Does Smoke Damage the Items in My Home?

Fire can utterly destroy your property, leaving nothing but carnage and ash behind. If your home does survive a wildfire or housefire, it is unlikely you have made it completely out of the woods. The heat produced by the flames radiated and caused items around the fire to burn, crack or shatter, not to mention the smoke and ash generated by burning vegetation and surrounding homes creating large volumes of smoke and ash.
Homes and businesses have been ruined not just by the fire itself but also by the smoke that permeated everything in its vicinity.
After experiencing smoke in your home, is it important to contact your insurance to file a claim and to contact a smoke damage restoration specialist. Let’s take a closer look at what smoke damage is, how it enters the home, what it affects, and what to do when you experience smoke damage.

Understanding Smoke Damage

Smoke enters your home through open windows, doors, cracks and gaps around windows, HVAC units, bathroom fans, and small openings in the building structure. Even if all of your windows are closed, smoke particles can still seep through and infiltrate your home.

Smoke damage refers to physical damage to a building caused not by fire, but by smoke. Smoke contains several different types of acids, the makeup of which is determined by the fire. For the most part, this smoke will contain carbon and sulfur. Depending on both the kind of smoke and the kind of metals you have around your house, the smoke can tarnish or even erode metals in and around your home, including destroying door handles, hinges, pipes, appliances and more. With the erosion of necessary elements like pipes, your home may, in turn face water damage.

Aside from destroying metals, smoke also embeds itself in any porous material in your home, effectively discoloring and ruining it. This includes hardwood floors, countertops, tiles, and walls. The acidic properties we talked about earlier are also known to shred paint and wallpaper.

The effects of fire smoke are widespread and virtually permanent. Smoke damage in your home isn’t prevented just by removing smoke from your home; it takes professional services to do a full home cleaning and smoke removal to ensure your home is safe.

What Items in Your Home Are Most Affected by Smoke Damage?

Unfortunately, smoke ruins nearly everything in its path, including your furniture, electronics, appliances, clothing, upholstery, documents, and artwork.

Carpets: Carpets and rugs made of synthetic fabric may be permanently stained in just a few days. Cleaning must be done before the damage is permanent.
Furniture & Upholstery: Smoke particles embed into fabric, causing discoloration and odor. It is important to use specific cleaning agents that will remove smoke debris and residue without damaging the fabric.

Electronics & Appliances: Smoke residue corrodes internal components and affects performance. Since the smoke can easily infiltrate the inner workings of your electronics, the electrical components can be damaged quite easily.

Clothing & Fabrics: Absorbs smoke odor and may require specialized cleaning. Throwing you clothing into the washer may just spread or set the soot rather than remove it.

Can You Clean Smoke-Damaged Items, or Should You Replace Them?

The process of cleaning up smoke damage should start immediately after your home is effect. In just a few minutes, the health of your belongings and home is already affected, and in days, irreparable damage will be caused. The best thing to do is to call in the experts. Unfortunately, things will be irreparably damaged by the smoke. It is important to have experienced public adjusters on your side who can adequately assess and document the damage, file your claim and dispute unfair payouts.  

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Smoke Damage?

Typically, homeowners insurance covers costs to repair or rebuild your home, the cost to replace your belongings and extra expenses while you are unable to live in your home. However, insurance companies usually do not like to pay for thorough inspections and are stingy with their coverage. Not to mention, there are often damages unbeknownst to the homeowner and insurance company that are not visible to the naked eye. Because of this, homeowners should always hire a professional restoration company and a trusted public adjuster. Property Claims Consultants help residents of Southern California file claims, assess damages, rebuild homes and get fair settlements. Working directly with the homeowner, we are on your side throughout the entire process. Contact us to start rebuilding your home and your life following fire or smoke damage.