You’ve heard the phrase, “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” a million times before. While the phrase has long since elevated beyond just the topic of fires, it’s still a very fitting way to bring attention to the destruction a blaze can cause. When dealing with a fire large or small, you’re dealing with much more than just the immediate urgency of the flames.
When a fire happens everyone expects the damages to be limited to the flame touched areas themselves, but often any damages incurred are wider spread thanks to the smoke generated.
Today United Water Restoration Group of Fairfax, Virginia would like to take some time to point out the differences between fire damage and smoke damage for our readers.
While each is destructive in its own ways, smoke and fire damage offer up very different headaches for property owners. While the damages caused by a fire are almost immediately apparent, it’s harder to determine the extent of smoke due to its tendency to be far-reaching beyond the immediate area of the flames.
Fires can move quickly and depend on what is burning at the time, temperatures can become exacerbated to make the destruction in its wake far worse.
From structural damage to loss of items within, the incinerating nature of fire can render things badly damaged. Sometimes the damage can be a complete loss, reducing the affected area to a pile of ash. Fire damage in all its forms is relatively easy to spot.
Smoke damage is a bit harder to pin down because it’s often deceptively surface level. The odor of smoke can be ventilated easily enough.
Soot left by smoke can be wiped away from surface areas, but depending on how much smoke was generated by the fire and how long the fire was allowed to burn, soot can permeate nearly everything it touches calling for a much deeper clean to prevent long term damage.
If you’re dealing with smoke and fire damage and you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s time to call in the professionals.
Contact United Water Restoration Group of Fairfax, Virginia at (703) 775-1109. Our friendly and professional staff are standing by 24/7 to take your call.