How Professionals Clean Fire Damage in Carol Stream
10/6/2019 (Permalink)
Common Cleaning Challenges in Carol Stream Homes with Fire Damage
Fire damage in a home is never a "one size fits all" for cleaning. Using the incorrect cleaning method on different types of smoke residues has the potential to result in higher amounts of loss.
SERVPRO technicians utilize a multilayered process for handling fire damage in Carol Stream residences. Just as there is not a single cleaning method for smoke damage, there are multiple methods for testing fibers to determine the best cleaning methods for the best outcomes.
Hardwood Furniture and Flooring
Solid hardwood furnishings and flooring with light, dry smoke damage may have restoration potential on a case by case basis. Factors such as time between the fire loss event and cleanup efforts, as well as water exposure, affect restorability. As their goal is to restore rather than have homeowners incur the cost of replacement, when they find recoverable hardwood items, technicians use a combination of wood oil soaps followed up by a furniture polish containing mink oil for luster and protection.
Painted Walls
Different types of paint react differently to heat exposure. SERVPRO technicians use different types of cleaners to lift away fire damage residues. For dry smoke, a dry cleaning sponge without any liquid cleaners lifts away from the surface. For wet smoke, solvents to release the thick, greasy smoke residue make it simple to wipe away. In cases where the heat was so intense it caused the paint to bubble, the embedding of soot may require a sealant to halt odors before priming and repainting.
Nonporous Items
Immersion cleaning is one of the most common ways non-porous items receive cleaning. The process involves immersing an item into the chosen cleaning solution.
Fabrics and Porous Items
Technicians perform fiber tests to determine the cleaning potential for upholstered furnishings and window treatments with smoke damage. If it is suitable for cleaning, they attempt restoration if there is no danger of loss through the restoration method, and the item does not appear to contain uncleanable soot.
When your home has fire damage, contact SERVPRO of Carol Stream / East Bloomingdale at (630) 830-6236. The technicians are certified and trained to assist homeowners in limiting loss and restoring the property to its preloss condition, "Like it never even happened."
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