My House Smells Like Smoke | Purifying Air After a Fire

Purifiying Air After a Fire

A fire in your home or business continues to bring you problems long after the fire has been put out. The first few days after a fire are hectic because you are dealing with your insurance company, the fire department, and concerned friends and family. Amidst all that communication, you have other worries as well, including the state of your home or business and how to restore it to its previous condition. One of your concerns will be the smell of your home or business and removing smoke and soot for safe and clean air. When talking with your fire restoration company, be sure to ask which method they use to purify your building’s air and know the pros and cons of each.

When Your House Smells Like Smoke, Consider These Air Purifying Methods

Standard Cleaning and Airing Purify the air when your house smells like smoke

All restoration companies will perform standard cleaning with odor eliminating counteracting chemicals to remove the soot and smoke contaminating your home. They’ll vacuum and wipe down with an effective solution, all appliances, floors, walls, and hardtop surfaces to remove soot and neutralize smoke odor. They will also circulate in clean air by opening windows and utilizing industrial fans. Carpet will be cleaned and they’ll remove any unsalvageable items to reduce odor recontamination.

To remove lingering smoke smells in porous and fabric surfaces, your fire restoration company will utilize one of the deep air purifying methods.

Ozone Air Purifiers

This type of air purifier generates the gas O3 or ozone, which then chemically reacts to the odors within your home, neutralizing them. While ozone air purifiers are effective they are also controversial because ozone is a toxic gas and can cause respiratory problems. It can also damage certain materials in your home. In the hands of professional remediation companies however, it is a safe technique as they know how to properly utilize it in a safe manner.

Hydroxyl Ions

Using hydroxyl ions is a powerful method to purify the air. It uses a small amount of ozone combined with water and ultraviolet light to break down odor-causing compounds in the air. This method poses little health risk because the ozone used in hydroxyl ions is minimal in amount and hydroxyl ions only have an extremely short life span. This reaction occurs naturally in outside environments as well and is not harmful in regulated amounts. Your remediation company can regulate amounts and ensure safety and odor neutralization to clean your home’s air.

Thermal fogger purifiers air after a fireThermal Fogging

The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification recommends thermal fogging for odor neutralization due to its home penetration range. Thermal foggers produce a substance similar to smoke that will reach to all the places the smoke did and effectively eliminate the odor. The fogger emits particles into the air that neutralize any odors it comes into contact with. It can be used with a number of different solutions and is adaptable to different applications. Professional fire remediation companies often use this method for its range of applicability with different types of fires and its effectiveness in penetrating every area of the home or business.

Fire restoration companies concerned about the air quality in your home or business will use multiple odor removing methods and customize the deodorization process to your needs. A combination of the methods will result in and ensure clean and safe air without recontamination. Consult your fire restoration company about the methods of air purification they utilize to ensure your home is restored to its pre-loss condition.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *