Smoke damages can be destructive. A fire can turn a happy home into a nightmare, causing extensive damage through fire and smoke. The intense heat from the flames has the potential to melt and destroy numerous household items. Even after the fire is put out, the lingering smoke should not be overlooked. Contrary to common belief, smoke is not harmless; it possesses corrosive properties similar to acid that can lead to irreversible harm to your belongings. Additionally, smoke can often leave lasting damage on your cherished carpets and furniture.

Not only that, but smoke can cause long-term damage that affects the very structure of your house. Therefore, it’s important to contact a smoke damage restoration specialist to assess the situation. You can do that by reaching out to 911 restoration Miami. But before that, here is everything you need to know about how smoke can damage the contents of your house. 

How Can Smoke Damages Ruin Your House?

The smallest of fires can cause severe smoke damage to your home. That’s why it’s important to clear smoke and soot as quick as possible. Even the smoke from a wildfire can damage the exterior and interior of your house. 

One of the worst ways smoke can damage your house is by creeping inside the cracks and crevices. These small particles go unnoticed for a long time and result in an awful smoke smell that can last for months. That’s why it’s best to hire local smoke cleaning services because they use cleaning agents designed to remove this awful smell. Here are all the ways smoke can be harmful to your house contents. 

It Weakens Your House’s Structure 

Since smoke particles settle into cracks and crevices, they remain dormant for months. Besides the awful smell, these particles can rot wooden structures causing your roof or walls to collapse. It’s dangerous to live in a fire-struck house without getting it investigated or cleaned by professionals. 

Smoke Can Ruin Your Furniture 

Smoke can easily be absorbed by wooden furniture, and the smell can remain within for long periods. But that’s not all. Smoke can cause the wooden furniture to rot and melt after months. It’s like a slow poison that goes unnoticed till your favorite coffee table collapses. 

It Can Cause Discoloration or Oily Residue 

Smoke is more harmful than it seems. This is because it can cause irreversible damage if it isn’t treated carefully. One of the worst things about smoke is that it can discolor or leave an oily residue on upholstery and curtains. Even if some portions of your house survived fire damage, smoke would get to them if you didn’t act quickly. 

Smoke Can Affect Clothing and Beddings 

Smoke can be absorbed into your clothes and leave its pungent odor and stains. You might not notice this, but others will. The smell of smoke is obvious to those who enter your fire-struck house, but if you have been living with smoke, you won’t notice the smell. Soon, your clothes will lose their color and will tear off in different spots. That’s because the smoke has harmful particles that can eat through fabric like acid. 

It Can Eat Through Metal 

Smoke is made up of somewhat unknown particles, and science is still trying to identify its composition. This is because the contents of smoke vary depending on the fire and what caused it. In many instances, smoke is made of acid. But even if it isn’t, it will destroy most of your precious furniture. If you thought metal was safe, then think again. Smoke can have carbon that sticks to metal and tends to go unnoticed for months. After a while, smoke trapped in metal will lead to corrosion. 

It Can Ruin Marble Countertops 

If you spend thousands of dollars on that beautiful marble countertop, you can say goodbye to it if you haven’t got your house inspected by professional smoke cleaners. This is because smoke can cause permanent stains on marble if they are close to each other. 

The most destructive quality of smoke is that it’s harmful even when it seems like it’s gone. This is because the white cloud of smoke might have disappeared through ventilation, but carbon particles are still present in your indoor air. Not only is it bad for breathing, but it can rest on marble floors, countertops, and even marble household items thereby ruining them. 

How Much Time Do You Have Till Smoke Damage Takes a Hold

Time is of the essence when you are dealing with smoke. It’s always best to act as quick as possible. You can slow down the harmful effect of smoke by rubbing marble surfaces with oil. Some materials like plastic and fiberglass are affected by smoke within minutes, so you have to act quick. Metal and other hard elements can resist smoke damage for a couple of weeks, but if it’s left untreated for months, it can damage the structure of your house. 

911 Restoration Can Help! 

At 911 restoration, we are always ready to serve our residents in distress. We have a response time of 45 minutes, and our smoke cleaning services are available 24/7 in Miami. We also provide mold cleaning and fire damage restoration so you can get in touch with us for anything that’s harming your house.  We are IICRC certified.