Fires are a huge hazard to any residential home or commercial property. Faulty wiring, arson, or nature can be some of the few ways that fires start in any building. Wildfires have also been ravaging the west coast for years now, and the spread of wildfires is only getting worse globally. Fire and smoke damage from wildfires is skyrocketing, causing millions or even billions in damages every year. No matter the cause of fire or smoke damage within a building, though, it must be cleaned up by a smoke odor removal company in order for the building to be safe and comfortable again.
Smoke damage can be one of the highest costs from a fire that doesn’t destroy a building, as smoke can permeate most materials, and linger there forever if not properly dealt with. Many building owners may think that, after a fire, they can just strip everything down and rebuild without the need for a professional fire and smoke odor removal company. They are wrong, though. Professionals have the training, and more importantly the tools and heavy equipment, needed for the proper removal process of smoke odor removal. DIY may seem like a good money saver, but if you have to keep doing the removal over and over, costs can start piling up from multiple renovations.
If you do call in professionals for smoke odor removal, what steps will they be taking to ensure proper removal of the odors? The following are the five main steps:
Step 1: Remove Objects with Visible Smoke Damage
The first step with any fire after the building has been declared safe to be entered by abatement and removal crews, is to remove any objects with visible smoke and fire damage. Fire and smoke damage visibility can be fairly obvious: anything that is charred or discolored from smoke needs to be removed. The objects removed will later be looked over, and if any of them can be restored and odors removed from them, they will be, otherwise it will be recommended that they be safely disposed of in an environmentally friendly way.
Step 2: Clean Everything You Can
Every surface in a building should be thoroughly cleaned after a fire. Removal of objects that are visible smoke damaged will often also include drywall and building insulation. Anything that hasn’t been deemed necessary to remove, will be thoroughly cleaned with some form of cleaning agent, whether it be a type of soap, or bleach-based compound. When it’s mentioned that everything needs to be cleaned, that also means HVAC systems, appliances, attic spaces, etc.
Step 3: Use Smoke Odor Removal Equipment
The big bonus to using professional services for smoke odor removal is getting access to trained professionals that have odor removal equipment, and who know how to use it. Renting your own odor removal equipment can be pricey. Odor removal equipment is used to do deep cleaning within a building that has been damaged by fire and smoke, and it is more than just power washing equipment. Full cleaning of HVAC duct systems is a must after a fire, as soot and other particulate that is hazardous to life can build up in them, and it takes special equipment to be able to reach inside and properly clean ducting if you don’t want to just replace the whole ductwork system.
Step 4: Consider Sealing Porous Surfaces
Certain porous surfaces may be found to be difficult, or nearly impossible to fully do smoke odor removal. If you can’t remove these surfaces from the building, such as raw wood that is part of the structure, then a sealer should be applied in order to keep the smoke odor from getting out.
Step 5: Odor Check
Finally, once all the work is done, an odor check needs to be conducted. This will include multiple people walking around trying to find odors, as where one person may smell something, another may miss it. An air quality test may also be done to see if there are any dangerous levels of particulates in the air. If any odors are still found, or particulate in the air, then the smoke odor removal will be repeated from step 2 forward. The steps may have to be repeated multiple times, but it’s always best to get it done right, then have to do it again after renovations and repairs have started.
If your building has been damaged in a fire, and needs smoke odor removal, always bring in the professionals. They have the training, experience, equipment, and insurance needed for a full safe removal of smoke odors.