A Typical Timeline of Damage Caused By Fire

6/29/2017 (Permalink)

A Typical Timeline of Damage Caused By Fire

When a fire happens, people are devastated, items are lost, but there may be hope for some belongings. Smoke and soot damage cause problems far beyond the fire. Many people do not know that waiting is just as detrimental to fabrics and other items as the fire itself. The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification says that neutralizing the damage caused by the fire is an important first step in restoring any items that are salvageable. Whether you have a fire in business or a fire in home situations is irrelevant to handling the problem. Fire damage restoration provides the most benefits when it starts immediately after the disaster.

Fire damage within minutes

Causes yellowing and discoloration, especially with plastics
Marble counters take on lasting damage that is irreversible
Appliances show a yellow tinge almost immediately

Residential and commercial fire damage within hours

Furniture takes on dark colors and turns brown or yellow
The grout in the bathroom darkens
Bath fixtures and appliances take on a major yellow hue
Metals tarnish
Fiberglass objects turn yellow

It only takes days for more permanent soot damage to set in

Clothes and upholstery become yellow and permanently damaged
Furniture often needs replaced
Vinyl floors need refinished or removed
Wood floors need sanded and refinished
Metal pits and rusts
Paint is permanently discolored

Fire cleanup is about replacing after weeks of fire damage with no cleaning

Silver and other metals pit and rust
Synthetic materials are yellowed permanently
Crystal and glass items are full of marks, scratches and pits

Smoke damage and smoke smell make thorough cleaning necessary


Fire damage restoration starts with getting rid of the smoke smell. This step means opening up and airing it out. Large fans will help push most of the smell out of the air, but objects that are full of smoke damage need proper cleaning or thrown out. The IICRC says that cleaning starts at the ceiling and works best when doing the floors last. Fire cleanup begins with getting rid of the source of the smoke. When you have a fire in home, it might mean throwing out furniture and personal items like clothes, books, and electronics when they have significant fire damage. Cleaning salvageable items as quickly as possible is the best way to maximize what is saved.

Commercial fire damage often requires a professional fire damage restoration crew


A fire in business can stop everyone involved. Fire cleanup continues with removing items that need laundered and vacuuming the floors. Using a specialized commercial fire damage vacuum with high filtering abilities is what most fire damage restoration companies use to get the job done. A fire in business causes smoke smell that lingers for a long time. Getting rid of the affected items or cleaning them thoroughly is the only way to mitigate smoke damage. For agencies, this is crucial to getting back to normal after a disaster like a fire in business.

Residential soot damage is not always easy to clean


Soot damage is what causes the smoke smell after a fire in home. Fire cleanup needs to start immediately. For large fire damage situations, it is often best to call in an expert. There are many benefits of using a professional restoration crew like getting the job done fast, doing it right, saving what is damaged before the yellowing is permanent, and letting someone else handle the hassle of deep cleaning after a fire in home.

Whether a business has commercial fire damage or there is smoke damage in a home, the experts are the best ones to handle the job. They can handle soot damage and smoke smell for people. Time is of the essence after a fire.
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