Can Carpets Get Cleaned for Reuse After a Fire?

4/28/2020 (Permalink)

New Providence, your fire damage needs SERVPRO’s tools and reliability.

With their advanced equipment and years of experience, SERVPRO can restore the carpet in your New Providence home after a fire loss.

There are a few key elements that need to happen after a fire loss in a New Providence home to ensure the carpet is restorable. In many cases, although a carpet covered in soot may be overwhelming to look at, it has possibilities for reuse through professional cleaning applications.

• The restoration services need to begin as soon as possible
• If water got used to extinguish the fire, it needs to have aged less than 24-hours
• The carpet should have no charring or melted areas

What Should Be Done First for a Carpet with Fire Damage?

If you have a New Providence home with fire damage that affects a room with carpet, one of the first actions you should do is to confer with your fire department to see if it safe for you to remain in the dwelling. Noxious smoke residues and soot have the potential to be an irritant and may not be healthy to stay around them. In the majority of cases, if the loss is in a single area that can get closed off, the fire department may say it is okay to remain within the property as long as the HVAC remains off and you avoid foot traffic throughout the loss area.

Cleaning and Removal of Other Items in the Rooms Damaged by Fire

The techs remove furnishings and other items on the carpet so it can get cleaned properly. As each element gets moved, the techs make a detailed report of the article, its location in the room as well as its condition. Items that need cleaning get transferred to an outside area for restorative cleaning actions. Any item too damaged for restoration gets disposed of only with the approval of the property owner or the adjuster. 

Common Tactics for Carpet Restoration After Fire Loss

Before any cleanup begins on the carpet, the SERVPRO techs test the fibers to determine their likelihood of shrinkage, dye bleed, and material makeup. This assists the techs in choosing the correct cleaning solutions and methods that result in the best outcome. 

• Extraction of any remaining water from fire extinguishing efforts
• Drying of the carpet using air movers 
• Removal of soot from the fibers using vacuums
• Addressing of any residual staining or spots
• Deep steam cleaning to eradicate any remaining dirt, oils or odors

Equipment Crucial to Carpet Restoration After a Home Fire

SERVPRO technicians rely on different types of professional-grade equipment to assist in the restoration of the carpet. Containment using heavy gauge plastic keeps the airborne soot within the work area during mitigation. When needed, the technicians can create negative air chambers to capture and port away particulate. They also utilize air scrubbers to help improve air quality during the cleanup and restoration. 

Portable pumps do the work to pull large amounts of water quickly out of the carpet and allow technicians to move on rapidly to the drying phase. In some cases, the carpet may need a particular drying application known as "floating." This method involves opening one side of the carpet and directing the flow of air movers underneath. In situations where only a portion of the carpet requires drying, the technicians can create custom tents using plastic over the wet areas only and dry them thoroughly. 

Help With Filing Insurance Claims After a Fire in the Home

Although SERVPRO technicians attempt to save homeowners the cost of replacement for all types of structure and contents after a fire, it is not always possible. Any items that turned out to be a loss get a full, detailed report created that includes photos and descriptions to assist property owners in the filing of any loss claims with their insurance company. This report can aid in expediting the claims. 

How Can Smoke Odors Get Removed from a Carpet?

After a fire, the pungent odor of smoke permeates anything porous; this includes carpet. The techs have the experience and advanced equipment to address any level of odor control needed to eradicate the distinctive, pungent scent that a fire can leave behind in a home. They frequently turn to applications such as thermal fogging or the safe but powerful hydroxyl generators for use on airborne particles. 

Fire damage can spread throughout the home unless cleanup begins quickly. SERVPRO of Western Union County at (908) 791-9177 is available 24/7 to assist local property owners with the full restoration of their homes after a fire loss.