What Do Residential Fire Damage Restoration Professionals in Shreveport Consider When Choosing Cleaning Products and Methods?

9/27/2020 (Permalink)

Fire damage remediation includes dealing with the lingering odor. Contact our certified technicians for services.

Curriculum Supported by Scientifically-Based Data and Methodology Is Why SERVPRO Invests in IICRC Training for Managers and Technicians, Offering Best Practices to Shreveport Residents Needing Fire Damage Restoration

Restoring a home after a fire in Shreveport is a significant undertaking, and the company that takes on the job needs to have a comprehensive understanding of the overall goals plus detailed skills in the hundreds of tasks that need completion before the chaos and mess of a residential fire transforms to “Like it never even happened.” This kind of knowledge cannot be accumulated contemporaneously as the restoration takes place. The managers and technicians who arrive to return your home to preloss condition must learn the protocols and the science underlying best practices far ahead of your disaster to deliver a successful outcome.

Is There a Fire Damage Restoration Best Practices Training Course for Professionals?

Shreveport residents needing fire damage restoration should settle for nothing less than a recovery company that invests in premier training for the managers and technicians that assess, plan, and perform at your home. We are an Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC)-certified company. We enroll our team in the IICRC introductory courses at the beginning of their careers, and they recertify and acquire advanced training during their time with us.

Can a Fire Damage Restoration Technician Merely Learn What Is Needed on the Job?

Perhaps IICRC says it best on their website: “A successful career is rooted in education. For nearly five decades, IICRC stands at the forefront teaching trailblazing knowledge required to tackle complex jobs and return normalcy from chaotic environments.” Our crews learn research-based, consistent responses to the anticipated and unpredictable outcomes presented after a household fire. Although our technicians certainly learn from more seasoned SERVPRO workers on individual projects, the foundation of vetted approaches and procedures established during IICRC training sets the stage for outstanding results for our residential customers seeking fire damage remediation in Shreveport.

What Training and Certifications Are Crucial to Handling Fire Damage Restoration Appropriately?

Some of the training and certifications listed below seem apparent. Others might appear to be a stretch until you become familiar with the endless aspects needing attention on a fire damaged site. At a minimum, expect various members of the crew taking on your home’s restoration to possess some or all of the following IICRC certifications:

• Applied Microbial Remediation Technician (AMRT)
• Applied Structural Drying Technician (ASD)
• Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration Technician (FSRT)
• Health and Safety Technician (HST)
• Odor Control Technician (OCT)
• Water Damage Restoration Technician (WRT)

My Home Has Fire Damage -- What Is the Need for Water Damage-Related Technicians?

Until you have survived a home fire and begin coping with the aftermath, you might not realize the part firefighting water damage plays in the devastation inside your home after a blaze. SERVPRO prioritizes water damage mitigation and remediation at the start of a fire damage restoration project because of undeniable health and safety issues:

• Slip, trip, and fall
• Risk of electric shock or electrocution
• Structural collapse possibilities because of the weight and  pressure of water trapped in building cavities
• Rapid deterioration of porous structural components because of the incredibly corrosive nature of water
• Contamination of surfaces with waterborne pathogens if the fire damage included the compromise of sewer lines
• Enhanced probability of mold growth if materials are wet for more than 24 to 48 hours

What Are the Roles of the Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration Technicians (FSRT) and Odor Control Technicians (OCT)?

Once the water risks are under control, SERVPRO’s managers and workers holding FSRT and OCT certification commence the painstaking tasks of assessing and characterizing smoke and soot residues and the surfaces upon which they settle. Then effective removal methodologies are selected. The science of cleaning the residues has two parts:

• Principles of Cleaning

• Locating residues 

• Identifying and characterizing residues and the durability of the affected surfaces

• Capturing and disposing of residues efficiently and completely

• Elements of Cleaning

The following can be manipulated to assist in loosening and suspending the residues for removal with as little damage to the involved surfaces as practical:

• Temperature of cleaners
• Use of agitation with tools and mechanical actions or cleaner-additives
• Chemical actions of cleaning products to dissolve, emulsify, digest, bleach, oxidize, or change pH levels to break up or remove residues and stains
• Dwell time to soak off tough residues

Note About Deodorization: The above principles and elements also relate to persistent odors, which can often be removed by deep cleaning. If cleaning is ineffective, SERVPRO has resources such as innovative odor eliminating options such as ozone machines, smell-masking products, thermal and wet foggers, and hydroxyl generators.

Why SERVPRO of South Shreveport builds our knowledge base using the courses and standards developed by the IICRC is clear -- rigorous learning and research-based solutions offer the very best outcomes for our residential customers. Call us at (318) 865-4655 before the firefighters wrap up the site and release your property so we can arrive promptly to begin the fire damage restoration.