Everyone knows that breathing in smoke is not good for you. When your house is being cleaned up after a fire, no matter how small the fire was, it’s not safe for you or any of the house’s other inhabitants to stay there until all the smoke and soot has been cleared out.
Let’s discuss some of the health risks associated with living in a house with fire damage and talk about how a professional fire damage and restoration company can help.
Immediate Health Risks of Smoke and Fire Damage
Not only is breathing in smoke unpleasant in terms of the scent, but it’s also bad for your health in many different ways. Smoke inhalation isn’t the only health problem you might need to worry about when it comes to living in a fire-damaged environment. Here are some of the immediate health risks of exposure to fire damage:
- Breathing issues: This is probably the most common problem. Smoke particles in the air will make their way into your lungs and cause you to feel sick and have trouble breathing. Some of the symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing, asthma, or bronchitis.
Note that if you experience breathing issues after fire damage to your property, it might not be just because of the soot and smoke. If a lot of water was used to put out the fire, it could have caused mold to form in some places, which can also cause breathing problems and other health risks.
- Skin irritation. Smoke and soot produce toxic byproducts that can dry out and irritate your skin, and unfortunately, putting on lotion may not help. This includes wearing clothing that was present during the fire, so make sure that you thoroughly clean and sanitize any clothing you salvage before wearing it again.
- Eye irritation. Similar to skin irritation, the toxins inside smoke and soot can also make your eyes red and itchy. Rubbing them will only make the problem worse. You may need to see a doctor if the eye problems become severe enough.
Long-Term Health Risks of Smoke and Fire Damage
While most breathing, skin, or eye problems from fire damage can be fixed rather quickly once the contaminants have been removed from your house, prolonged exposure can actually lead to even bigger problems further down the road, such as:
- Cancer: The chemicals inside smoke have been known to cause cancer. Living in a place that hasn’t been properly cleaned and sanitized puts you at a higher risk of developing cancer later on.
- Emphysema: This is an incurable disease that’s most common among smokers, but living in a house that’s been damaged by fire can also cause you to develop it. It breaks down the air sacs in your lungs, making it hard to breathe.
How Cleanup Can Help
Smoke and fire damage aren’t just small annoyances. They’re major health risks, and that’s why it’s vital to get professional help to clean up and repair your house when it is damaged by fire. A professional fire damage cleanup service has the equipment necessary to keep everyone safe while cleaning up the debris, ensuring that your house returns to a livable condition as quickly as possible.