If you have just experienced a flood or fire, you are likely in a state of shock over what comes next. You are also likely in the process of planning the water and fire damage restoration of your property. If you have sat down and thought about your budget, you may have considered what you can do yourself and what to leave to the experts. If clean-up is on your to-do list, you might want to reconsider it because of the dangers of direct contact with mold, smoke, and soot. Not only will they damage your home but contact will also cause you long-term health problems.
Dangers Of Mold, Smoke, And Soot
Water and fire damage go hand in hand as you either have sprinklers as a precaution or have access to the services of a fire department that utilizes water hydrants to put out a fire. So, you not only are in danger of the harmful effects of smoke and soot, but you will also likely experience mold growth in a building within twenty-four to forty-eight hours after a fire occurs.
Exposure to mold spores, smoke, and soot will cause health conditions like respiratory diseases such as asthma, inflammation, or irritation of the lungs. They can also increase your risk of skin and eye infections, heart attacks, and cancer. If there are children, older family members, or those with auto-immune disorders in the home, the risks are even more serious than normal.
Why Is Contact With Mold Dangerous?
Moisture from leaks, flooding, or condensation contributes to mold spore growth. Not all mold types are dangerous, but it is often difficult to tell the difference between non-toxic mildew and Stachybotrys chartarum, also called black mold, to the untrained eye. Mold can lead to shortness of breath, asthma, lung disease, and in prolonged settings, serious illnesses that lead to death.
Why Is Contact With Smoke And Soot Dangerous?
The particulate matter (PM) in smoke is soot. Depending on the materials your home is made, they burn differently causing smoke and soot to occur upon chemical combustion. This process is harmful to the health of anyone who comes into contact with the after-effects of fire when these conditions are present. Chemicals include gases, solids, and liquids that are made from materials such as wood, plastic, metal, fabric, synthetic materials, asbestos, paper, and carpet.
- Exposure to smoke and soot include asbestos, which is linked to mesothelioma. Asbestos was a very common building material used during the mid-to-late 20th-century.
- Gas exposure to ammonia, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and tar is dangerous.
- Smoke from wood releases acrolein, benzene, carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde.
- Burning PVC releases chemicals like bromomethane, chloromethane, and dioxin.
Avoiding black mold spores and certain types of chemicals from smoke and soot will promote safety and avoid health risks associated with exposure. Unless you perform flood and fire damage restoration, the effects will stay around indefinitely, causing not only a risk to household occupants but to anyone nearby because of airborne exposure. ABH Services has properly trained staff, commercial-grade equipment, and the right tools to restore your home or business’s air quality. Contact us at (781) 941-2422 or at https://www.facebook.com/abhservices/.