What Other Things Can Fire Damage in a Chicago Property?

4/15/2020 (Permalink)

Our top priority is to mitigate the effects of fire damage in your home while keeping your family safe.

Effects Of Fire Damage

Once the flames have been extinguished, homeowners are often overwhelmed by the amount of damage that is left behind. It is not just ashes and smoke that result from fire damage, but several other surprising things ranging from flooding to lingering odors.

If you are a homeowner dealing with fire damage in Chicago, you know that fire emergencies can affect a home in many devastating ways. Here's how the experts at SERVPRO of West Loop / Bucktown / Greektown tackle these challenges to restore your home.

Smoke Particles
The big problem with remaining smoke particles caused by fire damage is that it's notorious for causing odors. It also severely affects indoor air quality by not only imparting off smells by making the air itself harder to breathe in. Our technicians are equipped with advanced professional tools that effectively eliminate these particles, so your home will feel much cleaner and fresher.

Soot Residue
It's typically easy to see soot that has settled on home surfaces after fire damage has occurred, but soot is more than just an eyesore. It can be corrosive, damage surfaces, stain fabrics, and will wear through paint over time. SERVPRO professionals do not just wipe and vacuum away soot; we work to obtain a deep clean to prevent future damage throughout your home.

Water From Fire Damage
Firefighting efforts inevitably deposit additional residue as well as large quantities of water. Though it's necessary to tame flames, this type of fire damage can also be destructive to a home's structure. We're careful to extract water to not only make your home fit for occupying again but to ward off mold and mildew growth down the road.

Damage To Possessions
Furniture, clothing, electronics and other items can be ruined as a result of fire damage, but we're often able to salvage certain possessions. Our industry leading techniques and equipment allow us to restore what others end up throwing away, which saves you time and money.

SERVPRO's Methodology and Equipment Restore Smoke Damaged Properties

When a fire occurs, the most vital thing is to get it under control. After this crucial factor has been achieved, the next stage is to restore your home and belongings to their pre-fire condition. However, even after the initial cleanup has been completed, the smell of the fire can linger. Many homeowners find that even after all charred and damaged items are removed, and surfaces are thoroughly cleaned there is still a smoky smell in the air.
 
If you can still smell a burned or charred scent after fire damage to your Chicago home, further work may be needed to deodorize your house. SERVPRO technicians are trained to deal with lingering fire odors swiftly and efficiently. Our professionally trained and certified IICRC teams have the skill and equipment needed to deodorize your house and leave it smelling fresh once more –"Like it never even happened."
 
We train our IICRC certified technicians to assess what is causing lingering odors after a fire. Confined areas, attics, rafters, and the insulation in your home are all especially susceptible to odor entrapment after a fire has occurred. Each area needs to be treated carefully to ensure the odor is removed.
 
SERVPRO does arrive at your home equipped with deodorizing equipment. The first step is to assess what is causing the smell to linger. The next step is to tackle the smell at its source. We thoroughly vent the problem area, and clean surfaces to help scrub away the source of the smell. For some spaces, an odor counteractant can be used to clean away those odors. In some cases, placement of an activated charcoal unit overnight can absorb the smell. IF the home is vacant of the residents, live plants, and pets, we can set up ozone machines which chemically capture smoke particulates in the air. This process is typically used during the initial phases of fire and smoke cleanup. Hydroxyl generators are also very useful in purging the ambient air of unwanted particles, thus mitigating, and finally, eliminating the smoke odors.
 
If cleaning and ventilation fail in tackling stubborn smoke smells after a fire, our technicians are equipped with thermal fog equipment. Thermal fogging equipment mimics the heat and pressure of the fire in a safe manner. Materials that picked up the smell of smoke from the fire now pick up the deodorization droplets from thermal fogging in the same manner. Thermal fogging is one of the most effective ways to tackle lingering odors after a fire.

At SERVPRO of West Loop / Bucktown / Greektown, our top priority is to mitigate the effects of fire damage in your home while keeping your family safe. We will perform speedy and efficient restoration so you can start enjoying your home once again. To receive further information or for a quote about our fire damage restoration services, call us 24/7 at (773) 434-9100.