How Soot Continues to Damage San Antonio Homes Long After the Fire is Extinguished

9/30/2019 (Permalink)

Soot particles can be unhealthy to breathe. Leave the cleanup to the professionals. Call SERVPRO to restore your home!

Primary Risks of Soot Damage in San Antonio Homes 

Soot is one of the most detrimental obstacles to overcome after a fire loss in San Antonio homes. It is also one of the most challenging effects for homeowners to clean on their own. The risks for smearing and staining are high with these particulates, making the handling of this situation a delicate procedure. Our SERVPRO technicians have extensive training and hands-on experience with the removal of soot residues on contents and surfaces. 

While the presence of soot can be a destructive force to surfaces, there are other reasons that this fire damage in San Antonio properties must get addressed fast. The more that you can understand about soot and its effect on the household, the better you can appreciate a need for professional restoration from Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) accredited professionals like ours. 

You might not fully know the risks of having soot particulates circulating throughout a recently extinguished property. Airborne soot particles are much more hazardous than the effect it can have on the surfaces where these particles come to rest. Soot gets created by incomplete combustion of various organic materials like wood, oil, coal, and other similar materials. This debris left behind is highly acidic and nearly impossible to distinguish with the naked eye when in circulation around your home. 

Our SERVPRO professionals want to stress the importance of proper personal protective equipment, even if wish to initially attempt cleanup and recovery on your own. These microscopic particles can travel deep into your lungs and cause damage when you do not use effective preventative measures like half or full-face cartridge respirators. These devices can help to filter out even these small particles, much like dust and spores in the environment, to keep you safe during cleaning. 

Because of the acidic composition, soot resting on finished surfaces and metal materials can have a dramatic impact. The makeup of this residue can strip the finish off of certain surfaces and can cause metal like plumbing and other piping to deteriorate. 

Soot might seem like a standard, non-threatening effect to combat after a fire gets extinguished in your home, but it can be more of a challenge than you might believe. Our skills and experience in fire recovery can help us contain this threat and remove it safely from your home. Give our SERVPRO of Braun Station a call today at (210) 267-2159.

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