Did you know that soot can be just as dangerous as the fire itself? Read on to study the dangers of soot.
Fire damage is more detrimental than most people think. When a fire breaks out, the emerging flames are often considered to be the only threat. Once they‘re put down by the firefighting team, everyone thinks that the danger is over. In reality, the harms of fire damage extend well beyond the flames.
If you examine the aftermath of a fire incident, you’ll notice that the walls and other surfaces have all turned dark. Even areas where the flames never reached can appear black. Plus, a strong, annoying odor will have spread throughout the property. These are signs of soot that’s released from fire and spread faster than the flames.
In this guide, you’ll learn about the dangers of soot, but before that, let’s take a look at what is soot?
What is Soot?
Soot is a fine black or brown powder released from incomplete combustion of organic materials such as plastics, household refuse, fuel oil, wood, etc. Depending on what was burnt and the temperature at which it was burnt, soot may contain numerous carcinogens, including chromium, cadmium, and arsenic, making it a severe respiratory hazard.
Soot tends to adhere to any surface that’s cooler than the heart of the fire. Too tiny to be seen, it can easily be inhaled by people. Its particle size of 2.5 microns is associated with deep lung penetration. If you’re not already aware, particles must be 5 microns or smaller to be able to make their way down to the lower lung, while those larger than 10 microns will get trapped into the upper respiratory tract.
Let’s now determine what makes soot a health hazard:
The Dangers of Soot
A person can be exposed to soot through absorption via skin, inhalation, or ingestion. It adversely impacts human health, energy-consumption efficiency, air quality, climate, and agriculture. It is known to be responsible for a significant increase in the rates of pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases and the associated deaths.
The highest occupational exposure to soot is caused by chimney sweeps. According to the National Cancer Institute, soot exposure was first linked to skin cancer of the scrotum among British chimney sweeps during the eighteenth century. Several other studies have discovered associations between soot and other cancers, including bladed, lung, and esophageal cancers.
On a lighter note, the toxic particles of soot can cause breathing complications, such as asthma, coronary heart disease, and bronchitis. The most common health hazard of soot is irritation to skin and lung tissue.
Contact Your local Fire Damage Restoration Company.
Now that you’re aware of the dangers of soot, it’s time to take action. If you’ve recently experienced fire damage, you might now be dealing with soot. Given the above-discussed dangers, don’t even think of removing it yourself. Seek professional post-fire soot removal services to address the issue.
For emergency soot removal, get in touch with STOP at your earliest.
