Advanced Odor Control Technicians for Fire Damage Restoration Available in Durham

10/30/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO technicians stay updated and educated on all certificates for all your Durham damages.

Our Technicians know exactly what is needed for your Fire damage in Durham.

While removing charred materials from your building may seem like a chore, the real challenge for restorers is to control malodors. When fires occur, materials in your home, release toxins and chemicals into the atmosphere in the form of smoke. These toxins can manifest as thick, odorous residues left behind on walls and ceilings after a fire. In some cases, such as when synthetic materials are involved, these soot deposits can be challenging to clean and release unpleasant odors long after the flames are gone.

Homeowners with fire damage in Durham should avoid entering the property until a fire marshall has cleared it for safe entry. There is potential for significant structural weakening during a fire, and buildings with significant fires can collapse after a fire is put out. In the majority of cases, it is safe to enter the home once harm-causing gases have dispersed. This dispersal can sometimes take an hour or longer to complete.

In the immediate aftermath of a property fire, you should reach out to your insurance provider as well as a trusted professional restorer. While there are specific steps you can take to speed up the restoration procedure, some areas need professional expertise. Small steps may include the opening of windows, light vacuuming of dry soots as well as covering contents with tarps or old sheets. These steps can ventilate your property while also ensuring falling soots or debris do not cause additional harm to carpets and contents.

Once a SERVPRO restorer has arrived, they can help to guide you through the various cleaning methods needed to get your home back to a pre-fire condition. Generally speaking, thicker deposits should be left to your fire and smoke restoration technician (FRST.) These deposits can require specific cleaning agents as well as cleaning techniques to ensure they are not spread further around. If you have specialist restoration requirements, such as electronics or document recovery, you can point these out to your technician. 

Once the cleaning effort is complete, you may find that smokey odors remain in the property. SERVPRO odor control technicians (OCT) are adept at removing, masking, or neutralizing these odors. As a general principle, odor control works best when the method of dispersal matches the odor-causing event. In fires, odors are often caused by hot gases, so we use thermal ultra-low volume (ULV) fogging equipment to disperse solvent in a way that mimics smoke. This equipment can be used in small contained areas or throughout your home.

Containing and controlling odor after a fire can be a challenging process. Contact SERVPRO of North Durham at (919) 467-0880.

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