Fire damage, no matter how minor, needs to be handled very carefully.Fire damage is a common occurrence in buildings, and there are many reasons that may cause it. Your building may catch fire through a neighbor’s fire, through an electrical appliance or candles in your home. You don’t have to deal with this alone, call the fire and smoke damage experts at 911 Restoration!

Fire is never an isolated occurrence, and smoke damage usually accompanies it. Smoke damage can be extensive and needs to be handled with care as well. If you encounter a fire incident in your building, here are some home restoration tips for minor fire and smoke damage.

Home Restoration Tips for Fire and Smoke Damage

If you were fortunate enough to dodge a drastic event, you can apply the following home restoration tips for fire and smoke damage.

1.    Contact Home Restoration Experts

Like mentioned before, fire damage, no matter the extent, should be properly taken care of. Fire damage has several consequences, so you should let an expert inspect your property for complete restoration. Home restoration after fire damage will make sure your property is safe for you and your family.

Home restoration experts will take care of many facets that a layman might not have thought of. Experts will thoroughly inspect your property and clean any fire damage with expert methods like soda blasting. They will then also handle any restoration and renovation so that your home or office is revived to its original condition. The good news is, since this is minor fire damage, the whole process won’t even take up much time.

2.    Open the Windows and Cover Furniture

After the minor fire has been put out, you should immediately open the doors and windows of the house. If not that, definitely ventilate the room in which the minor fire started. This way, you will let fresh air in and force the smoke out.

This home restoration tip will help increase airflow and also ensure you don’t inhale the dangerous fumes of smoke. Cover the unaffected furniture with a plastic sheet so that soot does not collect on materials and surfaces that are yet safe from the fire.

3.    Remove Debris and Soot

While the fire may have been minor and put out already, do you know there may be a hazard lingering in your house? Smoke damage is a common byproduct of fire and needs to be taken care of as it can damage your property.

Smoke contains fumes that can be hazardous to health. To avoid inhaling them, you can either wear a mask or contact home restoration experts to do the job for you. But if you decide to take care of it yourself, make sure you mitigate the inhalation.

Smoke and soot can nestle your upholstery, and your property will end up smelling like smoke long after the fire has been put out. This may also lead to coughing and other respiratory issues for inhabitants.

How to Remove Soot Stains?

Removing soot is easy, as long as the damage is minimal. But one important home restoration tip for fire and smoke damage is that you don’t rub or scrub the soot, as it can lead to further staining. Instead, you should take care of soot stains in the ways mentioned below.

First of all, vacuum all soot particles away to avoid smudging them. Now use a damp cleaning sponge to wipe off the stains from walls, cabinets, or the affected surface. Keep switching the side of the sponge as you continue to remove stains. You don’t want the dirty side coloring the surface.

Lastly, use a rag to wipe the soot-stained surfaces with commercial soot remover or ingredients you can find at home, like vinegar and rubbing alcohol. Clean all surfaces, even those that do not appear to have been affected, as soot can often seep into materials.

4.    Take Care of Water Damage

Putting out a fire of any nature will leave you with the possibility of water damage. Water damage can be extensive and destructive both, so it should be taken care of properly. This aspect often goes ignored, so it should be one of your primary home restoration tips after minor fire and smoke damage.

What happens is that water often seeps into crevices and goes unnoticed. If moisture remains in a humid environment for over 48 to 72 hours, it will lead to mould growth. Mould can only pose as a health hazard, but also ruins organic material like hardwood floors, wallpaper and other. Mould will also produce a bad, musty odor, disturbing inhabitants.

Home Restoration after Water Damage

You can call home restoration experts to take care of any water damage your property has suffered amidst the fire. They will conduct a water damage inspection. If any moisture is spotted, they will perform water extraction and dehumidifying process. This mitigates the possibility of mould growth after a fire.

5.    Remove Mould Growth

In case you spot any mould growth after a fire, you should immediately take care of it. Mould can be a hassle as it spreads around the house at a rapid rate. Mould can ruin your prized possessions, making it hard for you to restore your home.

If you spot mould growth in any part of your house, there are chances it has already spread elsewhere.  In this case, you should avail professional mould removal services. They will remove the existing mould and also safeguard your home against further mould development.

 911 Restoration of San Fernando Valley

If you encounter a minor fire in your home or office in San Fernando Valley, you should immediately get in touch with 911 Restoration of San Fernando Valley. They have a quick response time, so they will restore your property while containing the damage before it exacerbates.