How does smoke affect your home?

How does smoke affect your home? The short answer is, in many ways!

Smoke affects even the areas untouched by flames. It can therefore cause damage in rooms that weren’t affected by the fire, causing more destruction than imagined. This is because a lot of damage from fires isn’t actually caused by the fire itself, but from the smoke.

So how does smoke affect your home belongings?

  • Carpets – Carpets and rugs made of synthetics can become stained pretty quickly. Often they can be cleaned if they aren’t damaged by water or heat
  • Curtains & Upholstery – Both can yellow which can look unsightly. Again if not damaged by heat or water, they can often be cleaned
  • Furniture – Smoke can damage your furniture too. Whether it is wood, medal or material, it can be easy to damage varnishes, paints and wood stains, just as easy it is for metal to rust
  • Clothing – Just like other fabrics around the home, soot can become stuck in clothing. Special cleaning techniques may be used to remove the soot before staining becomes apparent. It’s important to properly remove soot from clothing as skin irritation may occur
  • Appliances – The corrosive effects of smoke can affect both the internal and external of appliances. This can cause damage to the electrical systems and more often than not, will result in appliances being replaced rather than repaired
  • Plastic – Plastic is highly porous which means it will likely collect more soot than any other item in your home. Plastics can also start discolouring in a matter of minutes
  • Porcelain – Porcelain which is mainly found in bathrooms can discolour in a matter of hours. Wiping residue away can prevent etching in the porcelain

All of the above should be cleaned properly, by a professional to reduce the affects of smoke on your home.

Visit our fire and smoke restoration page for further information or call our team for our emergency help on 0845 762 6828

Say no to DIY mould removal

It’s really important to say ‘no’ to DIY mould removal as you could make the case of mould worse!

But what is mould?

Mould is a fungus that grows where there is moisture. Typically found in damp places and areas where there has been a leakage, mould is unsightly and can be dangerous in some cases.

Indoor mould is a threat to your health as the mould spores can irritate your respiratory and immune systems making you unwell. That’s one of the reasons why it’s not a good idea to do DIY mould removal in your home. When disrupted, mould spores can easily become airborne. This gives them easier access in to your respiratory system, as well as others within your home.

Painting over, spraying with bleach or cleaning products is commonly explored by individuals who are looking to undertake DIY mould removal. As previously explained this is dangerous to health and should be completed avoided. Particularly when you won’t know the type of mould you are dealing with and if you have entirely eradicated it.

What is causing the mould is a good place to start as this generally points to excess water in your home through a water leak. Finding the route cause can help to prevent the mould coming back once it has been safely removed.

There are lots of different types of mould. Some are more dangerous and more difficult to clean than others. Without knowing what you are dealing with, it is much safer to leave the problem alone and call in the experts.

ServiceMaster Restore are experienced in not only finding the route cause of the mould, but restoring your property back to a pre-mould condition through proper inspection, removal and cleaning of your home. This professional service will most certainly save you valuable time and will protect your health.

Contact us on 0845 7962 6828 or visit our website www.servicemasterrestore.co.uk for further information on our range of professional disaster restoration services 

Halloween Safety Tips

October sees the school holidays and the well known family event, ‘Halloween’. So here are some Halloween safety tips for you to take on board to keep yourself and your family safe.

If you’re going to be offering treats this year instead of tricks, think about the following: 

  • Individually wrapped sweets for hygiene reasons
  • Sugar free or reduced sugar versions for a healthier option
  • Make sure the walkway to your home is safe and free from obstruction, trip hazards and poor visibility (total darkness)
  • Avoid using candles outside the home to reduce the fire risk to visitors
  • Ensure decorations are secured well to avoid them falling on visitors

If you’re going to be taking your children out ‘trick or treating’ here are some tips for you: 

  • Plan your route
  • Dress children in reflective clothing where possible (wellies/trainers/hats)
  • Take glow sticks or torches to increase visibility
  • Accompany smaller children right to the door
  • Check treats before allowing your children to consume them

Halloween is an event to be enjoyed. So wherever you are, stay safe!

We hope that you use our Halloween safety tips to keep safe this Halloween, but for any restoration works following any kind of disaster – get in touch with Restore for professional help on 0845 762 8628 / www.servicemasterrestore.co.uk