Smoke from a House Fire Can Cause Significant Damage

9/9/2020 (Permalink)

A house fire can be devastating. Fire can cause structural and cosmetic damage that takes a long time to restore. What many people don’t realize is that aside from the flames, one of the most significant factors causing extensive damage from a house fire is the smoke and soot during a fire and after the flames have been extinguished.

Smoke residue

The smoke residue adheres to the surfaces of your home and causes discoloration and possibly structural damage. Understanding the behavior of smoke during a fire can help you understand the restoration process better and how SERVPRO can help. Different types of smoke cause different types of damage and need to be treated differently. Wet smoke, such as occurs with plastics, can leave items sticky, while dry smoke, such as wood or paper, can leave ash and powdery residue. Unfortunately, there is also damage done from trying to extinguish flames, such as fire extinguisher residue that requires a different type of cleaning. Working with fire damage restoration experts make all the difference in how well the home is restored after fire damage occurs.

The temperature of the smoke during a fire

The temperature of the smoke itself and the temperature of the surrounding surfaces affect the extent of the fire damage in Phoenix. Smoke rises away from the fire and is carried to different places by a process known as convection. Fire produces heat, and as a result, the air above the fire becomes hot, expands, and becomes lighter. The lighter air moves up, and its place is taken by the denser cold air. The process generates air currents called “convection currents”. It is due to these currents that the smoke rises. As the temperature of the air increases, the pressure it wields against the surfaces increases as well. What it means is that hotter fires produce a hotter smoke that is forced against the surfaces. The smoke particles in such fires can go deep into the surface pores and cause substantial damage. SERVPRO professionals understand the nature of smoke and design strategies accordingly.

The temperature of home surfaces

As hot smoke from a fire migrates to colder surfaces in a home such as outside walls, closets, and unheated rooms, these areas are damaged the most. It can be surprising to see how much smoke residue finds its way into drawers and closets, and other areas that would appear protected from such damage. SERVPRO technicians can use several techniques to clean surfaces that are heavily damaged by smoke and soot and help find other areas such as drawers and closets that also need attention.

Recovering from fire and smoke damage in your home

A fire can be a traumatizing experience, so it’s essential to seek professional help to address the damage as soon as you can. Trained technicians have a better chance of successfully restoring your home if they can get to work before the damage becomes permanent, so don’t hesitate if you experience a fire in your home. Call SERVPRO of Phoenix at (480) 503-2090 today to speak to one of our restoration experts.