House filled with smoke, but no fire

The damage that caused by a fire is extensive and involves not only combustion of building materials and household items, but also include a number of accompanying kinds of damage, including water damage due to fire-extinguishing efforts, soot deposits, and smoke damage. Smoke and soot are particularly harmful because they can contain hazardous chemicals that can be toxic or caustic.

Even small fires produce significant amounts of dangerous byproducts like smoke and soot that can continue to damage building materials and household supplies, as well as contaminate the air supply, for months and years after if they are not properly contained and eliminated.

After a fire, smoke lingers persistently and extensively. Not only will it smell bad and create an uncomfortable environment, the biggest problem with this compromised air quality are the significant and long-lasting health hazards for the occupants of the house.

A few years ago, a very dear friend experienced a house fire. After we learned of the tragedy, we went by to see if we could help. Our friend was going through the items in her home trying to determine if there was anything salvageable. I did not go inside the home, but only stood outside with her sorting through her belongings. When I got back in the car, I was surprised to discover that I smelled like smoke. Even just being near the home and handling my friend’s personal belongings that had been in the fire, was enough to transfer the smoke odor onto me.

Smoke odor is very pervasive. It quickly attaches to everything.

If you have the unfortunate experience of having a house fire or you have smoke damage from a neighbor’s fire or a nearby wildfire, you need to take the proper precautions to clean and eliminate the smoke residue quickly and effectively.

In this article we will talk about the properties of smoke damage, how to clean and remove fire smoke damage from your home and personal belongings, and the steps you can take to improve the air quality of your property after a fire.

CONTENTS

THE NATURE OF FIRE SMOKE DAMAGE

Getting rid of fire smoke damage can be very challenging because of the very nature of smoke.

When fire smoke permeates a house, very small smoke particles stick to every surface and become absorbed into all the porous materials of the home.

This includes furniture, paint, carpeting, wood, fabrics and furnishings, and all household items. No surface is spared when smoke is present. It clings to ceilings, walls, vents, floors, and every other surface of the house.

The nature of smoke allows it to easily seep into the tiniest cracks and crevices, and the chemical components of the fire smoke makes it extremely difficult to remove.

For example, smoke is often made up of a chemical like hydrochloric acid, which is extremely corrosive and easily transferrable. As smoke penetrates and seeps into the small, invisible air pockets of a porous material, it’s corrosive nature goes right to work degrading the materials.

The chemicals found in smoke easily ruin many household items, even if they haven’t been directly affected by the flames of a fire. Microelectronic devices have advanced circuit boards which have sensitive components that are easily corroded.

Electronics that are exposed to smoke can easily short circuit because the chemicals in the smoke act as conductors, disrupting the normal electrical pathways of any circuit board.

Because of this, all appliances will need to be replaced for the same reason. Smoke naturally penetrates them and over time the chemicals in the smoke will damage the delicate electronic components critical to their use.

HOW MUCH DAMAGE DOES FIRE SMOKE CAUSE?

The amount of damage that fire smoke causes are dependent on the total amount of smoke particles that need to be cleaned and removed.

Ultimately, the number of smoke particles in a home will determine whether you can effectively expect to clean up the smoke damage enough to create safe living conditions.

Consider the following factors that affect the amount of smoke damage:

1.

The size of the fire

Obviously, larger fires produce more smoke, so the size of your fire will make a difference in the intensity and extent of the smoke damage.

2.

The length of exposure to smoke damage

The longer the property or area has been exposed to smoke, the greater the absorption of the smoke and chemical particles in the building materials and furnishings. If the house is boarded up after a fire, this can intensify and lengthen the exposure time to the smoke as well. in the intensity and extent of the smoke damage.

3.

The kind of materials that are consumed by the fire

When different materials undergo combustion, they all produce different chemicals and different odors. Some of these are easier to remove than others and some are extremely caustic or even toxic. For example, the smell that results from synthetic or plastic materials is much more difficult than the burning of organic matter.

There are many experts that can help you determine whether effective cleanup from smoke damage is possible, including your insurance adjuster and your restoration contractor.

Before you begin any smoke damage cleanup, make sure you have the all-clear from the fire department to reenter the property and seek the advice of these other professionals to determine the best plan of action regarding cleanup.

HOW TO CLEAN AND REMOVE FIRE SMOKE DAMAGE

If the fire smoke damage is from a small fire and the home did not suffer a long exposure to the smoke, you may be able to do the cleanup yourself.

The following steps will help you to get rid of smoke damage in these cases.

1 Take Proper Precautions

There are many hazards that you may be unaware of after a fire, and the property needs to be inspected by fire professionals before you go back in.

Be sure to wear proper protective clothing and masks. Whatever you are wearing when you enter the property will also be damaged by the smoke and chemicals lingering, sometimes unseen, in the air. Everything you wear will smell like smoke. The chemical hazards that exist from smoke damage, exist in the air you breathe while you clean up. These chemicals cause adverse health effects. Make sure that you have proper protection with gloves, masks, and air filters.

If any of your house’s surfaces or any of your household items are covered in soot, which is a fine carbon dust, you should never attempt to clean them yourself. Soot contains many toxic chemicals that are dangerous to handle. Soot will need to be cleaned and removed by a professional in order to prevent additional damage.

2 Air Out the Property

Open all the windows and doors and remove any boards that were put up after the fire. Remove the screens as well to improve the airflow.

You should place fans in the rooms and hallways to help push the smoke-laden air out of the windows.

If the smell is very oppressive, you might need to blow out the home using positive pressure. To do this you need to open the door to the property and set up a large fan outside the door, facing inside the home. Then, with the fan on high speed, close all the other doors and windows except one window.

This will create positive pressure and force the smoke out of the exhaust window. After you blow one area for 15-20 minutes, close the window and door to that room and open another. Move room by room until you have blown out the air in every room in your home or apartment.

Keep in mind that while removing the smoky air and replacing it with fresh air will help to reduce the smell of smoke in your home, the only way to remove the smoke that has infiltrated the porous materials of your property is to completely clean every surface and household item that has been exposed to the smoke.

3 Remove All the Furnishings

This includes area rugs, cushions, curtains, blankets and sheets, and other fabric or household items, including clothes and towels. They all need to be washed or dry cleaned outside the home so they don’t soak up the smoke odor again.

You may not be able to properly clean mattresses and they may need to be replaced depending on their exposure to the smoke.

4 Clean the windows

You can use a solution of hot water and white vinegar to clean plastic blinds, but you will need to choose a wood-friendly product to clean wooden blinds.

To scrub the window screens, you can put them in a tub and use dish soap to clean the mesh. Rinse and let dry in fresh air away from the property. If your house has an exhaust fan, you can wash the filter in the same way as the window screens.

5 Wash All Solid Surfaces

Think about ceilings, doors, baseboards, door frames and walls, floors, all the cabinets inside and out, all the solid furniture pieces, and light fixtures.

As you work, consider that smoke particles have settled on every surface in your home, even if you can’t see them and they all need to be properly cleaned and sanitized. If not, the smoke odor will linger and the corrosive effects of the smoke will continue to damage the materials in your home.

Use a solution of dish soap, white vinegar, and warm water to clean all of these surfaces. You can use the same solution on the non-carpeted floors as well. As you mop the floors, be sure to rinse the mop under running water after each use. If you don’t, the smoke particles will just float in the water in the mop bucket and end up back on your floor with every rinse.

Certain pieces of furniture, including wood pieces, will need specialized cleaning products to get the smoke smell out without damaging the furniture further. Purchase the right cleaners and follow the directions. Where possible you should take the furniture outside of the fire damaged property to dry. The fresh air will help eliminate the smell as well.

6 Thoroughly Clean Carpets and Upholstery

This can make the smoke challenging to remove.

Baking soda can help absorb smoke odors. Sprinkle baking soda on the upholstery and carpet and let it sit for several hours or even all day. Once the soda has had a chance to absorb the smoke smell, you can vacuum up the baking powder. It is very important to use a vacuum cleaner that has a working HEPA filter to prevent smoke particles from blowing back into the room as you work.

It can sometimes be more effective to have all the carpets and upholstery steam cleaned by professional cleaners. They will have more expertise and experience when it comes to removing the pervasive odor of the smoke.

7 Don’t Forget the HVAC System

During a house fire, smoke will permeate all the vents and ductwork, settling inside and lingering inside the ventilation system. Imagine cleaning your entire home and then turning on the air conditioner later, only to redistribute large amounts of smoke particles back into the air to cover all the surfaces again.

You need to change all the air conditioning filter and any other air filters or furnace filters inside your home.

Your HVAC system will need to be inspected by a professional to make sure it hasn’t been damaged in the fire and professional air duct cleaning might be required in order to make sure all the smoke particles have been removed from the system.

8 Don’t Mask the Smell, Remove the Cause

Using scented candles or air fresheners only mask the smell and can’t remove the smoke particles that have accumulated.

The same applies to air purifiers, activated charcoal, bowls of vinegar or coffee grounds. None of these things removes the smoke from your home, which is the goal for health and safety reasons.

9 Repaint the Walls

If the paint retains the smoke odor even after it has been leaned, you will need to repaint the house in order to remove the smoke odor from your home.

Before you repaint, clean the walls thoroughly with a product that contains ammonia or glycol. Rinse after washing and let the walls completely dry.

Then apply a primer that is specifically formulated to lock in odors.

Finally, repaint the walls with a latex paint.

10 Replace Furnishings as Needed

Carpet, blinds, and furniture may never have the smoke odor completely eliminated. In these cases, you will need to replace these overly damaged and unsalvageable items.

It is most likely, depending on the extent of the fire, that your appliances and electronics will need to be replaced.

Even if the flames did not touch them, the chemicals in the smoke cause irreparable damage to the electronic circuits.

11 Ask for Help

There are so many places for smoke particles to settle and be absorbed that you may need to call in professionals to help you restore your home and property.

Experienced smoke removal professionals have the specialized equipment and expertise to identify and remove the cause of the smoke odor.

These professionals use air scrubbers, ozone generators, nano filters, hydroxyl technology and highly-targeted chemical cleaners, to properly clean and deodorize your property.

Smoke removal specialists are trained to know where and how to eliminate the smoke from every area of your property and minimize the corrosive and harmful effects of the smoke damage. After they finish, there will be no trace that there was ever a fire in your home.

If the fire damage is more extensive than a DIY project, restoration experts can be called in to demolish unsalvageable structures and rebuild and restore your property to the way it was before the fire. Never feel like you need to take on the overwhelming job of cleaning and removing smoke by yourself. There are experts who can help ease your burdens and make your property safe again.

FIRE AND SMOKE DAMAGE EXPERTS IN ARIZONA

In most cases, you will need the help of a fire damage restoration service provider to undo the damaging effects of even a small house fire.

In this way, you ensure that the smoke is completely eliminated.

Titan Restoration is an expert in fire damage and smoke and soot removal. We have a team of people who have years of experience and expertise using the most advanced equipment, who are ready to help you return your home to its safe and beautiful condition.

We know that a fire can be devastating and stressful. At Titan Restoration we walk you step-by-step through the process of smoke and fire damage restoration, no matter how big the fire or how pervasive the smoke damage. We are always here to help.

Contact us if your home or property is damaged by fire and we will help you rebuild and restore everything and get things back to normal as soon as possible.

Get in touch now

Or – Give us a call: 480-649-5050

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