SERVPRO Tips: How to Neutralize Odors After A Fire

2/19/2023 (Permalink)

According to a stat regarding fire damage from the U.S. Fire Administration says, grills on balconies, terraces, and patios were the cause of 52% of overall fires. Many homeowners switch to electric indoor/outdoor grills; however, they also have safety aspects.

SERVPRO received a call to mitigate fire and odor damage in a Michigan City kitchen caused by an indoor electric grill. Protein fires that occur during cooking are a frequent cause of remediation calls.

This type of fire is misleading because there is very little in the way of visible soot damage commonly seen in fire loss incidents. Instead, when burned, the animal fat in proteins becomes a fine mist that is almost invisible to the naked eye. Anywhere this mist lands has a pungent odor that cannot be masked or wiped away. Protein-based fires require professional cleaning and odor control methods.

When we arrived at the home, the strong odor of burned meat permeated the air. SERVPRO uses professional-grade cleaning formulas that cut through the greasy, pungent film left behind by a protein fire on surfaces from floor to ceiling. Wiping down the kitchen area significantly decreased the level of odor in the room, but required stronger scent control methods.

Our SERVPRO technicians possess several different types of equipment specialized for eradicating foul odors. When dealing with the aftermath of a protein fire, multiple applications of varying odor control methods may be needed to neutralize foul scents left in the room thoroughly.

Two powerful odor neutralizing methods our technicians frequently use against protein fires are thermal fogging, which is the application of an odor neutralizing fog to the affected area, and a piece of equipment called a hydroxyl generator. Both are effective against protein fire residue. We chose to use the hydroxyl generator as it abstracts hydrogen atoms and essentially takes apart odors at the molecular level.

SERVPRO of La Porte County is available 24/7 by calling (219) 879-1883. Our team of certified restoration professionals can cleanup fire and odor damage in your home and make it "Like it never even happened."

Click here for more information about the city of Michigan City.