House fires are something that no homeowner wants to face, but as with any disaster, knowing how to mitigate the damage can make it easier to deal with the aftermath. While some effects of a house fire are immediately clear, others are more subtle. When beginning the process of fire damage repair, it’s important to know how every aspect, particularly smoke, can affect your home. 

How Does Smoke Affect a House? 

Smoke can cause visual damage to walls and items throughout a  home. Surfaces may become yellow or discolored, metal objects may rust, and plastic objects may warp in shape. These effects may occur hours after the fire, or even in the days and weeks following.

Smoke damage may also leave unpleasant and potentially toxic odors throughout your home. In some cases, the smoky smell may be mitigated by simply clearing out soot, but in other cases, such as when plastics or insulation have been burned, a smoky odor can be toxic, requiring more serious fire damage repair.

What Areas Are Affected?

The area the smoke impacts is largely due to the pattern in which the fire travels. These areas might include:

• Corners: Due to the electric charge of smoke particles, marks from smoke damage can cluster in cobweb shapes in the corners between ceilings and walls, particularly if the smoke was produced from burning plastic.
• Ceilings: Because the heat from a smoke source rises, there will usually be smoky residue on the ceilings directly above the source; the smoke may also form rings around nails in the walls.
• Windows: Another quality of smoke is that it’s attracted to cooler areas of a space, so you’ll often find smoke residue on or around windows or external walls.
• Structure: Smoke damage can also infiltrate through your home’s walls and damage the frame, insulation, and air vents in your home. In particular, soot may become trapped in air vents and periodically cause an odor or respiratory problems.

Because the effects of smoke damage are not only immediate but also long-term and subtle, it’s important to perform fire damage repair as soon as possible. For efficient, reliable service, trust All Care Restorations in Lincoln, NE. The company boasts more than 20 years of experience, offering high-quality, licensed services for fire damage repair, smoke damage restoration, carpet cleaning, clutter clean up, and a number of other services to help clients restore their homes. To learn more, call (402) 421-3779 or visit their website today.