3 Types of Smoke Damage That Can Happen in Your Home

Smoke damage is one of the most common damages accrued by fire damage. Fire and smoke damage cost homeowners billions of dollars every year. According to the National Fire Protection Agency, over 350,000 home fires occur every year. Where there’s fire, there’s certain to be smoke. Regardless of how small a fire is, the end result is typically some form of smoke damage.

There are 3 distinct types of smoke damage that are common in the home. United Water Restoration Group would like to discuss these types of damage and how to protect yourself and your home from them. Smoke damage is a very common form of damage in homes. Educating yourself on the different types can help you better understand how to clean up or what to expect.

Smoke Damage Type #1: Dry Smoke

Dry smoke is created by high temperature, fast-burning materials such as paper and wood. This type of smoke is one of the most common forms. It can happen after nearly any type of heat or fire event takes place. Dry smoke damage is most commonly found in the kitchen.

This form of smoke damage is easily cleaned up. However, due to the nature and intensity of the heat, damage may seep through cracks and through certain materials. This would mean that even after cleaning up the dry smoke, you may still smell an odor. If this occurs, you may need to replace the objects altogether.

Dry smoke damage is most commonly found in the kitchen. Dry smoke comes in a fin, powdery texture that may be cleaned by general surface cleaners. If you clean up and continue to smell the odor, it may be time to hire a fire remediation company, like United Water Restoration Group, to help correct the problem.

Smoke Damage Type #2: Wet Smoke

In the average home there are many items that once lit on fire will produce what is called wet smoke. While dry smoke damage is typically from faster burning materials such as paper or wood, wet smoke is produced by rubber and plastic items. Wet smoke damage comes from items that typically burn slowly. These items tend to smolder, giving off a pungent, strong odor that can clear any room. 

Wet smoke damage is also very commonly found in the kitchen., It can be as simple as setting down a Tupperware container on top of a slightly warm surface. This type of smoke damage can happen quickly despite the materials having a slow burn. Wet smoke damage is not as easy to clean off as dry smoke.

The reason for this being that wet smoke typically smears as one tries to wipe it up. Depending on the severity of wet smoke damage, you may require the services of a fire remediation company, like United Water Restoration Group. Wet smoke is a lot more difficult to clean up than dry smoke. It has a much more pungent and strong odor that can fill all the rooms of your home. 

Smoke Damage Type #3: Protein Residue Smoke 

This type of fire is always started in the home’s kitchen. Protein residue is the result of an organic item, such as meat, oils, and fats, being cooked and evaporated during a low-heat fire. This type of smoke doesn’t even have to result from a fire. It is fairly common during cooking items that are oily or contain high amounts of fat. This type of damage is incredibly dangerous as it can also end with a grease fire.

Grease fires are very much unlike regular fires and are much more difficult to calm. If you ever have a suspected grease fire, you should NEVER use water. Since oil and water do not mix, pouring water onto a grease fire will cause the oil to splash and spread. This can cause the fire to grow and become more intense. Oil is also able to be carried in vaporized water, which could spread the fire and make it even worse. The best way to calm a grease fire is to smother it with a thick blanket or use a chemical fire extinguisher. 

Protein residue is also a challenge to clean up as it doesn’t leave any visible damage or streaking. Despite being invisible to the naked eye, it is still present in the room. This form of damage can leave permanent discoloration to one’s walls or ceilings. The biggest giveaway for damage is the strong smell it leaves behind.

People typically underestimate the amount of damage caused by protein residue smoke. Most will sweep it under the rug and ignore it. While the damage may not seem major enough, the smells of the fire can linger for sometime and weaken the affected materials. Though this type of damage typically isn’t drastic, seeking a fire remediation company, like United Water Restoration Group, can help determine the severity of the damage. Though it isn’t likely to be much, in these instances, it is better to be safe than sorry. 

What Should You Do After Smoke Damage?

If your home has suffered from a recent fire event and the odors are lingering, it may be time to consider a fire remediation company. United Water Restoration Group is a remediation company that focuses on fire, smoke, mold, and water damage.

Our technicians are professionally trained and certified in up-to-date techniques that seek to bring your home or business back to a state of normalcy. Smoke damage can render a home uninhabitable or can pose threats to one’s health. Inhalation of said smoke is also another cause for concern that should warrant the idea of a fire remediation company. Smoke inhalation can cause burns to your respiratory system and may cause sickness due to prolonged exposure to toxic smoke fumes.

United Water Restoration Group is here to help. If your home has suffered from smoke or fire damage, you can contact our hotline, (800) 430-5838, which is open 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. This hotline can place you in direct contact with one of our certified technicians. To find the closest United Water Restoration Group office to you, go to our website and input your zip code to our database!

We provide services in Ormond Beach, Florida, Jacksonville, Florida, Daytona Beach, Florida, Orlando, Florida, Tampa, Florida, Melbourne, Florida, and many other locations around Florida!