Fire Damage Experts in New Milford Talk About Removing Oily Soils

6/30/2018 (Permalink)

Soot damage can be overwhelming. Contact SERVPRO to remediate the damage that smoke and fire has left behind in your home.

SERVPRO Technicians Remediate Fire Damage Using Their Knowledge About Residues

If a fire ever burns on your property in New Milford, smoke can cause damage even if the flames do not. Smoke is made up of partially combusted materials that rise with the heat coming from the fire. Smoke then hits cooler surfaces and causes soot residues and soils to coat the material. Soot can ruin the finish on various types of surfaces and produce burnt smelling fragrances.
 
Any time a blaze takes place, it can burn different types of fuels changing the composition of the soils. During fire damage mitigation in New Milford, the removal of soot residues is vital to prevent foul smells. Some soots are extremely difficult to clean while others can easily be wiped off. There are several factors that affect cleanability including the chemical composition of the soil and the type of surface that got affected.
 
When some types of materials burn they produce smoke that leaves behind oily residues. Oily soils can be difficult to remove from certain surfaces. When dealing with oily substances, our SERVPRO technicians have a few techniques they can utilize. If the surface we are cleaning is porous, then dry removal methods such as dry sponges or a compressed air sprayer can be the best to remove the soils.
 
If the surface is non-porous, then wet methods can be implemented because the water will not soak the soot into the material and cause more damage. When dealing with oily soot residues, our SERVPRO technicians often use water-based detergents. These specialized detergents can emulsify the oily residues into the chemical.
 
These water-based detergents are specially designed to dissolve into water and attract oily particles at the same time. The detergents have a water-loving head that mixes with the water and an oil-loving tail that attracts the oily residues. This unique composition allows the detergents to attract both the oily particles and water so that the residues get emulsified into the solution and removed from the affected surface.
 
When removing soot residues, it is essential to use the proper chemicals and techniques. If you ever need assistance with removing oily soot residues, call SERVPRO of Teaneck / Englewood at (201) 266-0482 24/7.

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