Smoke Damage is as Dangerous as Fire Damage

3/26/2018 (Permalink)

In a typical house fire, more damage is caused by smoke than by the actual flames.  During a fire, the materials that burn produce toxic smoke that is actually filled with microscopic particles known as soot.  These tiny particles become charged from the extreme heat and migrate to cooler air found in other parts of the house.  Because this smoke is often extremely hot, it can cause additional damage away from the actual source of the fire by melting plastics, scorching fabrics and textiles and spreading toxic gasses that will literally kill any living thing in its path.  That’s why smoke alarms throughout your home are critical to saving lives.

The Department of Homeland Security says, “In less than 30 seconds a small flame can get completely out of control and turn into a major fire. It only takes minutes for thick black smoke to fill a house or for it to be engulfed in flames. Most deadly fires occur in the home when people are asleep. If you wake up to a fire, you won't have time to grab valuables because fire spreads too quickly and the smoke is too thick. There is only time to escape.”

At SERVPRO® of South Livingston, our trained specialists know how to restore your belongings after a house fire.  We hope you never need our services but if you do, we will help you determine what can be restored and what needs to be replaced.  Restoring smoke and fire damaged items costs less than replacing them.  Having your belongings restored, especially items of sentimental value, helps most families recover from the trauma of a fire more quickly than otherwise possible.

Again, we hope you never need these expert services but if you do, call us at (225) 667-2220 or visit us on the web at SERVPRO of South Livingston.