residue, which settles on surfaces as soot. This soot needs to be removed not only because it is messy, but because it contains chemicals that could be harmful to your health long-term. A smoke damage restoration company will clean the soot off all the surfaces in your home that are still intact and salvageable. They may be able to vacuum it off of some surfaces, but they may need to wipe it off of others. Sometimes, they may even need to use a degreasing agent, as soot can be greasy.

Remove Irreversibly Damaged Items

Some items cannot be saved after a fire. Carpet, for example, will take in so much smoke that it's nearly impossible to salvage. Soft furniture, like couches, can also absorb smoke and be ruined permanently. A smoke damage restoration company can look over all of your softer and porous items and determine which ones can and cannot be saved. They will often clean and restore the items that can be cleaned, and they'll help you get rid of others. Some companies will have a dumpster dropped off so they can put damaged items directly in the dumpster. Other companies will have you hire a separate contractor to remove these unsalvageable items.

Clean the Air

Particulate matter can remain in the air for quite a long time after a fire. And the cleanup process can sometimes dislodge more of it, making the air dirtier once again. So, one of the last things a smoke cleanup company will do is clean the air. They'll run large, powerful air filters for a few hours or even a few days, trapping all of the particulate matter. This way, your home will smell clean and have air that's safe to breathe again.

After a fire, it is really important to have a smoke damage restoration company take care of your home. They'll focus on the tasks above to help make your home liveable again. 

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