December 2nd, 2009 by rhondap

When a local restaurant in Hickory, North Carolina caught fire last January, the owners of Village Inn Pizza on U.S. 70 along with advisors from Arco Realty in Greensboro and insurance adjusters didn’t hesitate to call a SodaBlast Systems’ Preferred Contractor from our network.

The pungent odors, nasty soot and discoloring caused by smoke made this the kind of job that requires a professional to handle. The only structural damage to the property occurred when firefighters cut a hole through the roof. The brick walls and wood beams were covered in ash, soot and smoke and required extensive cleaning and restoration. Ten years ago contractors would have had to replace a significant portion of the building.

Today sodablasting can quickly restore a site to original condition and save property owners thousands of dollars in cleaning fees, labor time and materials. Our contractor completed the job in two days, charged a fraction of what an alternative restoration company would have and the only task anyone had to do was wash the excess baking soda away from the site.

The restaurant looked good as new when our contractor finished up and the owners are working quickly to reopen their business.

Quick Dos and Don’ts

DO

• Call for restoration services immediately following a fire.
• Wipe soot and residue from porcelain bath fixtures to help prevent etching.
• Discard any food as it could have been contaminated during the fire.

DON’T

• Don’t use electrical appliances from the fire until they are checked out.
• Don’ touch anything as soot will transfer to anything you touch.
• Don’ eat food exposed to the fire or smoke.

December 1st, 2009 by rhondap

Dealing with a fire is a devastating and overwhelming experience where recovery and restoration is often times an emotional, time-consuming and expensive process. Whether it’s a home or a business that catches fire, the physical and financial stress can have a damaging impact on families, careers and businesses.

Although a fire can wipe out all of a family’s belongings and personal items or destroy a business, restoring the property to new condition and eliminating damage caused by soot, smoke and odor is possible.

Restoring a property to pre-fire condition and removing damage caused by the fire and subsequently water used to put out the flames, is a job best left to the experts that have experience, resources and tools to handle the job.

Consider soot, a general term that refers to impure carbon particles resulting from incomplete combustion of a hydrocarbon. The particles have electrical charges that cause them to stick together with grease and oil acting as adhesives. By using a standard blasting solution that is abrasive and harsh to the surface, you are actually adding to the level of dirty contaminates and caused by fire and soot.

Breathing soot is hazardous to the lungs and general health; in fact, a New England Journal of Medicine study published in 2007 found that breathing common urban air pollution, including soot, is much deadlier than previously thought.

At SodaBlast Systems, we are constantly amazed on a daily basis how well sodablasting works to repair properties, remove damage and restore lives touched by fire.

Sodablasting is ideal for removing smoke and soot damage from brick, concrete, stone, wood and more – the neutralizing properties tackle nasty smells, toxic residue and soot associated with fire, absorbing the lingering odors without causing further damage to the site.

Sodablasting is a non-abrasive, chemical- and toxin-free process that is friendly on the environment, contractor and property.