The Dangers Of Soot

8/27/2018 (Permalink)

After a house fire, the danger unfortunately does not stop once the flames have been put out. Soot may have spread to your entire home, posing a threat to your health and the building. Learn more about soot, how dangerous it is, and how to restore the damage below.

What is soot?

Soot is made of tiny carbon particles created by incomplete combustion of fossil fuels (wood, oil, coal, and more). Soot contains lots of acids, as well as chemicals, metals, soils, and dust. These particles leave an ugly sight and a foul smell.

During a fire, soot spreads to the whole house, attaching to surfaces. Thus, the acidic properties of soot can further damage your home and indoor air quality if the soot is'nt removed immediately.

Soot can inhabit your home even if there wasn’t a fire. Excessive use of candles can lead to soot buildup, so make sure to use them sparingly (they are also pose a fire risk). Fireplaces can release soot as well if they are not ventilated enough. Furnaces are also a source of soot contamination when they produce a puff back.

Outdoors, soot is released into the environment when fossil fuels are burned for industrial purposes. The chemical compounds of soot hurts the ecosystem considerably. Soot in your home acts similar, damaging the indoor air quality in addition to leaving behind bad odors and stains.

What are the dangers of soot exposure?

Statistics show that particle exposure leads to around 20,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.  Moreover, soot exposure causes 300,000 asthma attacks and two million lost workdays annually due to respiratory problems.

Soot can enter your body through inhalation, ingestion or via the skin and eyes. These toxic particles can cause breathing issues. Infants, the elderly, and those who already have breathing problems are the most affected.

To avoid the health risks of soot exposure after a home fire, make sure that all soot-affected areas are properly cleaned and sanitized.

How to clean up soot

Your house likely holds many chemicals, such as plastics, foams, carpets, wood products, and synthetic fabrics. Soot derived from these materials leads to health hazards that make fire restoration a dangerous and difficult task. Even if the fire was small, soot particles can invade your whole property through the HVAC system.

When cleaning soot, wearing safety equipment to protect the lungs, skin, and eyes is essential in reducing soot exposure dangers. Specialized techniques such as air scrubbing and thermal fogging are also needed to restore indoor air quality after a fire.

A dust mask and a household cleaner are not enough to clean up soot! Removing soot thoroughly requires professional tools, knowledge, and expertise. Experts can properly clean soot and odors from your entire home to ensure it is safe to inhabit.

Smoke Damage in your home or business? Contact the professionals here at SERVPRO of Oldham/Shelby County today. 502.241.6861

SERVPRO of Oldham/Shelby also proudly serves Spencer, Trimble and Henry Counties.