One of the worst things about a house fire is the unknown risk that follows… Fire damage doesn’t just destroy your property, it can cause additional worry and stress. When there is fire, the smoke can travel through your property– staining your walls and leaving debris across solid surfaces. The flames might have compromised wooden supports in the home. And your family could be breathing dangerous chemicals. Here is some additional information to help you recover after a house fire.
Dangers from leftover smoke and soot are worse than just the smells and mess. Since not all materials burn cleanly, your home may harbor leftover material from smoke and soot. These waste products – solids, liquids, and gases – are composed of various chemicals which can be harmful to your health. Today’s modern structures hold an array of chemicals: plastics, foams, fabrics, carpets, wood products, synthetic fabrics, wool, asbestos-containing materials.
This chemical makeup can scratch, mar and damage surfaces. For example, mirrors can become cloudy and impossible to clean. Some can result in health hazards that make fire restoration a dangerous and difficult task.
Everyone needs to exercise extreme caution when reentering a property where there was a fire. Even when the fire department says you may reenter the property, there might be some structural damage. Many current home builders replace conventional solid joist construction with modern lightweight construction, including lightweight wood trusses and engineered I-joists. These construction components have the same or better load-carrying capacities. However, they don’t perform as well under fire conditions since there is less wood to burn.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health characterizes boarding up a property that has undergone a fire as “immediately dangerous to life and health” (IDLH). This means that protective gloves, masks, clothing, and breathing equipment with effective filters need to be worn by everyone who enters a building after it has been boarded up because of a fire.
Children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk when exposed. Staying in the house allows these chemicals to enter your body through your nose, eyes, and even your mouth when you speak. The best way to avoid this is 1) by not sleeping in a house after a fire and 2) getting Five Valley’s Restoration on site immediately.
For extra precaution, if you have to board up your house for security reasons, plan for some time to air it out. Less air circulation increases the potential dangers of the air quality. When you cover any openings, it prevents the particulate, toxins, and smoke residues from leaving or dissipating. Everything remains trapped inside the home.
After you’ve had a fire in your home, your best chance to save your valuable possessions and restore your peace of mind is to take immediate action. First call the trusted Five Valley crew of professional water damage technicians. Then call the insurance agent. While you are starting the insurance claim paperwork , Five Valley will drop everything and rush to you. When it comes to restoring your home, every second counts.
A family run company, they smooth out the bumps in an uncomfortable (and potentially dangerous) situation. They take care of every detail: initial cleanup, take down, final repair. Make the call to your Five Valleys team now.
If this is an emergency, please call 406-542-2113 for immediate service.
