Understanding Dangers of Smoke and Soot in Your Chisholm Residence
5/22/2017 (Permalink)
Count on SERVPRO for Smoke & Fire Cleanup to Your Property
Everyone knows fires are dangerous. However, did you know the flames are not the biggest risk as far as health and property damage? Smoke is the leading cause of deaths from fire, exceeding burns by a 3 to 1 ratio. Direct exposure to smoke is, of course, harmful to your respiratory system, but it can affect the structure of your home negatively as well.
Smoke from any fire is composed of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, other chemicals, and particles which can produce even more fire damage in your Chisholm residence. Depending on what burned, other harmful chemicals are airborne and can be inhaled into your lungs or stick to furniture, walls, ductwork, clothing, and other areas. It is urgent after a fire that you call in a fire damage restoration company like SERVPRO who can remove the smoke and soot from your home to prevent additional damages.
Since hot air rises, you can commonly find smoke damage right over where the fire was burning. Strong air currents can circulate through your residence. You can also find smoke damage outside windows and walls because cold air sinks under warmer air which opens a path for the smoke to travel to the exterior walls and windows.
Your home has decorations, furniture, enclosed spaces and other features which interact with smoke, causing the harm to sometimes be found in more unusual spaces, such as closed closets, dresser drawers and wall cavities which seem to be closed off. Smoke and soot can also be found behind blinds and drapes because smoke naturally goes to cooler areas.
Many times, smoke particles are ionized, which means they hold an electrical charge that attracts them to surfaces. Smoke and soot can, therefore, be found surrounding nail heads in a ceiling, on synthetic materials, and clustered into cobweb-like shapes in the corners of rooms. Currents of air can carry soot and smoke away from the fire, depositing residue in various ways. You can also find smoke and soot in your ductwork because of this and on the farther side of door openings.
SERVPRO of Montgomery North understands that smoke and soot can be found in unexpected places and how detrimental it can be to leave it unhindered. When you call us at (334) 273-0992 we respond rapidly.
Local Schools: http://www.chisholm.mps-al.org