Charleston Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration: Essential Steps to a Safe and Quick Recovery

It’s vital for anyone who lives or owns property in Charleston to understand how to address smoke and fire damage. Though the area is muggy and damp and not particularly prone to wildfires, the age of the town and the prevalence of old wooden buildings increase the risk of dangerous fires.

According to Risk Factor, a majority of the properties in the Charleston area have some risk of being impacted by fires in the next 30 years.

The impact of fire and smoke damage is costly and often forces property owners to rebuild at least some portion of the damaged building. Because of how long it can take to repair these damages, fires can shut down businesses and displace families.

Hiring an experienced professional is the first step in any successful fire and smoke damage restoration effort.

Once hired, your restoration expert will assess the damage and identify key repair areas.

Typical steps in the repair process include:

• Deodorization
• Smoke extraction
• Air scrubbing
• Removal of damaged materials
• Structural repairs and reconstruction

Experienced professionals, like those at Rainbow Restoration®, will carry out these tasks based on the level of property damage you’ve incurred.

No part of dealing with smoke and fire damage is pleasant; yet, a few aspects stand out as particularly challenging. Some difficult aspects include:

• Smoke odor removal – Removing the smoke odor is difficult but necessary. If smoke odors are not properly removed, it can lead to adverse health effects for future occupants.
• Secondary damage due to weather – This is of particular concern in Charleston, which is humid and rainy. Fires often leave buildings partially exposed to the elements. If it rains before the building is covered, it can cause serious damage to the property.
• Damage from firefighting efforts – Firefighters can cause water damage and may leave behind dangerous chemical foams and powders that are necessary to extinguish the blaze. These must be removed before the building can be re-occupied.

Charleston is a humid, rainy environment for much of the year. If a fire causes damage to your property and leaves it exposed to the elements, you are at major risk of mold and water damage. When your building is damaged by a fire, the first thing a restoration professional needs to do after assessing the damage is cover any areas exposed to the outside. This is extra important in damp climates like Charleston.

Smoke inhalation and toxin exposure pose risks to both occupants and restoration professionals. For safety purposes, everyone present at the restoration site should wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE).