What Happens When Fire and Water Damage Combine?

12/19/2018 (Permalink)

Fire damage in North Scottsdale, AZ

Fire damage can destroy building materials and contents. Standing water introduced by fire suppression efforts may cause flooring and furniture to warp and lead to mold growth. Each type of damage intensifies the other, giving rise to a situation that may be difficult for homeowners to remedy. Restoration professionals can repair and restore damage caused by this combination of factors.

Damage Caused By Fire

Fire burns building materials and contents in a structure, causing damage due to excessive heat and exposure to smoke. This type of damage calls for specialized mitigation methods, including:

• Removing ash and soot
  
• Repairing or replacing materials and contents
  
• Eliminating smoke damage
  

Cleanup and restoration should take place as soon as possible after a fire. The presence of water left over from fire suppression efforts may cause a delay.

Damage Caused by Water

A fire hose can dispense anywhere from 300 to 800 gallons of water per minute. Cleaning up after a fire has been extinguished may involve:

• Pumping out standing water
  
• Cleaning ash and soot residue
  
• Drying and dehumidifying
  

It is necessary to remove water before fire damage restoration can proceed. Restoration experts can do so quickly to limit the amount of combined damage and the risk of mold growth.

Combined Damage

Fire and water damage can ruin delicate or porous contents and materials. The following measures may be necessary:

• Tearing out and replacing building materials
  
• Using specialized content cleaning methods
  
• Taking measures to prevent corrosion or rot
  

The presence of both types of damage can pose a challenge to homeowners. It is best to hire a mitigation and restoration company to get the job done.

Fire damage and water damage are likely to be present after a fire at a home in North Scottsdale, AZ. It is important to act quickly to clean up and mitigate both types of damage to prevent conditions from worsening.