The Need For Smoke And Fire Cleanup In Port Huron, Michigan

By Author: Leo Nov
Total Articles: 883
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It's true that fires can occur anywhere but in Port Huron, Michigan, fire incidents are growing with four cases occurring within the first week of November 2009. Over the Halloween weekend, a couple of fires were intentionally started as part of Devil's Night where delinquent youths perform acts of mischief on the eve of Halloween. In addition, arsonists have found easy targets with hundreds of vacant buildings in the city.

Aside from crime-related fires, there are of course accidental fires such as the one that occurred in Port Huron Township in August of 2009 when a 6-year old child playing with a cigarette lighter set a bed on fire in their apartment unit. The fire spread quickly and all residents of the apartment had to be evacuated. While no one was reported injured and most residents were able to return to their homes, the blaze damaged the family's home severely. Seven other families were also displaced due to severe smoke damage in their units.

Smoke Behavior

Aside from the actual burning of properties, a fire incident can result ...
... in a myriad of damages due to smoke's distinct behavior. An untrained individual will simply describe smoke to be all over the place but professionals know that smoke behaves in different and very specific ways and it is necessary to carefully survey the affected site to properly identify the extent of fire damage and its impact on the buildings and its contents.

Professional fire restoration crews know that structures can be penetrated by smoke, creating damage that is not visible as well as lingering odor. For instance, hot smoke travels to areas that are cooler and to the upper parts of a structure. Smoke can also flow through holes surrounding pipes, allowing it to reach one floor to another.

Understanding of smoke behavior and knowledge of construction systems come into play as professionals investigate the extent of smoke damage. In addition, the process of cleaning up fire and smoke residues and restoring damaged items may also be affected by the type of smoke present in the area.

What to Expect From Professionals

The professional fire damage cleanup team will conduct pretesting while they inspect the affected property to identify the damages and the extent of cleanup, repair and restoration that is needed. In assessing the damage fully, they will look at how many structures and materials were affected by the fire or smoke and if the residues are cleanable. Their assessment will help them decide the proper and most effective methods of cleanup and restoration to be done, including how long the process will take.

In addition, the team will look at what items can still be restored and which are beyond repair and have to be replaced. They will draw up an inventory of these permanently damaged items. The team will also determine whether there is a need for your personal belongings to be moved while the house is undergoing restoration. It is also part of their duty to make sure that unaffected areas are protected from smoke damage and the spread of fire residues like soot.
Leo Nov is an editorial staff member of RestorationSOS.com, a leading service provider for fire and water damage cleanups. To learn more about fire damage restoration Port Huron MI and smoke damage, visit RestorationSOS.com