Fire Damage Residues Require Specialized Removal
When you survey the mess left after a household fire in Hammond, damage restoration back to your home’s previous condition can seem impossible. Contents are strewn about and covered with debris, firefighting water is everywhere, and surfaces in all home spaces have coatings of ashy, sticky, or grimy soot. Typical do-it-yourself cleanup efforts will fall short and take far too long to complete. Failure to quickly and thoroughly remove the aftereffects of a fire risks mold damage and progressive deterioration of building materials exposed to corrosive water and soot residues
Expert Assessment Precedes Successful Removal Efforts
Every situation is different, so it is essential that LightSpeed Restoration of Covington technicians trained in industry best practices by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) painstakingly evaluate your home, identifying and controlling for safety hazards before designing a carefully phased fire recovery plan. Our team then shares with you a personalized restoration agenda that follows accepted industry standards.
Residue Removal Agenda
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Water removal and applied structural drying is an essential first step. You might not think of water as a residue, but it is just as corrosive as soot. Extraction:
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Limits the potential for mold growth during the critical first 24 to 48 hours
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Minimizes and resolves safety issues, including slip, trip, and fall; electric shock; and ruptured gas or oil line exposure
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Reveals debris and damage submerged beneath filthy water
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Next, our experienced crews select appropriate products, tools, and methods required for efficient fire damage residue removal with as little harm to underlying materials as possible through the evaluation of soot characteristics. Residues vary throughout a home, and decisions about their resolution must be paired with an assessment of the durability of the affected surfaces. Balancing these aspects narrows the choices of physical removal strategies and application of water or oil-based cleaning products:
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Types of Soot and Typical Interventions
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Dry soot--resulting from burnt wood and paper/cellulose products
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Vacuuming (suction) or compressed air (positive pressure)
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Sponging, dusting, and controlled brushing
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Wet soot--a byproduct of the melting and combustion of rubber, plastics, and synthetic textiles
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Spray and wipe with appropriate soap, detergent, or oil-based proprietary cleaning products.
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Controlled abrasion through the use of grit in a cleaning product or a stiff brush, scraper, or sandpaper
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Immersion or ultrasonic tubs to soak off or dislodge residues from smaller items
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Protein soot--dehydrated food and superheated oils sprayed in a fine mist during cooking-related fires
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Spray and wipe or soak in oil-based solvents.
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Use of abrasive grit in a cream-based solvent and careful, skilled scrubbing--especially important to prevent degradation of kitchen appliance finishes
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Increased agitation with stiff brushes, steel wool, sandpaper, and other rough-edged tools--protein-based residues are notoriously difficult to remove as they create an almost varnish or lacquer-like coating
Note: Trained and experienced technicians test the products selected and methods planned on inconspicuous areas of fire damage to ensure the chosen tactics work and retain the integrity of the affected surfaces.
When first responders arrive to manage the blaze, call Lightspeed Restoration of Covington at (985) 323-6356. As soon as authorities allow our inspection, we will schedule a prompt assessment and plan for fire damage restoration services for your Hammond home.