ANSWERS: 1
  • Fire can cause a horrific amount of damage to materials that are not flame-retardant. Despite this, and surprisingly, many things damaged in a fire can be salvaged, often only requiring a good cleaning to remove smoke and soot. Other materials can become contaminated to the extent that they should be disposed of permanently. While the types of repairs done after a fire vary depending on the material damaged, those costing $2,000 or more require a repair permit.

    Concrete and Masonry

    Light damage on concrete and masonry can be fixed simply by washing them with a detergent and dry sponging. Soot deposits will require power washing in addition to dry sponging and detergent. Heavy damage will require a degreaser and dry ice or soda-ash blasting in order to remove the acidic soot and smoke deposits.

    Wood Framing

    Wood is a very flammable material and wood framing can easily become charred or scorched. Smoke and soot can be removed with a cellulose sponge and detergent -- dry ice or soda ash for heavy soot. Any wood framing that is damaged to the extent that its safety and structural integrity is jeopardized should be cut out and replaced by new wood. Wood that is discolored can be painted over if there are cosmetic concerns.

    Metal

    Metal with light damage can be cleaned with nonabrasive detergent. If the fire caused the metal to become exposed to acidic materials, ionic cleaners can be used to stop damage.

    Machinery

    Small machinery such as power tools should be cleaned with water and detergent and left to dry for two to three days. Larger machinery should not only be cleaned but also oiled.

    Contamination

    All water, food, drug and hygiene products that were exposed to fire should be removed and disposed of. Water and food will likely contain mold after a fire, while drugs and hygiene products might have their chemical nature changed, potentially causing them to become toxic.

    Documents

    Salvaging documents such as books and CDs can be complicated and a document processing/reprocessing company will probably need to be consulted. Books are best cleaned with a dry sponge, because water can damage the paper further. Magnetic material such as CDs is best cleaned with a vacuum.

    Plants

    Plants damaged by fire can be salvaged if they are still alive. Plants should be washed with a very diluted soap and as much soil as possible should be replaced before the plant is watered, because the soil might now contain toxins that can poison the plant.

    Source:

    Flagship Services Group: Fire and smoke damage repair guidelines

    Snohomish County: Fire Damage Repair

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