The Smoke Odor Removal Process

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For example, if you have smoke on your walls and ceiling you need to remove as much of the smoke as possible. This needs to done prior to any attempt to use chemicals or paints. Another example is someone that has an appliance fire. Prompt  removal of the appliance from the house would be the first step to take in reducing the odor.

The fire and smoke damage shown in the picture above resulted from a gas explosion. We had to brace up the load bearing structural members, remove damaged girders and floor joist, and treat the entire crawl space for smoke odor.

The second step in odor removal involves treatment of the residual odors. Listed below are some of the more common treatment procedures.

1.Oxidation- is a chemical reaction in which oxygen combines with another substance. The most common use of oxidation in smoke odor removal is the use of an ozone machine. Ozone can be very effective in removing odor from some substances, but not others. A knowledgeable fire and smoke restoration contractor will know when to try this process.

2.Neutralalization- involves combining chemicals to effectively neutralize an odor.

3.Bioenzymatic digestion- involves special genetically engineered bacteria and enzymes which actually consume odorous materials.

4. Adsorbents- are materials such as activated charcoal which capture and hold odors on their surfaces. We did a job in Jacksonville, NC  where we had a very difficult time in finding and removing a smoke odor in an attic. We ended up using a granular activated charcoal product and it eliminated the odor .

5.Counteraction- Some odors are made up of a mixture of compounds. Complex odors such as smoke odor respond well to a series of odor counteraction procedures such as suppression spraying, vapor phase re-odorization, and thermal fogging.

Conclusion. Smoke is a complex substance and no two house fires are the same. For successful remediation of smoke odor you need to call an experienced insurance restoration contractor.  Call the name most trusted in New Bern and all of Eastern North Carolina.