Smoke Damage Restoration

1/3/2022 (Permalink)

Repairing Smoke Damage

While structural damage is the most obvious and dangerous damage from a fire, other forms of damage can have a lasting impact on your business in Pleasanton, CA. Read on to learn how to identify and initiate a smoke cleaning process to protect your assets.

1. Safety Steps

Most commercial buildings of sufficient size will require a fire suppression system such as a water sprinkler. On the whole, these preventative measures protect your property, but they can result in some side effects from flooding or water retention in the walls and flooring. Do not attempt to wade through any significant amount of standing water, especially if electrical systems are submerged. If flood water has seeped into drywall, it may be necessary to replace it, since these materials can harbor mold and bacteria.

2. Ventilation and Inspection

Smoke particles and other contaminants will linger in the air and HVAC systems for a long period of time after the initial fire. Do not attempt to enter any affected area without both sufficient airflow and ventilation of the rooms with smoke damage, as well as personal protection such as a respirator. Before smoke cleaning can begin, most electrical systems should be shut off and inspected for corrosive residues that can degrade them.

3. Inventory and Documents

As you wait for an insurance adjuster to inspect your site and validate your claim, make an inventory of everything affected by smoke or fire. This will expedite the collection process. Any physical documents that have been adversely affected by smoke odor or other problems resulting from the fire should be quarantined. A qualified fire restoration service can assist with various processes such as dehumidification and vacuum freeze drying, returning your paper and other sensitive materials back to their original state.

Don’t allow a fire incident to take your business down for an indeterminate period of time. Implement and review a fire protection plan that includes smoke cleaning steps to minimize the negative impact to your company.