Did you know a new home fire is reported to a fire department every 30 seconds. Thousands of dollars are lost to fires every year and do costly damage to homes and nearby buildings.
Fire and smoke damage is can be costly to your wallet and your health before that damage becomes permanent. If you have been a victim of a fire you need to get an inspection quickly to determine your recovery options.
After getting clearance to return to your home, if there is anything left, and after contacting your insurance company, your next best move is to start throwing stuff away. Keep a look out for the following tell-tale signs of fire and smoke damage. Below, we’ll also provide a few potential solutions to restore your home.
Fire and Smoke Damage: Common Problems and Their Solutions
Fires are already a dangerous problem without mentioning all the frustrations they cause. Last year in the U.S. alone, fires cost $23 billion in repairs. Not everyone is lucky enough have a home still standing after a fire hits. If you are lucky enough, be prepared for the issues you may face in restoring your home.
Weakened Structure
We all know that fire can do a number on wooden beams and drywall, but it can also warp metal frames if temperatures become hot enough. Fire can damage concrete and cause it to expand and crack. The exposed layers will burn and swell more quickly, which may cause the outer layers to break off, eventually leading to an unsound structure.
If your home has structural damage because of the fire you need proper clearance from a home inspector or building inspector before walking back into that house. Ceilings can collapse, floorboards can turn to ash under your feet, and walls could cave in around you. In places where a structure is considered weak, inspectors may suggest an engineer or an architect.
Stained Furniture
Sometimes a house fire will burn all of the furniture, leaving only ash behind. Furniture that has not been a total loss will still have a strong smoke smell trapped inside of it. Check each furniture piece over for charring or burn marks. If it passes the eye test, use these quick tips to get the smoke smell out:
Fabric: Baking soda is a good household remedy. The baking soda will help lift and drown the smell.
Leather: Leather is a lot tougher than most fabrics but you’ll need to remove any of the ash residue with a brush or vacuum. After the surface is cleared, mix together a small portion of ammonia with water and wipe clean. You may want to follow up with a leather conditioner to avoid drying the material out.
Wood: You’ll want to take a light brush to the wood or sandpaper to remove any soot or debris from crevices. Next, you’ll want to use a wood cleaner to clean the furniture. You’ll probably need to refinish the surface once the smoke damage is removed, or at least recondition it.
Discolored Walls and Ceilings
If you’re fortunate enough to have a home to return to, cleaning off soot, ash, and smoke stains from the walls and ceilings doesn’t seem like such a big deal. However, you must clean the walls and ceiling carefully to avoid damaging them and causing more harm. Soaking drywall or other wall materials can cause it to mold or breakdown. Use a damp cloth for as long as you can, removing as much of the discoloration as water will let you. From there, you’ll have to research which cleaning chemicals will help remove stains from your material type while keeping them unmarked. Wallpaper is really tough to restore without messing up the pattern or design. A simple water and cloth scrub will work best here since bleach, ammonia, and other chemicals will stain or possibly tear the wallpaper.
Call TMG Companies
Don’t be scared by the statements above. Most people don’t have the time or the skills to cleanup a home after a fire. That’s why they call on fire damage damage restoration professionals like TMG Companies to restore the home properly. So again don’t be worried if you happen to have the need for fire damage restoration services and are searching for fire damage restoration company near me or water damage restoration company near me choose TMG Companies. We are a full service residential cleaning company and commercial cleaning company equipped to keep your home or business in top shape for years to come. Our hundreds of happy clients can testify to the quality of our work, the efficiency of our professionals, and the beautiful clean that they experience. If you’re ready to see how a professional can upgrade your home or commercial building and keep your space sparkling, contact TMG Companies today and schedule a professional cleaning for your home or office or fill out the form on this page and we’ll contact you!
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