A house fire can quickly turn a homeowner’s life upside down, however, knowing how to clean up the damages can help restore order. It’s important that you know what steps need to be taken as failing to deal with any smoke damage can be harmful to you and your family. On top of this, there are many safety precautions you should take before cleaning your home so you can avoid any of the negative health problems that can arise in this kind of environment. With that being said, here are some tips for fire and smoke damage cleanup.
Safety Precautions
Before you start wetting debris down in order to remove dust particles and smoke it’s imperative that you take precautions. These include wearing rubber gloves, and heavy-soled shoes. You should also consider wearing a mask and eye protection as this minimizes your intake of harmful chemicals. Depending on how severe the fire was and what burned in it there could be harmful toxins lingering in the air.
Dealing with Fire Damage
Fire damage can take many forms. Beyond the initial flames, many houses also suffer from flood damage depending on how much water was needed to put it out. This means that things such as insulation and drywall have a high chance of obtaining mold and deterioration. You should consult a professional so you can understand the extent of this water damage then take the actions to remedy it.
When it comes to the actual fire, there’s a good chance that your furniture, curtains, and other flammable materials are charred and unusable now. Depending on the severity it’s going to be next to impossible to salvage these objects meaning you’ll have to replace them. On the other hand, things such as pots, pans, and silverware generally need to simply be scrubbed and polished before they’re usable again.
Dealing with Smoke Damage
While fire damage is easily seen and taken care of, smoke damage can go overlooked if you don’t know how to take care of it. You should start by ventilating your house. Open as many windows as you can and get the initial large amount of smoke out of there. The main issue with smoke is that it lingers and its particles can get trapped in the walls and other objects. This means that your house will not only continue to smell like smoke months down the road, but you’ll also be inhaling these harmful particles daily.
In order to remove smoke damage, you’ll need to wet and scrub your walls one area at a time. You shouldn’t repaint a house until this process is done. Use clear warm water and a light detergent making sure that you dry the wall thoroughly once you’re finished.
Call a Professional
In some cases, the smoke and water damage may have affected your home’s structure, walls, or even flooring. To know for sure, you should call an assessor, who can help you find the right restoration company.
What is Our Mission?
Disaster Management Recovery Group is here to assess your storm damage and determine the next step. If you need a roofing evaluation or have suffered exterior damage due to storms or other natural disasters, contact us and schedule a storm damage evaluation and start on the road to recovery.
