How To Deal With Smoke Damage

At ORC Services we see this all too often.  People are cooking a meal and they get distracted by their phones, children, pets, the computer, or whatever and they forget there is something on the stove.  Next thing they know, the smoke alarms are going off and the house is filled with smoke.

Once your home is damaged by smoke, it feels like no matter what you use, that lingering smell of smoke just won’t go away.

Even if the fire was small and contained to your kitchen, with these popular open floor plans smoke and soot would have likely spread throughout the home.  Now you are dealing with the lingering after-effects to your walls, carpets, furniture, appliances, and other household items.  Your furniture is especially vulnerable to absorbing soot and smoke odor due to being porous and that’s when the frustration begins.  With all that smoke and odor you will need to clean those pieces immediately to remove the damage. But still, the smell lingers.

Despite all the cleaning and vacuuming you may do, you may need to bring in a restoration specialist with an ozone generator.  The ozone generator is set up in the room and allowed to run for several hours (depending on the degree of damage and the type of smoke chemicals that are present). What will happen is the ozone gas then attaches itself to the odor-causing molecules and basically restructures them into molecules that don’t create odor. There shouldn’t be any hint of smoke left on your furniture after this process is completed.

Check your insurance policy. It could be that your homeowners or renters insurance will cover the repairs, but it’s not likely.   According to Claimsmate.com, “Most homeowners insurance covers smoke damage but problems could still arise. As we’ve seen, smoke can get anywhere and everywhere and cover your things with soot, a sticky black residue. As far as your insurance claim goes, the first issue lies in whether or not the insurance company wants to pay for a replacement or to have the affected items and areas cleaned. Most of the time, they’re more likely to pay for cleaning items with smoke damage than replacing them. Differences of opinion can arise as to what should be replaced and what can be cleaned. For example, if your curtains have been damaged by smoke, the insurance company might feel that reimbursing you for a trip to the dry cleaner is sufficient. You might feel that they should be replaced. Conflicts like this can easily arise when it comes to smoke damage. That’s why the steps you take when filing an insurance claim for fire and smoke damage are so important.”

ORC Services has been working with Insurance Companies for years so, before you call them, you might want to call us. We can help you get everything fixed up, and perhaps even help you with your claims.