Professional Fire Damage Cleanup Is Crucial

Fire damage cleanup in White Plains requires prompt attention from highly skilled technicians using specialized equipment and specifically formulated products while following research-based protocols. Soot and smoke quickly impact building materials and contents. Water used for firefighting is contaminated, compounding the harm it does inside your home. The air and waterborne residues from a fire are corrosive and can cause:

  • Staining and discoloration of surfaces throughout a building 
  • Breakdown (crumbling) of porous structural components such as drywall and ceiling tiles
  • Tarnishing and eventual destruction of metal fasteners, structural supports, and decor
  • Significant to catastrophic distortion and weakening of wooden framing, trim, flooring, and furnishings 
  • Ruin of textiles such as clothing, floor coverings, blinds, and curtains; documents, books, and papers; appliances; electronics; and more
  • Secondary damage, such as mold growth and persistent malodors

Professional Fire Damage Cleanup Expectations

Most issues posed during the aftermath of a residential fire are predictable for the AdvantaClean of Westchester, Rockland, and Stamford team. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) training mastered by our technicians prepares them to complete tasks typically needed to return your White Plains residence to pre-fire condition, preventing progressive deterioration. Onsite assessment by skilled and experienced technicians alerts us to unusual circumstances, encouraging an adapted response. At a minimum, expect our crews to address the following:

  • Assessing hazards, evaluating concerns ranging from electric shock risks from wet or melted wiring to threatened collapse from severe charring of supporting structures to lingering air quality worries
  • Deciding whether to move out household goods and personal property (pack out) to clear spaces for ease of water and fire residue removal and cleaning
  • Extracting firefighting water and performing structural drying
  • Removing debris is critical as a first cleaning step and for odor elimination
  • Identifying and analyzing soot types found on surfaces, which can vary throughout the affected home
  • Evaluating the durability of the soot-soiled surfaces
  • Matching of determined types with effective cleaning techniques and products
  • Loosening, removal, and disposal of soot particles  

Applying Proper Cleaning Elements

Fire damage cleanup is more complex than wetting a sponge and scrubbing. Inappropriate techniques can smear soot, damage underlying surfaces, or expose an unprotected worker to toxic substances. Fire residues sort into dry, wet, or protein-based. Effective cleanup strategies consider the type of residue and kind of materials damaged. Selecting the best approach is a job for trained and experienced AdvantaClean of Westchester, Rockland, and Stamford technicians. Our workers use four adaptable elements to dislodge, contain, and discard fire residues:

Agitation

Loose, dry soot requires little agitation for removal. Our technicians will blow, vacuum, or dry sponge surfaces. Stickier wet or protein-based coatings can loosen with brushing or scrubbing with abrasive tools or grit-enhanced cleaning products. Single items encrusted with residues benefit from ultrasonic cleaning.

Chemical Action

Our inventory of cleaning products includes solutions that dissolve (water or oil-based, depending on type or soot), oxidize, emulsify (detergents), change pH (alkalis or acids), bleach, or digest (enzymes) to break the bond between the surface and the soot.

Temperature

Heat causes many chemical agents to act more quickly. Raising the temperature can make efforts more effective. 

Dwell Time

Products applied across a surface or as a soak often deliver better results when extended contact with the soot is allowed. Technicians use training and experience to set a time before the product is wiped or rinsed away.Cleaning up after a fire in White Plains involves many phases of research-based best practice interventions involving a broad range of mitigation and remediation approaches. AdvantaClean of Westchester, Rockland, and Stamford is a full-service disaster restoration partner for property owners facing complicated fire damage recovery, providing all help needed from our multi-certification-holding team. Have confidence that AdvantaClean of Westchester, Rockland and Stamford can meet all your White Plains fire damage cleanup needs. One call to (914) 505-6570 arranges for a prompt assessment and emergency services intervention planning and implementation.

AdvantaClean of Westchester, Rockland and Stamford

(914) 505-6570

145 Summerfield St, Scarsdale, NY 10583

Schedule an Appointment or Call (914) 505-6570

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(914) 505-6570
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