Have you tried everything you could to get rid of that lingering smoke odor but had little to no success? STOP Restoration of Bakersfield can successfully deal with it on your behalf!
Your property recently had to deal with fire damage and you don’t feel like spending at the moment. So, you and your family decide to carry out the cleaning process on your own. Sounds like a tremendous idea, but no, it isn’t. The dangers associated with fire damage persist long after the flames have died down. You need to be extra vigilant about the two harmful agents: smoke and soot. Apart from being outright dangerous, they’re extremely difficult to remove from surfaces. Thus, it’s best to leave smoke damage cleaning services to professionals.
Let’s examine the dangers of smoke and soot in more detail:
Dangers Associated With Smoke and Soot
The smoke generated by fire is a complex mixture of chemicals and particles produced due to incomplete burning of carbon-containing substances. All smoke is composed of varying amounts of carbon dioxide, particulate matter (soot), and carbon monoxide. Plus, depending on what is burnt, the burning temperature, and how much oxygen is involved, smoke contains different types of chemicals and particles such as aldehydes, sulfur dioxide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), toluene, metals, acid gases, nitrogen oxides, benzene, styrene, and dioxins.
Now that you’re aware of the composition of smoke, you should be able to easily see why it’s dangerous. Nowadays, households carry all sorts of chemicals, including wooden products, plastics, carpets, foams, wool, fabrics, synthetic fibers, and more. When these items are burnt, the waste that’s generated in the form of gases pose several health hazards for the occupants of the property.
Inhaling smoke even for a short period can lead to an immediate effect. Studies suggest that individuals exposed to heavy smoke experienced temporary changes in their lung function, thereby creating breathing issues. Plus, smoke is known to cause irritation to throat, nose, and eyes. The most dangerous agents in smoke include soot (fine particles) and carbon monoxide.
Carbon monoxide, if inhaled, can significantly reduce the oxygen supply to your body. This condition will not only reduce alertness and cause headache but may also aggravate angina, a heart condition. Soot particles, on the other hand, will make their way deep into the respiratory tract and lungs. Health conditions associated with inhaling soot include shortness of breath and respiratory irritation. Plus, the fine particles can exacerbate preexisting conditions like heart disease and asthma.
Who is More Vulnerable to the Dangers Associated With Smoke?
Those with a lung or heart disease such as angina, chronic pulmonary disease, asthma, emphysema, ischemic heart disease, or heart failure and particularly at risk from exposure to smoke, regardless of their age. Similarly, children are also more susceptible to the dangers of smoke because their respiratory systems are in a growing stage and they inhale more air per pound of body weight than adults. Also, seniors, pregnant women, and diabetic patients are more likely to develop the above discussed conditions when exposed to smoke or soot.
We Specialize in Smoke Damage Cleaning Services
After going through the above-discussed insights, you should have obtained a fair idea of how dangerous smoke damage can be for anyone exposed to it. Instead of approaching the situation on your own, seek smoke damage cleaning services from STOP, a full-service home restoration company serving homeowners for over 40 years.
