The aftermath of a fire is a stressful situation. For one, smoke damage requires immediate action. If unattended to, it can become an expensive and time consuming process—posing a risk to your property and its inhabitants. So how can you make this easier?
In this article, Restoration Specialists share some tips for smoke damage cleaning and restoration.
Professional Cleaning Services
Smoke Damage Restoration
Smoke Odour Treatment
Soot Removal
How to Deal With Smoke Damage
How to Know What Was Affected by Smoke Damage
Can I Stay in my Home or Office During Smoke Damage Cleaning?
How Long Does Restoration Take?
What Steps are Taken for Smoke Damage Restoration?
What are the Harmful Effects of Soot Damage and Smoke?
Our Hamilton smoke damage restoration specialists are ready to respond 24/7.
Professional Cleaning Services
Cleaning smoke damage takes time and effort. Of course, it’s possible to do it on your own—but you would need to purchase specialised equipment, and spend a lot of time looking at ‘how to’ videos.
For professionals with the relevant qualifications, cleaning smoke damage involves certain safety measures, equipment, techniques and processes to detect, clean and restore.
The faster that a professional is called, the sooner things will be back to normal.
Smoke Damage Restoration
Smoke damage can come from a range of sources including candles, smoking, ovens, electric fires, faulty wiring, flammable liquids, and improper use of fireplaces or space heaters.
Over time, damage spreads and becomes harder to remove. Cleaning smoke damage is somewhat complex as there are different techniques and equipment required depending on the characteristics of the smoke and debris.
- Discoloration and staining on surfaces.
- Tarnished metals.
- Crumbling structures such as stone or plaster.
- Erosion of property foundations.
Smoke Odour Treatment
The smoke odour after fire damage carries a distinct smell that isn’t always easy to remove. Instant remedies such as spraying deodorant and lighting candles are only effective for a short period; and the smell can remain for years after the fire.
The flames offset certain toxins (volatile organic compounds or VOCs) (aka VOC), so it’s important to contact a smoke cleaning company immediately.
Soot Removal
Soot is a fine black powder that clings to everything after a fire. This includes walls, ceilings, fabric, furniture and roofs. It contains oils that
absorb deeply on any surface—especially textiles and soft surfaces. It can cause irreparable damage to precious belongings, and could spread
once the soot settles. This can only be removed by a smoke damage cleaning service.
Dry Soot
Dry soot is caused by high pressure fires that burn at an extremely high temperature. The smoke that emerges from the extreme heat is so thick, it can enter the smallest of nooks and crannies. Dry soot is easily identifiable due to its grey and somewhat crumbly appearance. It’s often found in large quantities.
Wet Soot
Wet soot, unlike dry soot, is formed from low-pressure (or starved) fires. These burn at a slower pace and lower temperature.
The particles in starved fires contain more liquid contaminants, which gives the name “wet soot”. Any smoke damage cleaning service can identify wet soot by its typical wetness, black colour and charcoal-like smudging.
Contact us now to discuss your situation or request a no-obligation free quote!
How Long Does Restoration Take?
The duration of the fire and smoke restoration will depend on a few factors such as the size of your home or office, and the relative level of damage caused to the given area/s.
For minimal damage, you will be back to normal in a few days. Cleaning smoke damage for large house and factory fires can be a lengthier process: taking over 6 months.
Can I Stay in my Home or Office During Smoke Damage Cleaning?
This will depend on the severity of damage caused. In most cases, it’s not advised. When our team arrives, they’ll be wearing protective clothing and sometimes respirators to protect their health.
How to Know What Was Affected by Smoke Damage
Fridge contents – smoke tends to enter most food packaging: especially if it’s unsealed. As a rule of thumb, it’s safest to throw away the majority.
Wardrobe – identifiable by either soot stains or odour. It’s best to get everything professionally dry-cleaned.
Plants – brush debris off the leaves, and place outside.
Can I Stay in my Home or Office During Smoke Damage Cleaning?
This will depend on the severity of damage caused. In most cases, it’s not advised. When our team arrives, they’ll be wearing protective clothing and sometimes respirators to protect their health.
What Steps are Taken for Smoke Damage Restoration?
A smoke damage cleaning service is generally broken into the following steps.1. Preparation
Upon completing your free property inspection and reaching an agreement, our team will board and tape up the house for cleaning.
2. Cleaning
Damaged or large objects are removed from the property. The firefighters’ excess water pumped and vacuumed out of your space; dehumidifying the air. Next, we clear soot and smoke damage from surfaces with specialised equipment and techniques. These include:
- Air scrubbing
- Thermal fogging
- Ozone treatments for ceilings
We will also clean your HVAC system.
3. Restoration
Severely damaged items are brought to the Restoration Specialists warehouse, for a full smoke and fire restoration service. Finally, we commence with the overall structural restoration which can involve replacement or refurbishment of:
- Drywall
- Ceilings
- Cabinets
- Carpets
- Hardwood floors
What are the Harmful Effects of Soot Damage and Smoke?
Soot damage and smoke pose a harm to you and your home or business. This is why it’s recommended to call a smoke damage cleaning service. Soot poisons objects in its surroundings at a rapid pace, as seen in cases of paint discoloration and structure erosion. Without immediate restoration, smoke and soot can cause permanent damage.
Insured for your Property and Content?
If you are suitably insured for your property and contents, you can ensure the best results from a professional restoration company. Insurance companies are happy to cover your expenses if you work in their best interest.This typically involves employing a certified property restorer that is qualified in smoke, soot and odour removal.
Restoration Specialists has worked for all the NZ big-name insurance companies and have had no problems assisting you with your claim obligations. Ensuring a speedy and high-quality result that you and your insurance provider will be happy with.
Why Choose Restoration Specialists?
No one ever expects to deal with the aftermath of a fire, but if you find yourself in this situation, it is important to know that you are not alone. Restoration Specialists operate 24/7, using state of the art processes. We are certified by every insurance company for smoke damage removal.
We help our clients return to normality, providing reliable support and work to a high standard of health and safety protocols.
Contact us now – don’t wait! Let us help you through this difficult time.
We May Ask Some Questions
Flooding from the rain, burst pipe, sewerage backflow? You will need to ascertain the cause. Without stopping the liquid flowing into your property, we can not restore it, and more water damage will occur.
Perhaps you need a plumber, a drain layer, or council water reticulation services such as Watercare or Hamilton council.
We can still help remove as much liquid as possible while it is coming in to mitigate damages. However, we are unable to begin drying until water has stopped flowing.
The longer the time that has elapsed, the deeper the liquid absorbs. We adjust our drying and cleaning strategies, depending on the amount of time that has passed since the flood started.
Maybe you just arrived back from holiday and walked into a flooded home, office or property? Which is not uncommon. Let us know how long you think it could have been, as we may need to take action against microbial growth.
How many rooms, floors, and the area’s size is essential to ensure we turn up with enough staff and equipment. We will remove the standing water and dry the affected space and materials.
Has the flood travelled from a level above? Perhaps the electrical supply needs to be isolated to ensure safety.
Make sure to check in surrounding rooms and cupboards to ensure your contents do not get damaged. Remove as much furniture from the flood area as possible.
Freshwater, washing machine water, rainwater, or sewerage?
Depending on the flood source, it can change the actions we take to restore your property. See below for the categories and the correct methods of remediation.
Areas we service
We’re here to help with restoration services all over the Waikato region, including the suburbs listed below. Our team is ready to tackle your restoration needs quickly and efficiently. Don’t see your suburb? No worries! Just fill out the contact form above, and we’ll get in touch with you ASAP. We’re committed to making the process easy for you and ensuring your place is back to its best.
- Hamilton
- Taupō
- Cambridge
- Tokoroa
- Te Awamutu
- Huntly
- Morrinsville
- Matamata
- Ngāruawāhia
- Thames
- Whitianga
- Waihi
- Tuakau
- Te Kūiti
- Te Aroha
- Putāruru
- Paeroa
- Whangamatā
- Turangi
- Raglan
- Pōkeno
- Ōtorohanga
- Kihikihi
- Te Kauwhata
- Coromandel
- Tairua
- Ngatea
- Pirongia
- Pauanui