AdvantaClean Discusses Sandy Springs Fire Damage Restoration

Sandy Springs Fire Damage Restoration Experts

Engaging trained and well-equipped professionals to assess and implement fire damage restoration in Sandy Springs is an intelligent decision. Evaluating the extent and intensity of a household or commercial blaze requires special skills and experience. Your hope that the damage is relatively minor and easy to clean up is understandable. Unfortunately, smoke and soot spread widely inside a structure, even far from the ignition site. Failure to identify issues throughout the property and use industry best practices to resolve them can mean long-term and progressive deterioration and secondary challenges such as persistent odors.

Do Fire Residues Spread Widely?

It can shock home or business owners just how quickly and thoroughly Sandy Springs fire damage spreads on a property. The heat of the flames and burning materials create hot currents of air that carry smoke upward and away. When the hot smoke vapors encounter cooler surfaces down the hall or up a story, the soot-filled smoke deposits a film related to the far-away fire damage. Restoration technicians from AdvantaClean assume appropriately that every space and surface in a property is at risk for significant involvement. We comprehensively inspect the premises for toxic and corrosive residues.

Is Fire Damage Clean-Up Hazardous?

Are you skeptical about the need for professional fire damage restoration to prevent exposure to dangerous substances in your building? After all, dirt and debris are not new to most of us, and many property owners pride themselves on successful house cleaning with the application of a little “elbow grease.” However, the soiling caused by a blaze is different and often contains toxic and even carcinogenic residues and debris. When a fire races through your home or business, the flames are not picky about the fuels consumed. Smoke and soot represent the incompletely combusted materials that stoked the conflagration. Chemical changes during the fire turn ordinary building materials and contents into soot that produce corrosive coatings and can expose cleaners to health hazards, both airborne and through skin contact. The risks presented mitigate when certified AdvantaClean technicians “gear up” in personal protective equipment (PPE) and consider constructing containment barriers and using air scrubbers in work areas.  

Is Fire Damage Residue Removal Difficult?

AdvantaClean technicians learn about different products and cleaning methods needed to remove the variety of soots deposited during training from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC). Examples of common types of soot and effective removal approaches include:

● Dry Soot

Dry soot is a byproduct of wood and paper-fueled fires. It is loose and ashy, best removed by dusting, brushing, and vacuuming with HEPA-filtered equipment. Constructing a containment area with negative pressure air scrubbers reduces the drift of the debris. Special chemical sponges that lift off residues through dabbing are superior to wiping dry soot with water or oil-based cleaning products, as smearing and resulting permanent staining is almost inevitable.

● Wet Soot

Fabrics and the rubber and plastic materials that make up many home or business furnishings and electronics create wet soot. Thick and sticky, wet soot residues are tricky to remove without professional evaluation, including testing methods and cleaning products in inconspicuous areas before full implementation. Successful Sandy Springs fire damage restoration requires AdvantaClean technicians to determine the soots’ characteristics (water or oil-based) and match a cleaner and protocol to remove the residue most efficiently. Our experts manipulate the following to find the sweet spot that breaks the bond between the soot and the soiled surface:

● The chemical action of the cleaner (dissolving, emulsifying, digesting)

● Temperature (heat increases the effects of various chemical actions)

● Agitation, including mindful use of abrasive tools and additives like grit

● Longer dwell times, to give cleaning solutions a chance to dislodge residues

Protein-Based Soot

Kitchen fires are the most common event in a home and businesses like restaurants or those that have staff break rooms. The residues produced during a food and grease-fueled fire consist of dehydrated foods and oils combusted into a fine mist. When settled on a surface, protein-based soot is nearly colorless yet is tenaciously adhered. It coats appliances, counters, walls, and floors near the fire origination, but AdvantaClean inspectors can find it in all areas of a property. Because of the oil-based nature of the residue, expect AdvantaClean to employ solvents for removal. Removal is critical as it is exceptionally malodorous and will discolor and deteriorate building materials and contents. Skilled personnel is the key, as we frequently add abrasives to the fire damage restoration plan, and they can scrape and remove finishes in inexperienced hands. 

You can relax when AdvantaClean of Sandy Springs arrives with the trained technicians, equipment, and products to handle fire damage restoration. Call (404) 474-8443 to set up the assessment, project planning, and implementation needed for fire damage clean-up at your property.

Successfully and safely managing a fire damage clean-up in Sandy Springs requires professional interventions. AdvantaClean has a certified and well-equipped workforce to remove contaminated water, toxic smoke, and soot residues. We also are skilled in addressing other fire damage restoration tasks, such as contents recovery and deodorization.