Repairing Smoke-Damaged Contents

5/21/2022 (Permalink)

Content Cleaning After a Fire

If your Littleton, CO, business is damaged in a fire, you have more than the structure to worry about. Unfortunately, the materials in the building are also likely to be damaged. An experienced restoration service can help you with content cleaning and repair. Although dry-cleaning is one of the most common methods, there are a variety of options available.

Cleaning
Your business likely has a mix of porous and non-porous items that must be cleaned after a fire. Some items will be covered in soot, and others may have water damage from the extinguishing efforts. The specific approach should be tailored to the individual item, but some common techniques include:

• Dry-cleaning
  
• Abrasive cleaning
  
• Immersion cleaning
  
• Foam cleaning
  
  

The faster cleanup begins, the less likely the items are to suffer permanent damage. Mold growth can begin within 24 hours when an item is wet, so it is important to start the cleanup process as quickly as possible.

Repairing and Replacing
Unfortunately, dry-cleaning and other cleaning techniques are not enough for some items. These objects require more intensive restoration methods, such as replacing damaged parts and re-covering surfaces. Other items are not salvageable and must be replaced. Professionals can help you determine what can be repaired and what needs to be thrown away.

Storing
A good restoration company will provide content storage along with cleaning services. Storing items off-site allows more room at the building for big cleanup jobs and structural repairs. Climate-controlled storage is an ideal solution for the contents of your commercial building. Make sure you feel comfortable with the storage area before your belongings are moved. Ask about retrieval policies and what happens if your items are damaged at the storage location.
Business documents and other contents are very important for the survival of the business. If these items are damaged in a fire, the results can be catastrophic. Fortunately, the technology exists to restore many of these items to preloss condition.