Why Should You Call a Professional for Smoke Damage to Your Home?

8/15/2022 (Permalink)

This is a kitchen in Redding, California that had smoke damage on the walls and ceiling.

Olfaction is "the act or process of smelling," according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary. As humans, we have the ability to detect very distinct smells. On average, 80 million unique scents, to be exact, according to neurobiologist Leslie Vosshall of Rockefeller University in New York City. 

Pet urine, garbage, manure, sewage, mildew, and sweat, undesirable odors are in our everyday life, and the findings of Alan Hirsch, MD, could make that disheartening. He found, "Odors can induce reverberating circuits which can persist even after you left the smell." - Smell & Taste Research Foundation. But what if the smell is in your home and you can't get it out? 

The odor from a house fire or wildfire is "caused by tiny microscopic particles that cling to walls, furniture, floors, clothing, and other items inside your home." - Gina Peek, OSU. This makes removal of that pesky smoke smell harder than just lighting a candle or spraying an air room freshener. Getting rid of the smoke smell is not simply cosmetic and often requires professionals. However, The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends these few steps to help remove the smell of smoke. Such as washing or dusting household items, laundering clothes, disinfecting and deodorizing all carpets, and have heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning units and all ductwork professionally cleaned. They also recommend contacting professionals for your and your family's safety.

Can you say Soot?

Soot is one of the main reasons to call a professional if you have had a house fire or been close to a wildfire. Soot can be very toxic and can travel throughout your home. SERVPRO of North Shasta, Trinity, and Greater Tehama Counties has specialized equipment to remove smoke and soot from your walls, ceilings, and surfaces of all your possessions. We have technicians trained to clean and restore your items and home, removing the dangers and smells back to pre-fire conditions.

One of the many tools SERVPRO of North Shasta uses is portable air scrubbers. Air scrubbers remove contaminants from the air inside your home, killing harmful pathogens. This will help with the health and quality of your air, but also help remove the stench of smoke. Let's just say after SERVPRO finishes cleaning smoke damage from your home, you will be lighting candles for pleasure, not covering up bad smells. 

We often associate smells with memories, and we believe those memories should be filled with joy, baked goods, and laughter. If you have experienced a house fire or smoke damage to your home, call us at 530-222-0200. We will help get those good smells back into your home.