Hamilton Restoration Insights
A couple of months ago, I got schooled by a veteran in the restoration industry who also happens to be our president.
The subject was fire damage, and the lesson was simple:
Soot isn’t just soot.
What actually burns matters. Protein fires, synthetic materials, wood and other materials can leave behind very different residues, odours and cleaning challenges.
It was one of those conversations that makes you look differently at something that simply appears to be black dirt.
Fast-forward to this summer, and soot became a very real conversation here in Hamilton.
Residents across parts of east Hamilton reported an oily black material coating homes, cars, outdoor spaces and even pets. Hamilton Public Health later said the unusually heavy fallout event in July is not expected to pose a long-term health risk on its own, while also acknowledging the broader air-quality challenges experienced around Hamilton’s industrial area.
For restoration professionals, there is an interesting lesson in the conversation.
Industrial fallout and the residue left behind after a property fire are obviously not the same thing.
But the principle is:
Knowing what you are dealing with matters.
After a fire, smoke and soot can move well beyond the area touched by flames. Residue can settle on walls, ceilings, furniture and contents that may initially appear unaffected.
That is why assessing fire damage involves more than asking what burned.
It also means asking:
What burned? Where did the smoke travel? What was left behind? And what can safely be restored?
Sometimes the damage that deserves the closest look isn’t the most obvious.
Hamilton Restoration Insights
What’s happening in our city, through a restoration lens.
A weekly series from ServiceMaster Restore of Hamilton.