Four Hidden Hazards Of Fire And Smoke Damage

There is arguably no greater type of damage that can be done to your home than fire damage. The violent path of destruction left in the wake of a fire seems bad enough, but the negative consequences of a fire doesn’t end with the fire itself. Days, weeks, and even years after a fire your home could still be a dangerous place to be if the damage is not properly taken care of. Here are a few of those post-fire hazards commonly encountered by our restoration technicians at Faithful Cleaning in Billings, Montana.

Soot Inhalation

Soot inhalation is a serious hazard. Soot is composed of tiny, microscopic particles of burnt material. In fact, soot particles are so tiny that they can actually penetrate into your lungs and bloodstream. Thus, you should never enter your home after a fire unless you have proper ventilation protection such as a surgical mask.

Hidden Structural Damage

Once the immediate and most visible effects of the fire have been taken care of, don’t forget to focus on something even more important, the structural integrity of the home. Even if the fire just affected a small portion of your home, it is essential to get this checked out. This is because the heat could have weakened some vital, foundational spots of your home, making it vulnerable to collapsing.

Asbestos

Asbestos isn’t dangerous until it is disturbed and particles of it are sent into the air. A fire has the potential to disturb a large amount of asbestos in your home. Asbestos is dangerous because it aggravates and scars lung tissue when inhaled. In the short term, his leads to shortness of breath and a crackly sound when inhaling. In the long run, however, inhaling asbestos can cause lung cancer and mesothelioma. If you have any reason to suspect there is asbestos in your home, you should have the asbestos levels in your home tested after a fire before you enter it again.  

Mold And Mildew

It can take thousands of gallons of water to extinguish a house fire. That has serious consequences for your home. A lot of the water will be evaporated in the heat of the fire, but what about the rest of it? The answer isn’t too complicated. It sits there providing the ideal breeding ground for mold and mildew. Many common types of mold will cause irritation and other small symptoms, but be on the lookout for black mold. Black mold grows in dark, damp places so it can be hard to detect. The symptoms caused by black mold can be mental and neurological problems, skin conditions, vision problems, issues with your immune system, and in severe cases death.

Fires in and of themselves are bad enough. The long term dangers they pose make them an even more awful disaster for anyone to go through. If you ever suffer from the effects of a house fire, don’t attempt the cleanup process on your own. Give us a call at Faithful Cleaning in Billings so our restoration professionals can come right out to restore the damage done to your home.