Do you often find yourself dealing with a fire emergency?
Reach out to experienced smoke damage cleaning company at your earliest.
Many home and office owners feel that they are immune to fire damage and that it mostly occurs in crowded places like restaurants or movie theatres. That’s not true. According to the NFPA, a fire fighting department responds to a fire outbreak every 24 seconds in the US. And homes are just as likely to face fire emergencies as other types of properties. The resultant loss of property and lives can be highly traumatic. In this guide, we’ll examine the dangers of smoke damage, but before that, let’s find out what elements fuel a fire:
Elements That Fuel a Fire
The following key elements ignite and fuel a fire:
Oxygen: The very substance that we all need to survive is actually the fuel needed for a fire. Yes, oxygen, can rather go against us in a fire situation.
Household Items: Just about everything present in a home can fuel a blazing fire.
Heat: A burning cigarette, a hot stovetop burner, and a worn electrical wire are common sources of heat, which in turn ignites and fuels a fire.
Dangers of Smoke Damage
Many of us are of the view that most fire-related deaths are caused by burns. But according to evidence, smoke inhalation is the major cause of such deaths. In today’s homes, synthetic materials are common. Burning these produces harmful substances in the form of smoke. The heat itself is a respiratory hazard. At a certain level, the air becomes so hot that breathing in it can easily kill the person.
Plus, the blazing fire tends to consume most of the available oxygen in the surrounding area and/or replace it with other gases. This slows down the burning process and results in incomplete combustion. The resultant smoke invades the area faster than people can react and make their way to accessible exits. Due to incomplete combustion, it carries toxic gases, vapors, and particles, each of which can be lethal.
Toxic gases: Carbon monoxide is one of the most deadly gases that erupt from fires. Even in small quantities, they can have severe effects on those who inhale the gas. The problem is that it replaces oxygen in the person’s bloodstream, which ultimately results in death. Similarly, the burning of PVC pipes or other plastic items releases hydrogen cyanide, which intervenes in the victim’s cellular respiration. Phosgene is another dangerous gas that can lead to a sore throat and itchy eyes, and excessive inhalation can lead to pulmonary edema and even death. It’s released when vinyl and other household products are burned.
Vapors: These are liquid droplets that resemble fog. If absorbed through the skin or inhaled, they can poison the victim.
Fine Particles: Also known as soot, fine particles are partially completely burned, partially burned, or even unburned substances that are so tiny that they will penetrate into the protective filters of a person’s respiratory system and settle in the lungs. Some of these particles will only prove irritating to the digestive system and eyes, while others are extremely toxic.
Now that you know how serious post-fire smoke damage can be, it’s time to find the right fire damage restoration company to help you address the problem. Call STOP Restoration of Mesa on (480) 418-4097 or visit our website. STOP Mesa serves in Mesa, Tempe, San Tan Valley, and Gilbert, AZ, and is an ideal company for you. #stopmesa #firedamage #fireremediation #firecleanup
