Most people don’t expect that their home or business will ever suffer fire damage, but in case it does happen, you need to be prepared. After the fire is extinguished, there will be a long, expensive clean-up process before you can rest easy. You might be thinking of cleaning up on your own to save money. Here’s why you shouldn’t, and some advice on what to do instead.

Lingering Smoke

Even after the fire is gone, smoke will likely still remain inside the structure, and much of it will cause irritation to the eyes, nose and throat if you’re not properly equipped. Right after a fire, the smoke may still be thick enough to cause you to pass out from carbon monoxide poisoning if you’re trying to clean the property on your own.

Health Risks

Depending on how much smoke you’re exposed to and for how long, it could even increase your risk of developing long-term health problems later like lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. For example, firefighters are known to develop these health issues at a higher rate.

Children and the Elderly

Even if some amount of cleaning has already been done on the burned home or business, children, elderly people, or anyone with a weakened immune system should still not risk going into an environment that may have smoke, soot or harsh chemicals in the air.

Harmful Chemicals

In the wake of a fire, especially one that has reached the kitchen of a home, there may have been harsh chemicals that burned, creating toxic smoke and sometimes even combustion. To stay safe from these dangerous chemical reactions, you should keep your distance from the burned property and let professionals handle it.

The Safe Way To Clean Up

Because of the potential dangers listed above that can occur after fire damage, you should leave the cleaning and restoration up to professionals only. We just happen to have an expert team that can safely clean and restore your home and hopefully many of your personal belongings. For more information on our fire damage restoration service, visit The Steam Team website.