After a fire, smoke and soot remain in the house. From belongings to the home’s structure, it damages everything it touches. The EPA believes the air quality in the home is at risk, regardless of trying many DIY cleaning tips to remove it. Therefore, it’s important to lean on a smoke and soot restoration company to remove the harmful properties from further damage.
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Does Smoke Damage Electronics?
Electronics are the worst items to use after a fire. The items surviving a fire will overheat, discolor, and disintegrate because of soot and smoke’s contact with it, meaning it’s difficult to salvage. Specifically, the electronics engulfed in smoke tampers with the heat-producing parts of the device. Then, the smoke short-circuits the device. When soot affects electronics, it tampers with the cooler parts of the device until it destroys the metals inside it. Never turn electronic devices on after a fire.
Types of Soot and Smoke Affecting Electronics
There are various types of smoke and soot deemed harmful to electronics. Some of the most common ones are wet smoke, dry smoke, protein smoke, furnace soot, and plastic/rubber smoke.
Wet Smoke
Low-heat fires burning for a long time cause wet smoke. The appearance is dense and sticky, meaning it will smear during removal. The odorous smell will also linger if left untreated. This is the most common soot and smoke reaction to fires.
Plastic/Rubber Smoke
The source of wet smoke comes from plastic and rubber. When it burns, it appears as a thick smoky cloud. It also has a smell.
Dry Smoke
This type is a powdery texture that is easy to clean because it doesn’t smear during removal. Burning paper or wood causes this soot and smoke reaction.
Protein Smoke
Low-heat fires such as cooking fires cause protein smoke. It appears as a greasy, yellowish-brown discoloration rather than leaving a black, charred mess, making it difficult to spot. Protein smoke also contains a smelly odor and is difficult to clean.
Furnace Soot
Gas and oil furnaces create soot that affects the chimney rather than the home’s structure or belongings. Its appearance is flaky and soot-like debris. There’s a high risk of carbon monoxide poisoning when the furnace is on.
Soot and Smoke Damage Restoration in New York
It is too dangerous to tackle smoke and soot damage on electronics or the home using DIY methods. You can make the cleaning process worse, adding more stress to an already stressful situation. Leave the cleanup and restoration to the professionals. Contact iFlooded Restoration to lend a hand in removing smoke and soot from the home permanently. For over 30 years, restoring your home to a livable state has been our goal.
We remediate smoke damage by inspecting the home for damage. Then, we use the latest equipment to clean the property of soot and deodorize/sanitize your property of the smoke odor. Last, we conduct a second inspection to ensure no smoke or soot remains. Furthermore, we make our customers’ lives easier by contacting and billing the home insurance company directly.
Contact us by phone, email, website, or in-person for more information on smoke damage restoration and smoke damage.
