A condo in Boca Raton, Florida- lovely, comfortable- that is until the downstairs neighbor has a fire. Fortunately, for our Boca customer, fire fighters were called before the blaze got out of control and the flames reached her condo. Unfortunately, smoke from below came through her air conditioning unit, providing her with at least equal, if not worse smoke damage than her neighbor.

While fire is always the immediate danger, once it’s gone, the smoke and ash it leaves behind will continue to affect the property. And in this case, the fire affected not only the immediate surroundings, but also the condo above the unit that actually experienced the fire. Clearly, ash and smoke can travel, damaging many areas of a home or a much larger property like a condo building. And if left unattended, it will cause extensive corrosion, etching, discoloration, and lingering powerful odors.

According to the IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification), the first thing that ash does is discolor most surfaces. Anything that is made of plastic, especially if it was close to the fire, will start discoloring within minutes, and within several hours, fiberglass and finishes on appliances will begin to yellow. Metals may also tarnish. After a few days pass, the ash will cause walls to discolor permanently, along with clothing and upholstery. Wood and vinyl will need to be refinished or replaced, and metal will start corroding. Because ash is acidic, the longer it takes to hire experts, the more destruction it will cause.

Assuming they are contacted soon enough, professionals that clean fire and smoke damage can stop this before it becomes a major problem. There are many companies out there that advertise their ability to restore areas affected by fire and smoke damage, but only those with proper training and certification should be considered. The IICRC is the main oversight agency in this industry. It requires its registrants to take substantial coursework before earning their certification. Certified restoration experts come equipped with the knowledge and the specialized tools, such as rotary scrubbers and extractors that inject steam, and will get the job done correctly.

In addition to the advantage of hiring certified technicians that have the education and proper tools, their expertise will also be useful when communicating with insurance adjusters. Many homeowners’ policies cover smoke damage, either as a specific line item, or under the partial losses section of the policy. However, there may be discussion with adjusters concerning replacement over repair when fire and smoke damages carpets, drapes, and upholstery. A certified professional’s opinion is often preferred by all parties over a less credentialed counterpart.

https://www.iicrc.org/page/IICRCResources

Joe Taylor Restoration proudly carries the IICRC certification, and has extensive experience in restoring both fire and smoke damage, as well as communicating with insurance companies. We are fully committed to the best possible customer service. We will make sure you understand the entire process as it relates to your property- from what can be totally recovered to what can be repaired, helping you save money in material replacement costs.

We will also clearly report our findings to you and your insurance carrier in a timely manner. A comprehensive estimate, including photographs and properly completed paperwork, will be communicated to the insurance agent or adjuster promptly upon job completion. When experiencing the trauma of smoke damage, all you want is for your property to be restored to the way it was. Joe Taylor Restoration will do all we can to make sure that happens, and give you peace of mind along the way.