In addition to the dangers of fire, the residual smoke damage after a fire has been extinguished can continue to cause additional damages to your property and any nearby belongings. But to recover what is salvageable, contact the Middlesex County fire damage restoration experts at ServiceMaster Cleaning & Restoration Services. With their expertise, they’ll be able to mitigate damages, restore your property, and help salvage your belongings. As you wait for the experts to arrive, here is some helpful information as to what you can do to help mitigate damages after a fire.

Accept Losses
In a fire, some items will be damaged beyond repair. Don’t hesitate to remove severely burned structures, materials, or belongings.

Create Air Flow
The frist step in the restoration process is to increase air flow. Air flow will help remove smoke, smoke odors, help dry materials, and remove any lingering particles that are still in the air. Open windows, doors, and use fans to help circulate the air within your property.

Vacuum Fabric Items (No Beater Bar)
For fabrics and furnishings which soot has settled on, gently blow or vacuum soot off these items. Do not use a brush or press on the soot, otherwise you risk compounding the soot into the fabrics.

Cleaning Soot
On porous surfaces, use a grease cutting cleaner. For soot on nonporous surfaces like glass or metal,these can be cleaned with simple cleaners and paper towels.

Repaint Surfaces
Walls can absorb and emit smoke odors very easily. To remove or reduce the smoke odor, strip off the old paint and repaint the walls. The same rules can also apply to hardwood flooring if they emit smoke odors as well. Simply strip the surface of your hardwood flooring and re-varnish them to remove or reduce smoke odors.

For professional fire damage remediation services in Middlesex County, NJ, contact ServiceMaster Cleaning & Restoration Services.