Cleaning the Structure of a Gatlinburg Home After a Fire

2/4/2022 (Permalink)

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Multiple Considerations Make Post-fire Cleaning in Gatlinburg More Thorough and Effective

Every fire restoration project involves hundreds of cleaning decisions by our experienced professionals. After these damaging events, cleaning up the structure can apply multiple practices simultaneously, much of which gets determined by a thorough scope of the affected area and a catalog of the damage a home experiences. 

Understanding the Scope of the Damage

When fire restoration in Gatlinburg homes begins, it starts with a complete evaluation of what areas in the house have become compromised by post-fire effects. Even with a speedy extinguishment, there are lingering concerns within a damaged home that require intricate cleaning and recovery. We can also inspect contents item by item to determine if on-site cleaning or pack-out processes are necessary to restore these belongings.

Choosing the Best Cleaning Method

With dozens of products and cleaning methods for soot and smoke residues, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Choices are made based on factors like the underlying material, thickness of the residue, and soil composition.

Categorizing Damaged Materials 

It is important to designate the type of materials and damage to ensure the appropriate products and equipment are used for restoration and repairs. Some of the categorizing criteria include:

• Washable – This determines whether a surface can physically endure being cleaned, namely with wet cleaning products and solutions. 

• Porosity – This is a measure of the pores that can trap dirt, debris, smoke particles, and other fire damage effects in an exposed structural material. The higher the porosity, the greater the possibility of more complicated cleaning measures.

• Soil Composition – The type of smoke residue also impacts the needed cleaning approach. For example, oil-based soils require measures like dry solvents to resolve.

Fires can be among the more destructive and damaging situations for area homes, making it vital for experienced professionals like our SERVPRO of Sevier, Jefferson, & Cocke Counties team to respond fast to help. We are ready 24/7 to mitigate losses when you call (865) 429-8885.