After a fire, building damage can be devastating and overwhelming to clean up. Even after the flames have been extinguished, remaining smoke and ash can set into walls, furniture, and other items, causing deterioration and staining.
However, the damage caused by a fire doesn’t stop at ash and smoke. Water damage is often an issue following a fire being put out by firefighters. In this case, masking off damaged areas is important to contain hazards such as mold that can occur due to excess moisture. Using a reliable abatement tape or tapes is essential to creating an airtight containment and preventing the spread of hazardous contaminants.
- Smoke and ash: After a fire, a layer of soot settles on the area, including the wall, furniture, and other items inside. This soot not only looks bad and requires extensive cleanup, but the smoke can cause structures to deteriorate and become unsafe. Quick cleanup is essential to preventing soot from settling. Restoration professionals require a strong barrier separating non-affected spaces from rooms or areas that contain smoke or soot in order to prevent further damage.
- Water damage: When the severity of a fire calls for firefighting professionals, the large amount of water used to put it out can cause significant water damage to building interiors. In these cases, an additional threat is mold due to the excess moisture. Building an airtight containment is an important step to prevent the spread of mold while thoroughly drying walls and other surfaces to limit mold growth.
In either situation, restoration professionals use abatement tapes to build containments using either the two-step, two-tape method or the one-step method with a double-sided tape and poly sheeting. Choosing the right tape for the job can make the difference between a quick cleanup and recurring issues caused by contamination that may have spread due to an inadequate or failed containment system.