Are you aware of the health risks of smoke and soot exposure? Let’s find out.
A fire accident in real life is far nastier than what it seems in the movies. Besides burning your house down and being life-threatening, the effects of fire continue even after it’s been extinguished. After a fire has been put out, it leaves behind the smoke. Three of the most common components of smoke are carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulate matter, also known as soot.
Other chemicals found in smoke are benzene, dioxins, metals, acid gases and sulfur dioxide. To keep yourself safe, try your best to avoid smoke and soot exposure.
Health Risks of Smoke Inhalation
The long term effects of prolonged smoke exposure are severe, and we shall discuss them as the article progresses. Inhaling smoke even for a short amount of time can have dangerous outcomes. Smoke irritates your eyes, throat, and nose, and it can also result in nausea. Furthermore, exposure to smoke can lead to headaches as well as a heart problem known as angina.
Keeping the health effects of smoke and soot exposure in mind, it is better if you avoid it altogether. If your body reacts adversely to smoke and soot, you must discuss it with your doctor today.
If you have recently experienced a fire accident on your property, it is better to contact a professional fire restoration company in Mesa, AZ. While the restoration is in progress, try relocating to a different place and avoid entering the burnt house until the cleanup is complete.
Symptoms of Smoke Inhalation
The symptoms of smoke inhalation vary from one person to another. However, two defining factors in this regard are the source of smoke and how long you have been exposed to it.
- Sore throat and severe coughing.
- Bloody coughing and chest pain.
- Shortness of breath, noisy breathing and disturbed breathing.
- Nausea, headache, and abdominal pain.
- Eyesight issues and eye irritation.
- Passing out
Health Risks of Soot Exposure
Now that we have discussed the health effects of smoke exposure, let’s discuss the downsides of soot exposure. As discussed above, soot is the amorphous particulate matter that occurs due to the incomplete burning of organic matter. Besides being detrimental to human health, cleaning up after soot is quite a hassle.
Soot takes its toll upon the indoor air quality of your living space. It is commonly found in houses where candles are used or the fireplace isn’t properly ventilated. Ingesting soot can lead to respiratory issues like asthma, bronchitis, and also coronary heart disease. Soot cleanup is messy and isn’t a DIY job. Therefore, it should be assigned to a professional.
Studies have revealed that particle exposure leads to more than 20,000 untimely deaths in the US each year. A majority of those deaths have something to do with soot-related diseases. Furthermore, soot exposure results in more than 300,000 cases of asthma attacks each year.
By now you must have realized how detrimental smoke and soot exposure is to your health. Never make the unforgivable mistake of cleaning soot and smoke yourself and contact a professional restoration company.
