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    Case Study

    Fire Damage in Doonan

    April 13, 2022 1 Minute Read

    When a fire occurs outside your property, some are quick to assume the damage is limited to the exterior. Without effective restoration, prolonged fire damage causes ash, soot and smoke residue to build up across surfaces in the vicinity.

    Two years ago, a fire broke out in the outdoor dining area of a property up north in Doonan. While the fire had been localised to the outdoor space, damage infiltrated the interior and spread inside the property. After the initial fire, soot residue built up across the flooring.

    Earlier this year, our team was called to examine the floor on behalf of key stakeholders and provide a specialist assessment of the previous cleaning undertaken for the property.

    Contents

    Initial inspection

    When our team was requested to inspect the property in Doonan, our initial attendance required us to assess the tiled flooring throughout each room. The build-up of soot from the fire had stained the white tiles, discolouring them into a light grey tone. We conducted a test clean to understand the level of persistent soot damage and whether the tiles would respond to different cleaning methods, giving our client ongoing security before the project commenced.

    When assessing the previous cleaning, we discussed the necessary works with the involved parties. Our initial process required our team to:

    • Test clean three separate areas impacted by significant discolouration and staining
    • Tape off the three areas located across the hallway and living room
    • Apply high performing chemical solution in each section and mechanically agitate the chemical in order to wear away soiling
    • Wash the three areas after completing chemical cleaning 
    • Dry each section and remove the tape to compare the results against non-cleaned tiling

     

    After ensuring the property owner was satisfied with the test results, our team measured the remaining area space and determined a complete scope of work for restoring the fire damage.

    Scope of Work

    Once the scope of work was approved by key stakeholders and relevant regulatory authorities, we were able to promptly commence the project.

     

    For our team to effectively restore tiled flooring throughout the property, we were required to:

    • Conduct risk assessments prior to setting up the site
    • Move property contents to gain complete access to tiled areas
    • Remove dust and debris with a HEPA vacuum
    • Determine the appropriate cleaning methods and materials

    To guarantee the best results, the cleaning process needed to be meticulous. Without letting any chemicals dry on the impacted surfaces, we applied the appropriate chemical solutions across manageable areas. Our mechanical agitation methods assisted us breaking down soiling. A few of our methods used rotary scrubbing machines, scouring pads, microfibre cloths and grout brushes.

    When our team finished cleaning each tiled area, we applied hot water pressure to flush out any waste water and remaining chemicals. The extraction process ensured the flooring had undergone necessary chemical cleaning without any lasting damage. 

    For soot to be removed and cleaned properly, the restoration process needs to involve thorough assessment after each step. By keeping a close eye on how well each area is cleaned, our team ensured that all steps were completed well-above satisfactory restoration standards.

    Result

    Once the affected tiles were cleaned to our high standard of remediation, we towel dried the flooring before setting up air movers to accelerate the drying process. After each section was properly dried, our team placed property contents back into their original positions.

    This case study highlights the significant impact restoration has for properties damaged by fire, even after a period of time has lapsed. While property damage requires immediate remediation for certain recovery, it’s never too late to have your property assessed.

     

     

    Well-planned, high standard restoration is crucial. By meticulously documenting our restoration plans, avidly communicating with our clients and performing excellent services, our dedicated team are experts at salvaging properties and mitigating losses.