Getting Ready

The smoke residues left after the fire is extinguished may contain several toxic chemicals. These dangerous and harmful chemicals can lead to severe health problems such as skin infection and respiratory diseases. Therefore, if you are going to clean up the affected place, then you should at least wear protective clothing, goggles, gloves, safety shoes and a dust mask. This will safeguard you against the harmful effects of smoke and help in keeping the odor off of your body.

Proper Ventilation

Making provisions for adequate and appropriate ventilation should be your priority when it comes to cleaning up fire and smoke damage. The high probability of toxic elements in the air, and the odor requires you properly ventilate the affected place in order to disperse the dangerous fumes. Start with opening all the windows and doors of your home. This will help in the circulation of fresh air through your home.

The will and ducts of your air conditioning and heating system will most likely contain sooth or smoke residue and therefore, are needed to be switched on to blow the debris out. You should also replace the filters of these systems as they will be clogged-up with the debris.

Cleaning Equipment and Supplies

Choosing the type and quantity of cleaning supplies you will need depends on the extent of damage caused by fire and smoke. You may select gentle cleaners if the damage is minimal or opt for abrasive ones for extensive damages.
Trisodium Phosphate (TSP), a chemical widely applied for cleaning exterior surfaces, is considered one of the most effective cleansers for fire and smoke damage. Wear proper clothing and protective gear before using this chemical, as it can cause skin burns, abrasions and irritation in the eyes. Ensure that all the things such as bleach, buckets, sponges, rags and warm water are all set before starting the actual cleaning process. Read the usage instructions listed on the bottle of TSP and mix the desired amount of the chemical with appropriate quantity of warm water or bleach. Use the scouring sponge and scrub a small portion of affected surface. Once the portion is scrubbed, immediately rinse it using a rag and water. If left on the surface for a longer duration of time, TSP can damage it or cause discoloration. Repeat the process to clean all the surfaces.

Hire a Professional

Fire and smoke can damage any part of your home, even the ones that are hard to reach for you, making the cleanup task more challenging than anticipated. All the areas, materials, surfaces and household items of your home must be cleaned thoroughly, even if they appear undamaged or don’t look soiled. Therefore, it is highly suggested that you should call up a professional to get this demanding task done properly and safely.

In Millbury, a five year old was one of those killed. Four other residents who lost their lives were all adults. One person was discovered dead laying in a street in Millbury and two people were killed while traveling in their vehicle just outside Millbury. In neighboring Michigan, eleven people were hurt when a violent storm struck the state’s southeast corner, even damaging the Fermi 2 nuclear power plant which was quickly shut down. In the small town of Dundee, Michigan, ten injured residents were rushed to the local hospital after being injured by a storm that passed through at 3 a.m. Over 450 people staying at a water park facility nearby were forced to evacuate to a junior high school late at night.

This part of the United States often receives very heavy thunderstorms which gather momentum as they travel eastward across the Plains and unfortunately, tornadoes are not uncommon here. Every town and city in the five state area is equipped with tornado siren systems which alert residents when a tornado has been spotted. Storm ’spotters’ are sent out to keep an eye on the skies around townships, small towns and cities and quite often spotters are volunteer firemen and women who are donating their time to protect their homes and neighborhoods.

In Michigan’s Jackson County, the Sheriff’s office has decided to test the tornado sirens today after some of the warnings did not go off during the storm activity that passed through last weekend. There are a total of seven townships that reported problems with their sirens. Some of the county’s sirens were upgraded last year after failing to go off following a heavy summer storm. It is reported that a total of eight different tornadoes touched down in Michigan over this past weekend. Jackson County did not report any tornado activity but heavy rain and thunderstorms flooded streets, knocked over trees and cut power to hundreds. Luckily once the rain subsided, the water disappeared thanks to city drains.

Following a flood, the clean up process is long and difficult. Many homeowners are so shocked by what has happened that they fail to take quick action. If you have experienced a significant amoutn of water damage in your home, it is imperative that you take immediate action in order to minimize the damage and save as much as you can.

The first thing you should do is contact your insurance agent. If you are covered for flood damage, he/she will tell you what steps must be taken. Make a list of your damages and be sure to take photos and video footage that will all come in handy when it comes time to file the actual claim. You now need to get busy pumping out the standing water with a sump pump and remove any wet carpeting. If upholstered furniture was involved, it is often best to throw it away as it is nearly impossible to completely dry thick upholstery before mold and mildew begins to grown. Wood veneer furniture is normally not worth saving, so if it was involved-throw it away. Solid wood furniture can typically be restored unless it was left standing in water for many hours.

If drywall was involved in the flood, it is best to remove the affected sections by simply cutting it away with a reciprocating saw and replacing it with new drywall. Fiberglass insulation batts that have become soaked should be replaced since it tends to hold moisture. Blown-in cellulose insulation also should be replaced for the same reason but if the insulation consists of styrofoam, this needs only to be hosed off. Hire a heavy duty dehumidifier from a nearby rental center and place it in a central location and set run it on ‘high’. Do not be tempted to crank the heat up in the affected rooms as this will encourage the growth of dangerous and destructive mold and mildew. You only have a two day window before mold begins to grow, so you want to completely eliminate any and all possible breeding grounds. The dehumidifier, if left on for two or three days should dry out the area so that you can begin to disinfect in a couple of days.

Besides checking pipes to help reduce the chances of your basement flooding regularly inspect heating and air conditioning systems. Check to see if the drain pan is removed of dust and debris to insure that it is flowing freely. Inspect filters to see if they need to be replaced. Furthermore inspect other ventilation systems such as water heater, exhaust fan, dryer fans, etc to insure they are working properly too. Most home defense against water is a sump pump. A sump pump is a system that keeps unwanted water out by routing it away from your home. When inspecting the sump pump make sure that it isn’t clogged or frozen so water can be directed away. To verify the sump pump is running fill the sump pump pit with water and see that it is pumping water out. Other precaution are to make sure that in the discharge line the air hole is clean and that it is also not emitting off strange noises. If the sump pump is battery powered replace battery when needed.

Over time the foundation of your home shifts and settles causing gaps and cracks. Even with the best water defenses it’s still not waterproof. Make sure there isn’t an excessive amount of water around your home which can lead to moisture in your basement or leaks. A way to prevent flooding is making sure your gutters systems are working and aren’t clogged. Position the gutter so the water is diverted away from the house by pointing the gutter down a slope towards a sidewalk or a sewage drain.
If you happen to experience flooding or any sort of water damage to your home there is equipment that can assist you in resolving small water problems. For an example a mop or a wet vacuum not to be confused with a regular vacuum this machine is made for the purpose of a wet environment. The wet vacuum is useful with extracting small amounts of water, but not so effective with serious flooding. With any flooding whether it’s a little puddle or a couple feet of water you should contact professionals to assist you in resolving the matter to insure that the job is done correctly and that it doesn’t occur again in the future.