How Does Smoke Damage Affect Your House - Is it Unsafe to Live In?

Home fires are unsafe for everyone living in the home. They can require the need of fire damage repair in the beginning, but even when the flames are gone, you're left with another hazardous thing: smoke pollution. No matter the fire's size, large or small, smoke has the ability to affect your whole residence. The odor from smoke can penetrate the home by getting in walls, vents and other hard-to-reach places, and it can impact your personal belongings. The smoke soot leftover from the fire can also generate damage to your home. As a fire damage restoration company, Paul Davis knows how destructive a fire can be and how dangerous smoke damage is to you and your home. Clearing out any fragments from smoke damage is just as important as taking care of fire damage. Soot and smoke that lingers can actually impair the health of anyone living inside the home. It isn't safe to live inside a residence with smoke damage, even if all the smoke is cleared away, there could still be soot and particles around that you can't see. That's why it's very important to have a professional inspect your property after you've experienced a home fire.

Health Issues that Result from Smoke Contamination

What are the harmful effects from smoke pollution? To begin with, tar is a byproduct of smoke, and we've been informed that breathing in tar can cause significant damage to our lungs. Yet, carbon monoxide is one of the more dangerous things you should watch out for. Even if all the smoke contamination is out of the area, carbon monoxide can still remain. The harmful gas is odorless, tasteless and invisible, and when breathed in, it can prevent oxygen from getting to your brain and heart. One of the experts at Paul Davis can come by your property after a home fire and check your carbon monoxide levels for your safety. Some of the health problems that can arise from smoke damage can include:

  • Respiratory Issues – Your lungs and sinuses could be affected negatively, making breathing problematic, if your residence hasn't had smoke damage removed of correctly. Even if your residence is free from smoke, small particles from the fire and smoke could still remain in your furniture and carpets. If this is the situation, then you're in danger of inhaling these particles which can lead to medical attention down the road.
  • Skin Damage – Since residue from fire and smoke can get trapped into your furniture, clothing and carpets, this can lead to major skin irritation. This can be serious enough where lotion is unable to treat it.
  • Eye Irritation – Smoke damage has the ability to hang around, even if you can't see it, and this can irritate the eyes making them red, itchy and watery. If the issue is ignored for a duration of time, this can lead to more complications and damage to your eyes.

Eliminate Smoke Contamination - Paul Davis Is Here to Help

No matter how big or small the fire is, smoke damage can invade your property. It isn't safe to live in your residence if there is smoke damage. To stop further damage to your health and your property, the expert team at Paul Davis is here to assist. As fire damage restoration experts, we understand the importance of cleaning up smoke damage. To get help from a local franchise, give us a call at (403)342-4666 today.