How soot travels through a home

9/8/2021 (Permalink)

While we hope you never experience a disaster in your home or business, we do know we are ready to help you restore it in the event of one

If a fire has occurred in your home or business you likely will notice soot throughout the entire property, not just in the area where the fire occurred. So how does this happen? How can you get rid of the soot? Keep reading to find out more information about how soot travels during a fire and what you can do about it. 

What Is Soot?

Soot is a black powdery or flakey substance that is produced when organic matter burns incompletely. This means that when things burn, they don’t completely disappear, they leave behind particles known as soot. Because soot comes from the burning of many different materials, it can also contain things like acids, chemicals, metals, soils, and dust. These soot particles leave behind a mess and often a foul smell. 

How Soot Travels

When there is a fire in your home, soot can easily travel throughout your whole home. The ultra-light particles can float through the air and reach surfaces throughout your whole home. If the air conditioning or heat is running soot can even enter your HVAC system which will disperse soot throughout your whole home. When this happens air ducts should be cleaned to eliminate the HVAC system further dispersing soot throughout your home. 

Can Soot Damage My Home?

Because soot has acidic properties it can further damage your home and harm indoor air quality. Soot can continue to degrade the surfaces and air quality in your home if it is not cleaned immediately.

What If There Wasn’t A Fire?

If you notice soot in your home, but there was never a fire, you might be wondering where the soot came from. Even if there wasn’t a fire, things like fireplaces, furnaces, and excessive use of candles can cause soot building throughout your home. 

Is Soot Dangerous

Soot inhalation can be dangerous which is why you should only enter your home after it has been deemed safe by the Charlotte Fire Department and a fire restoration company. Improperly cleaning soot can lead to excessive inhalation of soot, and soot can be left behind, causing health effects in the future.

How To Clean Soot

Cleaning soot can be difficult to remove from many surfaces as it is a sticky substance and can stain fabrics. Additionally, cleaning soot improperly can mean breathing in soot particles. 

When cleaning soot, safety equipment is essential for reducing the danger of soot exposure. Specialized techniques such as air scrubbing may be necessary to reduce linger scents and restore air quality. 

Using household cleaners to clean soot isn’t enough. Soot particles will leave behind a smell and stain surfaces when professional tools and cleaners are not used. Fire restoration experts will be able to save your personal belongings that can’t be cleaned with household products. 

If your home has experienced a fire and is in need of restoration experts, be sure to call SERVPRO of Winston Salem North. Our expert technicians can make it "Like it never even happened."