A fire in your home can have devastating emotional effects on you and your family. When it is your place of business, a fire can cause catastrophic loss that ultimately impacts your bottom line. More importantly, fires leave behind hazardous materials that create serious health risks, risks that most people never fully consider beyond the visible smoke damage on walls and ceilings.
That is why it is so important to call a certified professional for proper mitigation and complete fire and smoke damage restoration of your property.
Residential and commercial structures are composed of materials that may release or break down into hazardous substances when burned. These include synthetics, petroleum products, treated wood, adhesives, and metals. Items inside homes and businesses are no different. Electronics, appliances, batteries, vehicles, household chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides all become potential hazards once exposed to combustion.
After a fire, the remaining ash, debris, and underlying soil will all be contaminated with hazardous substances. Here is what makes this especially dangerous: contaminated ash, debris, and soil can look completely identical to uncontaminated material. The lurking dangers are rarely obvious to the untrained eye.
Numerous health hazards are associated with combustion byproduct particulate in the aftermath of a fire. These include:
For this reason, direct skin contact with settled particulate is strongly discouraged. Respiratory protection is necessary in any area where airborne hazards exist, especially during cleaning, mitigation, or any activity that disturbs settled debris.
Beyond the health risks to people, combustion byproduct particulate is also corrosive. Left unaddressed, it can cause progressive damage to building structures, mechanical systems, electrical systems, and other critical components throughout a property.
The most important thing you can do immediately following a fire is keep the affected area undisturbed. Avoid touching surfaces, moving debris, or attempting any cleanup on your own.
The first step is to have combustion byproduct and asbestos testing performed by a certified professional. This testing determines exactly what hazardous materials and byproducts exist in the affected structure, which is essential information before any restoration work begins.
Has your home or place of business been affected by a fire? The ServiceMaster Restoration by David team is ready to respond. We provide professional testing for hazardous materials and deliver complete fire and smoke damage restoration, from initial assessment through final cleanup.
Do not wait. The longer fire and smoke damage goes unaddressed, the greater the risk to your health and your property. Reach out to us today.
We know disaster comes with questions. All FAQs
We restore a wide range of commercial properties including office buildings, retail stores, restaurants, warehouses, medical facilities, schools, apartment complexes, and more. No job is too large or complex for our experienced team.
Most standard homeowner's insurance policies cover fire damage restoration including cleanup, repairs, and temporary living expenses if your home is uninhabitable. ServiceMaster Restoration by David will document all damage thoroughly to support your insurance claim and can work directly with your adjuster throughout the process.
Yes. Smoke and soot can penetrate walls, HVAC systems, furniture, and inventory far beyond the area of the actual flames. Our restoration process includes comprehensive smoke odor removal using industrial-grade equipment and techniques such as thermal fogging, ozone treatment, and air scrubbing.
