The Smell of a Fire

10/1/2019 (Permalink)

This box of new dishes had not been unpacked before a fire. Soot was able to get inside the still sealed box.

Besides the memory of a house fire, the thing that lasts the longest is the smell. If not professionally remediated, the odor can linger for a very long time.

The professionals at SERVPRO of Dearborn and Dearborn Heights SE can rid your home of this odor. Unlike the pleasant smell of campfires, house fires have a unique and offensive odor due to the combination of the natural and synthetic fibers of woods, plastics, building materials, electronics and furniture in homes. Our Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification trained technicians use a multi-step process to eliminate odors.

Removing 
The first step is removing the source of the odor. Depending on the specifics of the fire, SERVPRO technicians may remove cabinetry, flooring, construction materials, or any combination of these things. Our crews will safely and efficiently dispose of these materials giving us a better idea of how to address the remaining smells.

Cleaning  
Next is deodorizing. Smoke and soot will travel throughout your house during a fire depositing itself on every surface and in every space. As people enter and exit your house, soot continues to get stirred and travel. If your HVAC system is still running, it can send soot and smell into unaffected rooms. Soot is absorbed by dry wall on both the ceilings and walls. It can even penetrate sealed boxes as shown in the picture. The surface type and amount of soot determines how our SERVPRO technicians clean each thing.

Sealing 
The final step is drywall sealing. Sealing is not required in every case. It is typically only used if the damaged is extensive and/or removing it is too costly and impractical. After we clean the affected area, we seal it to prevent the stains and smells from seeping through.

About SERVPRO of Dearborn/Dearborn Heights Southeast
SERVPRO^® of Dearborn/Dearborn Heights Southeast provides 24-hour disaster mitigation service. We specialize in the restoration of homes and businesses suffering losses from fire and smoke, water, flood, wind, and storm damage. Our locally owned and operated 24/7 response team is always just a phone call away. 313-359-3457