What To Do Until Help Arrives

12/26/2019 (Permalink)

This image just shows soot build up in areas of the house. Soot is toxic and shouldn't be breathed in or it can cause serious health issues.

It is very important to know what actions to take yourself when catastrophe strikes and you're waiting on your area's SERVPRO crew. In some scenarios, taking action and doing what you can do is the difference between the problem being easily managed and it getting worse. I'm going to list a couple "do's and don't's" when it comes to fire and smoke damage. 

One thing that anyone can do in the instance of fire or smoke damage is to limit movement in the home to prevent soot particles from being embedded into upholstery and carpet. Another thing you can do is to tape a double layer of cheesecloth over air registers to stop particles of soot from getting in or out of the HVAC system. 

One thing not to do is to attempt to clean any electrical appliances that may have been close to fire, heat or water. Another big thing to keep in mind is to not consume any food or beverages that may have been stored close to fire, heat or water.