Wildfires can be devastating. They have as large an impact on the indoors as they do on the outdoor environment. Smoke can cause damage even if your home has not been burned or otherwise affected by the flames. No matter how far, or how close the fire was to you, the smoke odor and the air pollution that it causes can come into your space. Smoke is a hazard and odor should be considered a part of the plan to clean up after a wildfire to protect home and health. How can you get rid of that smoke smell after a fire and why is it essential to do so?

What damage can smoke odor do?

Needless to say, the smoke odor that comes into the home after a wildfire cannot just be expected to move away and out on its own. it is excessive and pervasive. If you have had to leave your home in the wake of a wildfire you need understand that it can do a lot of damage and any recovery includes smoke smell remediation. The damage that smoke can do is threefold. It damages the heating and cooling system in your home, it damages the air that you breathe to the point where your health is compromised, and it can damage surfaces.

Smoke is dangerous for health

Smoke from wildfires contains heavy toxic particulates of ash and dark soot that may be microscopic, but are powerful enough to irritate throats, eyes, nose and lungs. Prolonged breathing results in allergic reactions, discomfort and damage to delicate nasal passages and lung tissues. Wildfire smoke has tiny particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs. There are things that can be done to get rid of the odor, but it is best to call smoke smell remediation professionals to help you when you need to get rid of much more than just the odors left from the wildfire.

Here are some of the first steps in smoke smell remediation

Air out your house, and open doors and windows to get good ventilation and move that air around. Place fans around to help the movement of bad air out and clean air in. Use dishes of baking soda placed around the home to help absorb the odors.

Wash curtains, rugs, covers and bedding (all soft textiles). Wash walls and other surfaces with hot water, soap and white vinegar to remove soot and greasy residue from them. Clean carpets and upholstery as well.

These first steps are not labor intensive and may not be any more than slightly helpful. Unfortunately, if the wildfire smoke damage was particularly bad, then using professional services to clean the carpets, walls and upholstery for the smoke smell remediation will be a better option, especially if the inhabitants of the home are susceptible to asthma or allergens.

Use professional smoke smell remediation services to clean the ducts and the HVAC system

This is an essential step. If your home has been damaged by smoke odor from wildfires, then so have the air ducts and the heating and cooling system. Professional air duct cleaning is effective to ensure healthy air quality.

For the final step in smoke smell remediation call a professional air duct cleaning company who has wildfire clean-up experience to inspect and clean all the HVAC equipment. The inspection will ensure that there has not been damage to the system and give it a good cleaning. The filters will likely need to be replaced for the best results.

Smoke smell remediation professionals will restore air quality

Wildfire smoke can cause damage to property, and the particles can enter through even the smallest space. This smoke is damaging to humans, and also to the heating and cooling system in the home. Air cleaning systems have to work harder to clean the air and make it comfortable. If the system is plugged, clogged or damaged, it works harder and costs more to run. Smoke remediation companies have expertise and technology to help clean and restore air quality back to what it was before the wildfire damage occurred, according to standards. Be sure to have the HVAC system professionally cleaned after any fire.