The Negative Effects of Fire and Smoke Damage in Cedar Hill

12/2/2015 (Permalink)

Smoking materials started an average of 17,900 smoking-material home structure fires per year during 2007-2011.

Cedar Hill Fire and Smoke Damage And Its Negative Effects

Four Negative Effects of Fire and Smoke Damage

A residential fire in Cedar Hill is one of the most serious issues that a property owner may go through. Even when the fire is relatively small, it can still have profoundly negative consequences on you and your property. Nevertheless, knowing the types of effects fire and smoke damage can have on your home or office can prepare you to handle the situation with efficacy and expediency. Here are four negative effects that often result from fire and smoke damage:

 Structural Damage

 When fires strike, they can cause serious damage to the structure of your property. In fact, sometimes the damage can be significant enough to cause the home or office to collapse. It is also impossible to determine whether all of the property's floor supports have remained intact. For this reason, it is important that you not try to reenter the property following a fire in Cedar Hill. Instead, consult with the fire department or another authority to determine when reentry is safe and permissible.

 Smoke Odor and Residue

 Unfortunately, smoke can enter every little crevice of your residential or commercial property. This includes your insulation, wallboard, and carpet. The more smoke present, the more difficult it will be to remove the smoke odors. The type of smoke on the premises will also determine how long the removal process takes. For example, smoke that results from natural substances like paper and wood will leave a gray or black residue that is simple to remove with a dry sponge or vacuum cleaner. On the other hand, smoke that results from inorganic matter such as synthetic fabrics and plastics can leave behind a smeary residue which is dangerous and difficult to remove.

 Food Spoilage

 When a Cedar Hill fire strikes, the heat it produces can result in your canned food items expanding and contracting. In most cases, these processes will engender food spoilage. The smoke particles can also seep into boxed and bagged foods. Since the smoke contains carcinogenic compounds, it's important that you not consume foods that have come into contact with it. For this reason, you should be sure to throw out refrigerated and frozen foods. Also, take pictures of the things you're throwing out to ensure that you can attain reimbursement from your insurance company.

 Water Damage

 Most of the time, fires will cause water damage. This results from the fire department's use of extinguishing efforts to put the fire out. Typically, this involves the firefighters soaking almost everything near or in the fire with water. If you don't start drying out your furniture, walls, and carpet afterward, you can run the risk of developing a serious mold invasion.

Although there are several types of fire and smoke damage that property owners have to grapple with after a fire, knowing who to call for help can expedite the restoration process. The right company to call for professional, proficient fire damage remediation services is SERVPRO. With more than 1,650 franchises and 50 years of experience, we've become industry leaders and are deeply passionate about doing thorough, goal-oriented work. All of our IICRC-certified technicians put the customer first, and we work with lightning speed to ensure that you can return to your property as quickly as possible.

Locally Owned Company with National Resources

 As a locally owned and operated business, SERVPRO of Southeast Dallas County is strategically located to respond quickly to your flood and water emergency event. When fire damage occurs, we have the resources and personnel to help. Call us today! (972) 227-0800