Fire, Smoke and Soot Damage

Water damage compounds quickly, so immediate attention to the problem is imperative. Boulia Construction and Restoration’s practice is to typically have our emergency response crew on-site within two hours. Time is the single most critical factor in defining the potential damage from a water leak.

Our emergency response team provides an immediate and effective solution to fire damaged property and its contents. Of course our first priority is to always secure your property through the use of barricades, roof tarping and temporary boarding up of burned areas. Our services use the latest technology and techniques as prescribed by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration, and include; thermal fogging to neutralize smoke odors, soot removal, carpet cleaning, and power washing.

The after effects of a fire can linger for weeks. Smoke damage, layers of soot, lingering odors, blackened surfaces, and malfunctioning appliances with possible shortened life spans are just some examples of fire after effects. We provide construction and restoration services throughout Carteret and Craven County of Eastern North Carolina.

In addition to damage from the fire, fire also leaves two types of smoke damage; invisible odors and the visible soot. Smoke is a complex mixture of different gases and particles, which results from the various materials that burn during a fire. A typical structure fire (residential home or business) may involve the destruction of plastics, foams, fabrics, carpets, wood products, synthetic fabrics, wool, and asbestos-containing materials. During a fire, the dark, rolling smoke clouds contain a mix of gases and particulate matter that permeates walls and other surfaces and drifts through household ducts where it can enter and become trapped in and between the walls of the living space. During a fire, the heat will expand pores in the walls and fill the pores with smoke. After the fire, as the house cools, the pores close and trap the smoke odor. On warm days the pores will open and release the trapped smoke odor, which could settle on furnishings. Professional fire restorers, like Boulia Construction and Restoration can eliminate the smoke odor with a process called thermal fogging, which opens the pores in the walls and neutralizes the smoke odor. If not properly removed, smoke odor reoccurs from time to time, especially during warm or damp weather.

Smoke is the result of incomplete combustion, which produces tiny particles of carbon in the air. When deposited, these particulates are identified as soot. Soot is a fine powder carbon residue that is sticky and can easily stain carpets, furniture, and other household items. It can consist of acids, chemicals, metals, soils, and dust.

The common trait of soot particles is that they are extremely tiny – 2.5 micrometers or smaller in diameter. This is smaller than dust and mold, and is about 1/30 the diameter of a human hair.

Beyond cosmetic damages to personal belongings, soot is not simply a form of dirt that needs to be removed; there may be chemicals or metals riding on the soot particles that are small enough to enter into your lungs. Soot inhalation is potentially very dangerous and can cause severe respiratory issues.