Did you know that the smoke and soot left after a fire is often more dangerous than the fire itself? Here’s everything you need to know about the dangers of smoke and soot after a fire.
A fire is undoubtedly one of the most petrifying experience one can ever go through. However, it’s absolutely wrong to think that the dangers of a fire are over once the flames have been doused.
The leftover smoke and black residue i.e. soot that covers furnishings, ceilings, and walls aren’t just unsightly and smelly, but they’re a health hazard as well. The elderly, children and those who have a weakened immune system are particularly at high risk when exposed to smoke and soot.
Here are some of the most common and serious dangers of smoke and soot after a fire.
Respiratory Health Problems
Soot is made of poisonous substances such as Sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and traces of other heavy metals. If soot is inhaled, it can lead to various respiratory health conditions such as asthma, pneumonia, and bronchitis.
Moreover, children and adults with asthma are at a high risk of suffering from permanent lung damage if they inhale the smoke after a fire.
Cancer Risk
Studies conducted by the National Cancer Institute reveal that soot contains cancer-causing agents or carcinogens such as cadmium, arsenic, and chromium, which are likely to put you at risk if inhaled.
Skin Irritation
Soot can even cause serious skin irritation. In some cases, it can be severe enough to require medical treatment. Thus, you need to make sure that all soot residue is completely removed from your property.
If soot has become embedded in your clothing, even washing them may not be able to completely eliminate it. Wearing these clothes can aggravate your skin condition, even after the smoke and soot has been cleaned from the rest of your home or workplace.
Smoke Odor Residue
Smoke damage may not be noticeable on items such as furniture and fabrics. However, the smell left by the smoke is quite hard to miss. The minute particles that cause the smokey odor can get trapped in drapes, carpets, and clothing.
If the odor is not properly treated, the pungent smell can linger on your property for a long time. Removing and cleaning the soot particles from such surfaces will minimize the smell. However, if the smell has infiltrated the fabrics, it will be much harder to remove it. In fact, you will need to call in a professional smoke damage restoration company to deodorize the soot-laden items to successfully eliminate the smell.
Corrosion
Soot is very acidic. Thus, it can corrode the metal inside your property. Kitchen fitting, pipes, metal doorknobs can all be impacted by the soot particles.
Last Few Words
Service Team of Professionals (STOP) offers smoke damage restoration services including cleaning and deodorization. We are available round the clock to restore your property to its pre-damage state as soon as possible.
To get in touch with our team, call us at 704-419-8587 or visit our website here.
