Fire Damage Tips You Can Do Before Calling in the Pros

5/2/2022 (Permalink)

Leon County Resident Suffers Fire Damage in the Home

Having a fire in a structure you occupy both impacts you immediately and in the long term as well. The first concern is understandably the confirmation that everyone nearby is safe and out of danger. The next concern that follows is property damage from the fire and smoke. One of the biggest challenges in moving forward is the lingering smell of smoke that serves as a constant reminder of the tragedy. Whether it is bothersome or causes physical uncomfortability, the smell of smoke can’t be ignored.

Full removal of the move smell is not as easy as a deep clean. The smoke is usually ingrained in the walls and furniture fabric as well. It’s not a one stop solution article that we have created here. What we will offer below are a few effective ways to get rid of the smoke smell in the home or business. Despite the feeling of despair, it’s important to remember that you are not alone, and we are one call away with experts that can assist the recovery.

The speed in which to begin to remove the smell is crucial. The faster the better is a great rule of thumb here. Large and lengthy fires leave black soot which has a strong odor and sets on surfaces. Softer surfaces, like carpet, curtains, cushions and other items that absorb the molecules.

The first thing you can do is air it out. Keeping the doors and windows open for at least a full day can help with the ventilation and have a great impact on the smell. Fans and other air-moving tools should be run at full-blast on the highest speed to get a leg up in the cleaning that will follow.

The next step that can follow the airing out step above, is to move into creating positive pressure. This is when the air pressure outside of the structure is greater than the pressure on the inside. What this does is allow the air on the inside shift to move outside. The way to do this is like so:

• Leave your front door open- running a fan placed outside and blowing inward.
• Close all other entryways and windows in order to save one that will act as a ventilator.
• Turn the fan on full-blast for 15 minutes and then close the open door and window.
• Repeat this routine with all structural openings- allocating 15 min to each. 

Another popular method is using baking soda. It is preferred by many that lean towards a natural method and it is gentle on the surfaces being treated. We suggest beginning with carpets by sprinkling baking soda on all of the dry carpets and using a broom to help it saturate at the deepest level possible. The baking soda, if effective, can neutralize the smell. You can repeat this process as many times as you deem necessary. All fabric-covered furniture can be treated in the same way as well. Leave it out overnight, and simply vacuum the remaining with a vacuum the next day.

There are plenty of other DIY-like methods you can find from numerous sources. We encourage all attempts to reduce the smell at a fast and low-cost rate. Still, it is usually the case that you can’t completely eradicate the smell without calling professionals. Experienced technicians at SERVPRO have access to industrial equipment that can go deeper than most methods. Unlike many services, our team is focused on offering cost- competitive, and experience elevated service to all of our customers and to leave your structure “Like it never even happened.”