Do you know how dangerous it is to inhale smoke and soot?
Three of the ingredients of smoke are carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulate matter also referred to as soot. Other chemicals found in smoke are sulfur dioxide, acid gases, aldehydes, metals, hydrocarbons, dioxins and styrene, toluene, and benzene. These chemicals can severely affect your health if inhaled in considerable amounts. To keep yourself safe, it is essential to avoid smoke inhalation as much as possible.
The Harmful Effects of Smoke Inhalation
Even if you inhale smoke for a short while, you can experience the immediate effects. The odor of smoke causes nausea, and inhaling smoke can cause runny eyes and nose, and irritation in the throat. Furthermore, you may even experience headaches; minimized alertness, and a heart condition known as angina.
The best way to protect yourself from smoke is to avoid it altogether. If your reaction to smoke exposure isn’t an unhealthy one, it is better to consult your local physician and figure out the ways to avoid such reactions. Furthermore, prolonged exposure to smoke can result in long term health effects.
If you have recently experienced a fire accident in your home or workplace, try not to enter the area on purpose. Also, look for a professional fire damage restoration company like ours to inspect the area, and carry out a cleanup.
Symptoms of Smoke Inhalation
- Sensitive throat and constant coughing
- Bloody coughing and pain in the chest
- Disturbed breathing, breath shortness, and noisy breathing
- Abdominal pain, headaches, and nausea
- Sight issues, and irritated eyes
- Passing out
- Soot in your throat and nostrils
Exposure to Soot: Health Effects
The incomplete combustion of coal, wood, and fuels results in the production of black particles known as soot, which mainly comprises of carbon. Soot is a combination of carbon, dust, acids, chemicals, and oil, and is extremely dangerous to your health. After a fire accident, soot can become a great problem. A house fire burns several materials such as wood, paper, cloth, and plastic, to name a few. As a result, soot is produced, and cleaning it up can be extremely problematic.
Inhaling soot can result in asthma, bronchitis, coronary heart disease and multiple respiratory issues. Soot cleanup is dangerous and not a DIY job. Therefore, the task must be assigned to experienced professionals, like the ones at our company.
Studies have shown that 20000 people die every year because of soot exposure. A majority of these deaths are caused by soot-related diseases. Similar studies have shown that each year more than 200,000 cases of asthma are reported.
Soot Exposure Symptoms
The symptoms of soot exposure are mentioned below.
- Watery eyes
- Runny nose
- Chronic cough
- Respiratory problems
- Weak immune symptoms
- Heart problems
If you have recently experienced a fire accident on your property, contact a professional restoration company for smoke and soot cleanup.
To benefit from our fire and smoke cleanup services, visit our website now.
