Board ups and Fire and Smoke Damage in Sarasota, Florida

According to the Sarasota Florida Fire Department, there were fires in US homes that ended in 86 deaths and $92 million in direct property damage just in one year. Some of these fires were caused by spontaneous combustion. There are materials that can produce heat on their own and will burst into flames. This occurs when there is an accumulation of heat due to oxidation at a rate high enough to cause ignition.

When it comes to fire damage, Sarasota has reminders for its residents. One aspect that the citizens should be educated on is in the area of upholstery fires. There are two main dangers associated to it: the material allows for fire to smolder for long periods of time and are thus difficult to extinguish and the problems with smoke inhalation.

People can try to extinguish small fires and succeed in putting out the open flame. Little do they know that there can still be fire deep within the burning materials. In order to be certain that the fire is out, cut into the material and take out all of the smoldering stuffing. It is also important to call the Fire Department to ensure that the proper safety procedures are followed. The Fire Department warns against leaving burnt upholstery inside the building.

In the aspect of fire damage, smoke inhalation is the top cause of most upholstery fires fatalities. Carbon monoxide is abundant because of the nature of the fire and people can quickly become disoriented. As little as one percent of carbon monoxide is enough to be fatal.

The most effective way to deal with smoke from fire damage is to avoid it in the first place. A smoke-filled hallway can be quite dangerous and is often as bad as the flames. In fact, a majority of fire fatalities are caused by smoke. If there is smoke in the property, the fire department of Sarasota recommends keeping your head down because poisonous gases tend to be heavier than air. The clearest air is at the natural place where the face will be when on the hands and knees.

Even when the fire has been cleared, smoke damage can still linger and continue to cause problems. Discomforts such as eye irritations, allergies, and aggravation of asthma can occur if there were no moves done to clear the area of the smoke.

Another aspect of fire and smoke damage should be board ups. After an upholstery fire has occurred, there will be a need to assess the structure of the home to see if it safe to hold occupants. A fire board up company can provide the specific service of boarding up the damaged structure for increased safety.

The company can assess the extent to which the fire has weakened the structure of the house. Walls and beams are inspected to make sure that they are not damaged. Most companies use diagnostic imaging technology to see hairline cracks on the walls. This is an important function of board up companies because even the smallest damage can trigger a collapse.