How SERVPRO Assesses Clean Up After Fire Damage to Your Downtown Chicago Home

8/12/2021 (Permalink)

A house fire in Downtown Chicago is no match for SERVPRO. "Like it never even happened."

Damage to Your Downtown Chicago House or Apartment by Fire Has Many Degrees of Harm

Fire damage can happen more quickly than most people realize. An unattended candle, hot oil, or a faulty appliance are all potential house fire causes. Facing the aftermath of a fire can be emotionally draining and upsetting. Cleaning and restoring your home is a vital part of getting back to everyday life after fire damage. SERVPRO is on hand to help clean up your property.

One of the biggest challenges after fire damage to your Downtown Chicago home is deciding how and what to clean. Some items cannot be cleaned and need to be discarded. Others can be cleaned and restored "Like it never even happened."

We train our IICRC-certified technicians to assess the cleanability of your home and belongings thoroughly. Some of the factors which affect how easily your home can be cleaned include:

Type Of Surface Affected by Fire Damage

Porous surfaces are harder to clean because soot particles penetrate deeper into them. Non-porous surfaces such as vinyl or enamel-based paints are easier to clean.

Fire Damaged Materials

Synthetic materials leave behind residue when they burn. Burning rubber or plastic creates a more challenging cleanup task. Soot should not be confused with smoke particles. Natural materials such as wood do not leave the same residue and are easier to clean up. The heat and fuel dictate if an organically burned element is dry smoke (powdery) or wet smoke.

Air Pressure

The greater the air pressure, the harder it is to clean up after fire damage. As air pressure increases, the air expands and pushes soot particles into nooks and crannies because of the fire's intense heat.

Heat Levels

The hotter the temperature, the more the potential damage; this includes cracking, bubbling, or melting of surfaces and more soot being pushed into materials. The hotter the fire, the more complex the cleanup job afterward.

Age Of Surfaces

Older surfaces are generally more difficult to clean. This is because they have more wear and tear, making them less resistant to damage or dirt.

Moisture Presence

Moisture in the air sets residues and makes them harder to clean up. This happens in situations where a fire hose is used during the firefighting effort or sprinklers were activated.

Our trained SERVPRO technicians have the skills and equipment to evaluate the damage to your home and belongings. Assessing each surface and item helps us build a thorough picture of the extent of the damage. From there, we put together a plan of which cleaning techniques should work best. Not everything can be saved after a fire, but we aim to salvage whatever is possible so you can get back to your everyday life.

Call SERVPRO of West Loop / Bucktown / Greektown at (773) 434-9100 today. Our teams are ready to assess your home.