Arlington Soot Damaged Contents Get the TLC for Restoration from SERVPRO

10/9/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Uses Mechanical Means Like Vacuuming to Begin Salvaging Soot and Fire Damaged Furnishings in Arlington Homes

How SERVPRO Restores Hardwood Furniture with Fire Damage in Arlington Properties

When fire damage occurs in a home, the technicians work equally hard cleaning and restoring both the structure and the contents. As they remove charred items without restoration potential from the house, they also look for things that have recovery possibilities through different applications.

SERVPRO technicians know when they handle fire damage in an Arlington home, their goal is to limit the cost for the homeowner from replacing non-restorable things. Contrary to popular belief, hardwood furniture exposed to smoke damage is not automatically a write-off as a fire loss, and under certain circumstances, recovery is possible.  

Is Hardwood Furniture Restorable?
Each fire loss worksite is unique. Furniture with smoke and soot damage receives an inspection to determine the restorability. Many factors affect the potential outcome, such as the construction materials, amount of damage, and length of exposure. Technicians that are IICRC certified (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification) examine hardwood furnishings to determine the wood type and the kind of smoke residue affecting the piece. They then test the deposits to determine the type of smoke damage.

Cleaning Hardwood Furniture
SERVPRO technicians know the type of finish and how it ties into choosing the appropriate cleaning methods. Common wood finishes they encounter most often are varnish, shellac, lacquer, paint, and finishing waxes. The finish is the furniture's protection against dust, smoke particles, moisture, and even heat exposure, and different finishes react in diverse ways to fire. That is why testing and choosing the appropriate cleaning method is crucial.

In situations where the finish is blistered, but the piece is in otherwise good shape, the technicians may recommend that the piece receives refurbishment from an outside professional furniture restorer after cleaning to remove the top-level smoke damage. In many cases, we may be able to do this task.

Furniture Without Finish May Be a Loss
Unfinished wood is a porous surface and readily absorbs smoke residues and soot. Technicians often use dry cleaning or denatured alcohol methods, but this type of furnishing is, in some cases, not restorable because of deeply embedded residues reside.

SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington works hard to reverse the effects of fire damage. The technicians are available 24/7 at (360) 658-0506 to restore the structure and contents and make it, "Like it never even happened."

For a closer look at Arlington, click.