Some things you may not know about smoke:
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Hot smoke migrates to cooler areas and upper levels of a structure.
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Smoke flows around plumbing systems, using holes around pipes to go from floor to floor.
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The type of smoke may greatly affect the fire damage restoration process.
Types of Smoke Damage
Once at a fire scene, a Dry All will test the soot to determine which type of smoke damage occurred. Cleaning procedures will be based on the information identified during fire damage pretesting.
Types of soot include:
- Wet Smoke Residues - Result from smoldering fires with low heat. Residues are sticky, smeary and with pungent odors. Smoke webs can be difficult to clean.
- Dry Smoke Residues - Result from fast burning fires at high temperatures. Residues are often dry, powdery, small, nonsmeary smoke particles.
- Protein Residues - Virtually invisible residues that discolor paints and varnishes. Extreme pungent odor.
- Fuel Oil Soot - Furnace puff backs distribute fuel oil soot.
- Other Types of Residues - Tear gas, fingerprint powder, and fire extinguisher residues also need cleanup.
