One Mistake Often Made After Fire Damage in Vancouver Properties

7/31/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO can help keep mistakes away from your Vancouver fire damaged properties.

Let us make sure your Vancouver fire is properly handled.

No two ways about it, fire damage feels overwhelming. Even when it is limited to a single area in a home, airborne soot particles cause odor wherever they are in a home and spread with ease. 

During our initial contact with a Vancouver homeowner regarding fire damage, we advise property owners to turn off the HVAC and close off the fire loss area to limit any further spreading of smoke odors within the home. The longer the HVAC operates in the house after a fire, the more likely the ductwork needs cleaning to make the property free of smoke odors.

After SERVPRO technicians remove charred materials from the residence, restore and save fire-damaged items from inclusion as a loss, we move on to odor control. An HVAC inspection is frequently part of fire loss mitigation to thoroughly remove odors from the property. The process is as follows: 

• Inspection of the ductwork for signs of soot or smoke damage
• Thorough cleaning of both the return and vent covers
• Manual cleaning of the clean air handling unit using a vacuum
• Negative air pressure system efficiently pulls airborne soot particles from within the ductwork
• Removal of all debris and stains from vent openings and replacement of the HVAC filter

Before the HVAC operates again in the home, SERVPRO technicians perform any needed odor control for the rest of the home to ensure that the airborne and embedded soot particles do not continue to bring foul odors. We have several standard methods dependent on the level of odor-control required. For low amounts of scents, our time-release gel pellets work to overtake smoke odors efficiently. When odors need more robust applications, our certified Odor Control Technicians have access to a diverse array of equipment to neutralize odors at the molecular level. 

When you need help with fire damage contact SERVPRO of E. Vancouver / Clark Co. at (360) 254-0049. Our Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration Technicians are available 24/7 to make any size loss in your home "Like it never even happened." 

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