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The Different Types of Smoke Damage That Can Occur

The Different Types of Smoke Damage That Can Occur

When a fire occurs in a property, many will believe that the flames of a fire are the primary culprits in causing property damages. But that assumption is not entirely true, as much of the damages in a fire is caused by the smoke that is emitted from burned and charred items. Smoke may not be able to turn belongings into ash, but when smoke comes into contact with objects and surfaces, it will penetrate into nearby objects, causing discoloration and damages.

Depending on what items were burned, the smoke generated from burned items can vary greatly as it can be caustic and/or corrosive, creates a thick film of residue, emits odors, permanently tarnish items, and is easily absorbable. We've compiled a list of the types of smoke damage that can occur within any property when a fire erupts.

  • Wet Smoke: In a slow burning, low temperature fire; the type of smoke that is created is called “wet smoke”. Wet smoke is generally the most troublesome form of smoke to clean, as it takes on the form of a thick and sticky residue that can latch onto surfaces and objects, while emitting heavy smoke odors.
  • Dry Smoke: In a high temperature blaze, “dry smoke” is created. Dry smoke comes in a fine, powder-like form. Fortunately due to its fine form, dry smoke can be easily cleaned from solid surfaces with a general all-purpose cleaner. The only time when dry smoke becomes difficult to clean is when it lands on porous surfaces, as it can then become trapped within the tiny holes and crevices of the surface or object.
  • Protein Smoke: When food is burned, the smoke that is emitted is called “protein smoke”. This type of smoke is generally light in color and appearance, but when it comes into contact painted surfaces or wood, it can cause permanent discoloration.
  • Petroleum Smoke: This type of smoke occurs when oils or oil-based substances are burned. Petroleum smoke is very dark in color and can stain any surface or material it comes into contact with. Fortunately, it can be cleaned with a cleaning agent designed to cut grease, as the smoke residue contains oil components.

Depending where the fire occurs within your property and what materials are burned, you may only see yourself facing only one or two of these types of smoke damage. But when you need smoke and fire damage restoration in El Centro, Imperial, Blythe, Winterhaven, Heber, Brawley, Holtville, Westmorland, Calipatria, Seeley and nearby California, contact ServiceMaster by Critical. We are Imperial County's local fire restoration experts, and we’ll do everything possible to restore and repair your property back to normal.

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our service area

We serve the following areas

  • Bard
  • Blythe
  • Brawley
  • Calexico
  • Calipatria
  • El Centro
  • Heber
  • Holtville
  • Imperial
  • Niland
  • Palo Verde
  • Salton City
  • Seeley
  • Westmorland
  • Winterhaven
Our Locations:

ServiceMaster by Critical
579 E Ross Ave
El Centro, CA 92243
1-760-460-4222
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