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It doesn’t take long for a fire to start. A small electrical spark, an overzealous chimney fire, a small grease fire on the kitchen stove, a melting candle sitting too close to the drapes. These little incidents can ignite a house fire in the blink of an eye. At Stretch Cleaning & Restoration in Long Beach Island, we want our customer to have as much information regarding fire damage disasters as possible.

Fire Damage Disasters: What Fire Damage Will Do Over Time

The soot and acid residue from a fire damage disaster will cause materials like plastic, small appliances, and highly porous materials (including marble and alabaster) to discolor within minutes. The discoloration could be temporary or permanent. The longer the soot and acid residue remain the higher the chance of permanent damage.

The grout in bathrooms will start to change color or stain from acid residues. The fiberglass bath fixtures can also turn a yellow color, along with the finish on appliances, refrigerators, and upholstered furniture. All of this happens within hours of the acid residue sitting. Calling in a professional fire and smoke cleanup company as soon as possible to safely remove soot and acid residue will go along way in preventing permanent damage.

Fire Damage Disasters: Calling the Professionals

Fire cleanup and repair often involves cleanup and removal of the water left behind from the firefighting efforts. The water left behind can cause just as much damage as the initial fire if not taken care of as soon as possible.

Unless you are a certified and trained professional you should contact a professional to clean up and repair any fire damage. Not only can the cleanup process entail more than expected, it can also be extremely dangerous if you don’t follow regulations, have the proper equipment, or know how to navigate the hazardous material left behind.

Professionals also have the advantage of restoring belonging you thought may have been permanently destroyed. In many cases, items that appear to be irreparable can be fully restored by a professional. This can include furniture, appliances, flooring, clothing, etc.

Fire Damage Disasters: What You Can Do

• Limit movement in the home to prevent soot particles from being embedded into upholstery and carpets.
• Keep hands clean so as not to further soil upholstery, walls, and woodwork.
• Place clean towels or old linens on rugs, upholstery, and carpet traffic areas.
• Clean and protect chrome with a light coating of petroleum jelly or oil.
• Wash houseplants on both sides of leaves.
• Change HVAC filter.
• Remain in a safe area in or outside of your home while the fire damage restoration professionals are on their way.

Fire Damage Disasters: What You Shouldn’t Do

• Avoid entering the property if the local fire marshal does not deem it safe to do so.
• Don’t attempt to wash any walls or painted surfaces or shampoo carpet or upholstery without contacting cleaning and restoration Professional.
• Don’t attempt to clean any electrical appliances that may have been close to fire, heat or water without consulting an authorized repair service.
• Don’t use any canned or packaged food or beverages that may have been stored near the fire, heat or water.
• Don’t turn on ceiling fixtures if a ceiling is wet. The wiring may be damaged.
• Don’t send garments to an ordinary dry cleaner. Improper cleaning may set smoke odor.

Always be sure to contact fire restoration professionals that can safely restore your damaged property.