A fire is a devastating event that affects millions of Americans every year. A fire has the potential to destroy your home or property. In many cases, people think the majority of the damage comes from the fire itself. However, a lot of damage to both your property and yourself is caused by the smoke following the fire. Smoke damage can ruin the overall integrity of your property. Also, smoke damage can cause health concerns if you inhale too much of it. In this article, we will go over some of the implications of smoke damage that not everyone is aware of.
Smoke Damage and Its Effects On Your Property
The most significant implication that comes with smoke damage is the effect it has on your overall property. Since smoke is a gas, it can travel with much more ease than other substances. With this in mind, smoke can quickly impact your entire property, causing damage on the way. The immediate effect of this damage is discoloring of property, as well as an odor that is difficult to eradicate. If you leave smoke damage unchecked for an extended amount of time, the smoke damage can cause your property to lose its integrity. Also, the longer you wait to deal with smoke damage, the higher the chances that the residual smell will become permanent. Here are some of the more vulnerable spots in your home or property:
Insulation: Your home’s or property’s insulation is one of the worst places to experience smoke damage. Certain materials that insulation is made from will absorb the incoming smoke. As a result, your insulation will begin to produce an unpleasant odor. Also, you may have to replace any impacted insulation, which can be expensive.
Pipes: It is common for smoke damage to get into a property’s pipes. If this occurs, the smoke will get into your water supply. This infiltration will cause your water to both smell and taste odd. Depending on the level of smoke damage, your pipes will need to be cleaned and, in some cases, replaced.
Walls: Walls experience the worst cosmetic damage when it comes to fire damage. In fact, the smoke can discolor the paint used on walls. This discoloration can permanently ruin the color, which will then need to be painted over to fix.
The Health Risks Associated with Smoke Damage
Not all the harmful effects of smoke damage revolve around the property. As a matter of fact, smoke has the potential to cause health issues for both you and your family. Smoke enters your body through your nose or mouth. As the smoke travels through your body, it causes inflammation. A high amount of inflammation will make it more difficult to breathe and may cause permanent lung damage. Also, this inflammation is particularly harmful if you have asthma.
If you want more helpful tips and advice on smoke removal or you need the services of a restoration company, we recommend you see us at ASAP Restoration. We can get rid of any lingering smoke and restore any affected areas.
