SERVPRO - Chicago Fire Damage - How it Forms

7/23/2022 (Permalink)

Soot and charring destroy structural elements and emit gross odors. Call SERVPRO for fire damage cleanup and restoration for your Chicago property.

The Characteristics of Fire and Soot in Chicago Homes 

Most fire restoration costs to a Chicago home come from removing smoke and soot residues. Even a small fire in one area, such as a kitchen, can leave a residue coating throughout multiple rooms.

SERVPRO is an expert in restoring the effects of Chicago home fire damage. We start by determining what burned and how the combustion of the material forms the different types of residues. Once our SERVPRO technicians understand that, it is easier for us to determine how to clean and restore everything from a single-family home to an apartment complex.

Combustion needs three sources: Oxygen, heat, and fuel. When all three mix, materials burn. With high incomplete combustion, residues form and settle on everything the smoke reaches. We say poorly, but if all three sources were in a perfect mix, the fire would burn everything faster, causing more damage and replacement costs. The smoke moving throughout a home is composed of solid particles of carbon that did not burn completely, gases released from burning organic material, and tiny liquid particles called aerosols.

The aerosols and solid particles are what make smoke visible. If they are not present, then the gases are invisible. That is more dangerous since nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide comprise the gases. Both are very hazardous to anyone near an active fire, and why every firefighter now uses a breathing mask. The aerosols and carbon particles also leave a visible residue after the smoke settles and absorb odors which provide the smells found in a structure after the fire has been put out.

That also means the smoke leaves a heavier residue than the cooler fire. A lower temperature heat source and less oxygen mean thicker smoke since the fire burns less clean. The smoke travels less distance, which means less property is affected further away from the fire's origin point

If you need our services, call SERVPRO of West Loop / Bucktown / Greektown at (773) 434-9100.