Why Smoke Damage Is Not a DIY Job

If you love few things more than getting out the mop, the vacuum, and a caddy full of cleaning supplies to tidy your house from top to bottom, you may be tempted to try to clean up smoke damage yourself. Or maybe you just want to save money. Whatever the reason, smoke damage presents several challenges that make leaving it to professionals a good idea.

Health Hazards

There’s a reason that professionals use personal protective equipment when cleaning up after a fire. Smoke leaves particles in the air that aren’t great for your health when inhaled. In addition, vacuums, brooms, and other home cleaning tools may spread those particles around even more. You may experience skin and eye irritation or respiratory problems if you try to do this yourself.

Stubborn Soot

Unlike dust, dirt, and other typical household messes that you’re used to cleaning up, smoke damage presents some unique problems. It often takes professional experience, equipment, and cleaning products to address those problems.

Your own efforts may end up simply grinding the residue deeper into walls and other surfaces. The approach to cleanup by professionals may differ depending on what kind of material burned and what material needs cleaning. Your usual products may also react chemically to the smoke damage and cause discoloration or staining.

Hidden Damage

You may be able to swipe a counter with a sponge to remove the soot on it, but smoke damage isn’t just about what’s on the surface. It can penetrate wood, soft furnishings, and other items. A professional cleaning tackles these tough problems.

In addition, smoke odors can linger in the air or seem to dissipate but reappear later when the weather changes. Professionals have the air-purification tools necessary to eliminate this odor permanently.

Potential Insurance Complications

You could run into several potential problems with insurance if you attempt DIY smoke cleanup. If you make the problem worse with your efforts, your insurance company might not pay for a subsequent professional cleaning. A DIY cleanup might also fail to produce the documentation that the insurer requires. Another possible problem is that you might have more trouble establishing how serious the damage was if you do it on your own.

A fire can be a stressful experience. In the immediate aftermath, you might be tempted to start trying to eradicate all traces of it right away. However, this can be bad for your own health and your ability to get the insurance help that you need. Above all, it can be counterproductive, leaving your property even more damaged. Restoration companies know that acting quickly to clean up smoke damage is important and won’t delay. As much as you may love a good spring cleaning session, this is one situation where you’re better off leaving cleanup to the pros. When you need smoke damage services in Cincinnati, OH, contact United Water Restoration Group of Cincinnati.