The Aftermath of Fires – Smoke and Soot Damage

The unthinkable has happened – fire damage has devoured your commercial property and its contents and now, you are left with the destruction. As if the emotional impact is not enough, you are now facing the insurmountable task of cleaning away smoke and soot and restoring your prized possessions.

The easiest way to take away some of this strain is to contact a remediation company such as Superdry Restoration Inc. – we will support you and work directly with your insurance company to lessen the load and remediate everything that possibly can be remediated.

Structural Integrity

Firstly, a structural assessment is required, to make sure it is safe to enter the building. Don’t attempt to enter alone after a devastating fire – the last thing you need is more safety issues after everything. Let us carry out an assessment to determine the integrity of the structure of your property.

Most people assume that once the fire has been put out and the structural integrity of the property has been ascertained, the work is done and a simple clean-up is all that is required. Unfortunately, smoke and soot damage requires specialist cleaning intervention, as it can be corrosive, and agitating the particles can cause respiratory distress if not dealt with professionally.

The Clean-Up

After the structural assessment, we can check for damage to sentimental or sensitive items, which is most often a priority for our clients. It is possible to restore some of them, depending on the damage. There are companies that specialize in restoring damaged photos, for example, PhotoPro in Napa. It isn’t always possible, which understandably, can be very upsetting.

By the time you are reading this, it is often too late. But it is a good idea to back-up photos and sensitive information in the case of commercial property – files and paperwork stored electronically as well as in paper form is smart. As time-consuming as it is, it is worth reminding your friends and family to back up important documents digitally, and have the physical copies in an easy-to-grab place where possible.

For furnishings affected by smoke and soot, we can carry out a thorough cleanup. If the items are too damaged, sometimes the only option is to replace them, but if you are intent on restoring certain items of value, there are ways to remove or otherwise contain the damage caused. We have more than 20 years of experience and count on a qualified team and effective materials to aid this process.

You may think the main things to remediate are the smell and the appearance. However, what many people are unaware of is the corrosive properties of soot if it is not removed. There are different types of smoke residue depending on the nature of the fire – it is paramount that the soot and smoke be removed effectively to prevent even more damage in the long term to your furnishings and other possessions.

More importantly, soot and smoke pose a safety issue – a very serious one. The particles of soot that can be released into the air when you move a damaged sofa yourself, for example, can cause respiratory problems, heart problems and have even been associated as a carcinogen. So please, do not try to move, sit on, or clean affected items yourself.

Have you been affected by a fire on your property in or around Los Angeles County? Call Superdry Restoration today at 855-242-7024.