Soot Damage

The damage from a fire goes beyond burned material. Smoke and soot will travel throughout the property, coating exposed surfaces of the structure and contents. This coating is hazardous to your health and immediately begins to deteriorate, corrode and stain contacted surfaces. The composition of soot particulate and debris can vary wildly depending on the type of materials burned and the quality of the material combustion. Surface residue can range from inert nuisance dust to highly acidic contaminant. If soot exposure continues untreated, permanent damage is certain to occur.

Unlimited Restoration, Inc. provides testing and laboratory services to develop a complete profile of fire debris. The resulting chemical profile is interpreted by URI inspection teams to ensure that the correct course for remediation prescribed. In addition, Unlimited Restoration’s technicians are IICRC trained and certified in the techniques to minimize damage and restore the property.

Is Soot Dangerous?

Soot can damage your property, but it also poses a variety of health risks for you and your employees. Soot particles are toxic — overexposure can cause serious respiratory issues such as difficulty breathing, aggravated asthma, bronchitis and other complications. Whether you come into contact with soot or breathe in airborne particles, exposure can have adverse effects over time. Soot can enter your body in four ways:

  1. Inhalation
  2. Ingestion
  3. Absorption through skin
  4. Exposure through eyes

There’s another major concern regarding the presence of soot on your property. Residue and buildup in different parts of a building can become fire hazards. When you notice dark streaks near potential sources, it’s time for soot damage restoration.

What Is the Best Way to Clean Up Soot?

Soot naturally builds up in buildings that use certain kinds of fuels. However, even insignificant activities such as burning candles can contribute to soot residue. Fires and similar disasters with large amounts of smoke can also cause an abundance of soot. When you have a large amount of soot, URI performs professional, efficient soot restoration services. Professional smoke damage cleaning is crucial to protecting your health and preventing future fires. Plus, improper cleaning can set the stains into your property and make the damage worse.

Our smoke damage restoration process relies on these four steps:

  1. Inspection: Safety is our first priority. Before we start cleaning, we’ll make sure our crew is safe in the building and that the damage is just cosmetic. This step includes looking for water damage and other complications from suppressing the fire.
  2. Remove belongings and sensitive items: Take your business’s inventory, paperwork, technology and materials so you can continue to do work from another location while we restore your workplace.
  3. Remove dry soot: We use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuums and other equipment to remove dry soot particles first. We also use dry or chemical cleaning sponges to remove soot and clean objects that must stay dry.
  4. Clean away oily soot: Soot comes in two varieties — dry and oily. Our teams clean oily soot with degreasing agents. Gently washing your walls with these cleansers helps remove more stubborn soot stains. Once finished, we’ll wipe everything down and dry it to prevent corrosion.

Smoke damage cleaning is a complicated process, and much of it depends on the amount of damage to your property. Consulting with a professional restoration team can help you choose the best course of action to remove soot from your building.

Why Trust URI for Fire Damage Restoration?

When soot builds up on your property, commercial soot damage restoration is crucial for keeping you, your employees and your business safe. Soot residue has a variety of potential health risks, and it can encourage fires, which create even more soot in the building.

Are you looking for soot cleaning services near you? Contact Unlimited Restoration for more information about our smoke damage restoration process and other services. Fill out our online form with questions or give our emergency hotline a call at 888.327.9664 today!

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