What Dangers Can Result From Fire Damage?

CONTENTS

• Should I stay in my fire damaged home?
• Dangers to look out for
  • Soot particles
  • Ash particles
  • Smoke damage
  • Structural issues
  • Water damage
• Our fire damage cleaning services
• Get in touch today

House fires are a devastating event for those involved, and the work it takes to returning a building to the state it was in prior to the fire can prove expansive.

Not only this, but there are many dangers you could encounter in a fire damaged building. For instance, soot, ash and smoke particles may be present. If you come into contact with these, it may pose a risk to your health.

Here at ICE Cleaning, we offer fast and efficient fire damage cleaning services to help you after a fire. Our skilled technicians are well-versed in the dangers involved with fire damage, and will work to eliminate all risks during the clean.

Should I stay in my fire damaged home?

Due to the many dangers found in buildings affected by fire damage, you should avoid remaining on the premises until it has been declared safe to live in.   

It could therefore compromise the safety of yourself and your loved ones if you continue living in a house damaged by fire.

The risks associated with house fires are not worth the risk of prolonged exposure. Some very serious conditions can occur from contact with substances such as ash, smoke and soot.

Visits to the affected property should be limited, and only occur once the house has been declared safe to enter by emergency services.

Additionally, do not attempt to deal with fire damage yourself. This could result in you making the situation worse than it was before, or causing serious harm to yourself in the process.

Dangers to look out for

Some of the causes of house fires are often accidental, but can lead to big consequences. NI Direct give some background on some of the most common reasons why fires start in the home.

Read below to learn more about some of the main dangers that can occur following a house fire, and how to identify them.

Soot particles

As a substance, soot is oily and light in mass. Due to this, it can travel around a building with relative ease.

Measuring on average 2.5 microns, there is a risk that soot particles can be inhaled into your lungs and cause significant damage to your body. Health risks range from problems with your skin to cancer.

A professional fire damage cleaning company will be needed to eliminate the soot from your property, and is not something that should be attempted yourself.

They will know how to identify soot in the area as well as the right solution for treating the issue.

Ash particles

This substance is different to soot, although the two are often confused. Ash is a solid substance which you can physically see following a house fire.

Unlike soot, ash particles will not spread throughout your home due their density. Therefore, the likelihood of you inhaling the particles is not high.

People with pre-existing illnesses such as asthma or other respiratory conditions are particularly at risk from the effects of ash.

Danger from ash particles can arise quickly, meaning exposure to it should be avoided after a fire. The clean-up of ash should be also be left to the professionals.

Smoke damage

Smoke damage is not something to be taken lightly. From its health implications to the effect it has on your property, it must be taken seriously.

If not treated, the structure of the building may be at risk. This happens when smoke seeps into walls and other parts of the house. 

The health risks caused by smoke vary, and often come from inhalation into your lungs. This can lead to a number of respiratory issues, as well as different types of cancer.

To ease the stress caused by house fires, we offer extensive smoke damage cleaning services. We use the latest industry equipment and knowledge to eradicate smoke issues from your home.

This includes neutralising odours that remain behind from the fire, as well as removing it from surfaces completely.

Structural issues

Structural damage is one of the many impacts that a fire damage can have on a property.

Even though the Concrete Society notes that concrete is a strong material and will take a lot to be compromised, it will start to become a problem if exposed to festering damage. 

They advise that things to look out for in terms of structural damage are cracks forming on surfaces as a result of concrete enlarging from heat.

Structural issues following a house fire are a very serious danger that should be looked at by the professionals. Check to see if you are covered under your insurance in the case this happens to you, and get it looked at as soon as you notice any problems.

Water damage

Although this may not be your first thought when thinking of the dangers following a house fire, it is nonetheless still an issue you could encounter.

Sprinkler systems and fire hoses can cause excess water to form in your property that could lead to flooding once the fire has been extinguished.

Although sprinkler systems may cause water damage, they are vital to your safety. The British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association has provided a useful fact sheet on myths and facts on water sprinklers that you may not know.

Water damage can also become an expensive problem. For example, if your property has been damaged by water, many things may need repairing or replacing.

If you find yourself impacted by water damage in your home, please contact a member of our dedicated customer service to find out more about how we can help you.

We are available 365 days a year and can attend your property within 60 minutes to begin work.

Our fire damage cleaning services

If you find yourself affected by a house fire, we are here to support you. Our teams have a wealth of experience in dealing with fire damage, and have undertaken multiple training courses to stay up to date with the latest industry knowledge.

We do everything we can to help restore your property following a fire, and our customer service team will help you during every step of the process.

For more information about our fire damage cleaning services, please click here.

Get in touch today

If you would like to find out more about the fire damage or smoke damage cleaning services we offer, please contact us on 0208 066 0360 or enquiries@icecleaning.co.uk.

Our customer service are available 24/7 to answer any concerns or queries you may have.

The Health and Safety Executive has also provided some useful information on fire safety and prevention that may help you.