Removing Soot After a Fire in Your Home

4/25/2022 (Permalink)

Regardless of the size, the damage resulting from a home fire can be significant. Not only can you experience fire damage on your walls and ceilings, but you may also suffer from extensive soot damage, which can be a challenge to clean up. Here are a few tips on addressing soot after you experience a fire in your home.

What exactly is soot?

Soot, sometimes called “carbon black,” is a fine black powder that can be a bit sticky and is a product of incomplete combustion. It leaves an ugly film on pretty much everything, as well as a foul smell. During a fire, soot spreads throughout the whole house, affixing to surfaces. The acidic properties of soot can damage your home if it’s not removed immediately. The pros at SERVPRO now how to do just that!

Do all house fires create soot?

Most of the materials used for the construction of your home could catch fire which can help it spread throughout the structure. Unfortunately, this can spread the effects of this blaze all throughout your property, which means you will experience some level of soot in your home after a fire, regardless of size. While you might be tempted to simply clean up the soot on your home, cleanup is best left to the professionals, as it can be more difficult to completely clean than you might imagine. Sometimes trying to clean it can create an even bigger mess if not done correctly.

When to call in fire remediation specialists

Most often the effects that stand out from a house fire of any kind are smoke and soot damage. These are common during fire damage in homes, and they can often prove to be challenging to remove without the right equipment. Fortunately, our SERVPRO professionals have the tools and expertise to help you through often widespread soot damages throughout your household. While the most concentrated of this effect can get found around the fires originating point where it burned the longest, this is not always the case. The debris and film from the fire leaves a black residue on surfaces, furniture, flooring, and other materials. That is soot. Unless the fire didn’t spread at all and was quickly extinguished, it’s time to call fire clean up specialists, or those skilled in fire damage remediation, to help with clean up.

How is soot removed? 
 
Removing this residue requires several approaches. For wall surfaces, scrubbing with wet and dry sponges can often remove the bulk of the present film but not all of it. Enclosed spaces like ductwork require high powered vacuums be utilized instead. SERVPRO of Phoenix can assist in cleaning ductwork. Smoke damage often presents itself in the form of a harsh odor lingering in fabrics, carpeting, and open spaces throughout affected areas of your house. Removal of this odor typically requires thermal fogging to break apart odor molecules and leave no detectable smell behind. Depending on the extent of soot damage found in the home, our highly trained technicians will know exactly what to do to address the soot throughout your home.

If you experience a fire in your home, it is a good idea to contact SERVPRO of Phoenix to help with all your fire damage remediation needs, including removing soot. We can be reached 24/7 at 480-503-2090. Let us help restore your home to pre-fire condition. Contact us when you need help!