Fires can have a devastating impact on your home or business, resulting in catastrophic damage that creates a wide range of health and safety issues. While much of the focus after a fire involves structural damage to your property, it’s also important to understand the ways that smoke and fire damage can negatively impact the indoor air quality.
Smoke, soot and other toxic chemicals can linger in the air long after the fire has been extinguished. In addition, smoke and soot can seep into the structural elements of the building and become embedded in fabrics and insulation, gradually releasing pollutants into the air over time. Even if the fire was small or properly contained, you may experience these air quality issues throughout the property, and they can result in serious health issues. To ensure your indoor air quality returns to safe levels, it’s critical to conduct air quality testing as part of the fire damage restoration process.
Common Pollutants Impacting Your Indoor Air Quality After Smoke and Fire Damage
When a fire burns the structures and objects in your home or business, it creates a chemical reaction that releases a wide range of pollutants into the air. The specific contaminants present in your space will depend on the type of materials burned, but some of the most common pollutants impacting your air quality after a fire include:
- Particulate Matter – Microscopic particles consisting of soot and ash can be inhaled into your lungs, causing irritation and respiratory issues. Particulate matter can penetrate deep into your respiratory system and enter your blood stream, resulting in serious health issues.
- Carbon Monoxide – Carbon monoxide produced during a fire can linger in the air for long periods of time, especially if your space is poorly ventilated. Carbon monoxide exposure can result in lead poisoning and cause you to experience a variety of symptoms, including dizziness, unconsciousness and confusion. In serious cases, carbon monoxide exposure can be fatal.
- Volatile Organic Compounds – When common building materials such as insulation, carpets, plastics and paint are burned in a fire, they release gases and other harmful chemicals which can be dangerous to your health. Extended exposure to volatile organic compounds can result in a variety of symptoms, including dizziness, nausea, headaches and respiratory issues. In addition, some volatile organic compounds are carcinogenic.
- Formaldehyde – When synthetic materials such as insulation, particleboard and plywood burn, they can release formaldehyde into the air. Formaldehyde will increase your risk of cancer and cause a variety of adverse symptoms such as coughing, skin rashes, and irritation of your eyes, nose and throat.
- Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons – When organic materials such as coal, wood and petroleum products burn in a fire, they produce chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These chemicals can remain airborne for long periods of time, and they can also turn into soot and settle on surfaces. When ingested or inhaled, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons can cause respiratory issues, skin irritation, and increase your risk of cancer.
- Mold – While mold isn’t directly produced by a fire, it is a common secondary issue associated with them. When water is used to extinguish a fire in your home or business, it creates moist conditions that provide an optimal breeding ground for mold. This can negatively impact your air quality and cause health issues for anyone with allergies or a history of respiratory conditions.
Indoor Air Quality Testing Is Critical to Restore Safe Conditions After a Fire
As part of the fire damage restoration process, indoor air quality testing must be conducted to identify the presence of harmful pollutants and to ensure they are addressed during cleanup efforts. Once all restoration work has been completed, additional air quality testing is performed to determine whether these pollutants remain in unsafe levels. If they do, additional actions will be required to ensure the air in your home or business is safe to breathe.
The information revealed during air quality testing is crucial for:
- Developing effective remediation strategies
- Determining the full extent of the fire’s impact, which may not be visible to the naked eye
- Ensuring insurance claims accurately reflect the necessary restoration work required to eliminate all health hazards from the air in your home or business
Indoor Air Quality Testing Process
Indoor air quality testing involves the following multi-step process:
- Initial Assessment – The affected areas are examined to determine the scope of damage and potential sources of airborne pollutants.
- Air Sampling – Specialized equipment is used to collect air samples from various areas of the property. These samples are sent for lab analysis to determine the specific pollutants impacting your air and measure their concentrations.
- Surface Testing – Surface testing is performed to determine whether contaminants have settled on walls, floors, furniture and other surfaces of your home or business.
- Analysis of Results – After all samples have been tested and analyzed, the results are compared to the safety standards established by government organizations such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to determine whether your air quality is safe for reoccupation.
- Remediation Recommendations – Based on the results of your air quality testing, you’ll receive recommendations on any additional remediation efforts that are necessary.
Just Right Cleaning & Construction Can Restore Indoor Air Quality After Fire Damage
Professional fire damage restoration services are essential to restore indoor air quality to your home or business. At JRCC Damage Restoration Experts, we have you covered. We’ve been the leading fire damage restoration company in the greater Seattle & Spokane Metro Area since 1954. Our team implements a comprehensive fire damage restoration process that includes indoor air quality testing to ensure we eliminate all health hazards from your air.
After receiving the test results, our team will recommend a customized plan to improve your indoor air quality. This may involve one or more of the following:
- Deep cleaning to remove soot, ash and other pollutants from the air and any surfaces they may have settled on
- Duct cleaning to remove soot and debris from your HVAC ductwork, preventing these contaminants from being reintroduced into the air
- Air purification to remove fine particulate matter and other airborne pollutants from your indoor air
- Ventilation improvements to help bring in fresh, clean air from the outside
Contact us today to schedule an appointment. JRCC Damage Restoration Experts serves customers in the greater Seattle & Spokane Metro Area.