Did you know that there are various types of soot associated with fires?

9/21/2020 (Permalink)

Soot often continues to spread after the fire is extinguished and may affect all areas of your home or business.

Fire damage to your northern Virginia home or business can be devastating.  It is easy to see the aftermath of the flames as they have engulfed your belongings and building materials in its wake.  One thing that may be more encompassing than the flames is the soot released by the burning materials.  Soot is acidic by nature and may cause tremendous damage as it continues to degrade metals, finish coatings, and electronics until it is removed.  The problem of soot removal is that it is sometimes hard to see and there are different types that require specific cleaning methods.  Soot also continues to spread until it exhausts its energy, moving towards colder temperatures, often affecting all areas of your home or business, even areas not affected directly by the fire.  Fortunately, our Team at SERVPRO of Dale City/Lake Ridge and SERVPRO of Woodbridge/Lorton is familiar with all types of soot and have the expertise needed to make it “Like it never even happened.”

Fuel oil soot – Oil Heating Systems are most common for “puffbacks”.  A puffback is typically caused by excess fuel in the burner chamber that, upon ignition, causes a small explosion, sending soot throughout your vent system.  This type of soot is generally grey to black and greasy in nature making it streaky and hard to clean when it is fresh and, over time, it can even bond to surfaces making it unable to be fully cleaned.

Protein residues – Protein residues are most often seen in kitchen fires.  Unlike what most people consider soot to look like, it is yellow or amber in color as it coats and may be hard to see as a slight discoloration on walls, cabinets, and appliances.  Because it is very hard to see this soot, the telltale sign may be a lingering odor issue if all surfaces are not thoroughly cleaned.

Wet soot – Wet smoke is typically left behind in a slow burning, low-heat fire.  It is usually black and leaves behind a sticky and this residue that can be easily smeared during clean up.  These are usually smoldering fires and can be commonly caused by plastic or rubber materials.

Dry soot – Opposite of wet smoke, dry smoke is most common during high heat, fast burning fires.  Fuels such as wood and paper cause dry soot.  Dry soot can be easier to clean, but due to the fact it has dry, fine particles, it can fall into cracks and crevices, making it not only hard to see, but harder to clean.

If you have a fire or soot emergency, give our Team at SERVPRO of Dale City/Lake Ridge and SERVPRO of Woodbridge/Lorton.  We’re here to help 24/7/365.