It’s no secret that when a natural disaster or accident occurs in a large commercial area, it can damage anything in its path, especially business facilities, warehouses, and other commercial structures in the vicinity. Fire, in particular, can have a greater impact as it usually poses a great risk to your health and your property’s structural integrity due to its devastating after-effects, such as smoke.

In this post, we’ll talk about the effects of fire damage on commercial property and how smoke damage can affect large commercial areas, such as Baltimore, Maryland.

The Effects of Fire Damage on Commercial Properties and Areas

Commercial fires often have far-reaching consequences, especially in busy urban cities. The fire departments generally have higher response times due to traffic and greater distances than smaller towns. Every minute fire burns inside a property incur thousands of dollars in damages, especially if the fire and smoke spread to other buildings and structures in the area.  Here are the types of damages fire can incur in commercial areas:

1.    Property Damage

Property damage caused by a commercial fire can be more extensive than a flash flood or sewage backup, as smoke and soot can affect surfaces that weren’t even affected by the fire. Depending on the severity of the fire, most of the damage done to the structure and assets is irreversible, even if the firefighters manage to get there within minutes. Plus, cleaning up the fire damage is not a DIY job in most cases, as you’ll need to call a commercial restoration service in Baltimore to effectively wipe and clean any residues before they become permanent.

2.    Business Losses and Downtime

A commercial fire, especially in urban cities where buildings are closely packed, usually translates into a downtime of weeks and even months. This can be devastating for brick-and-mortar businesses operating in the area, putting their operations on a halt. Secondly, the fire can damage expensive equipment, on-sale products, or physical documents, all of which can translate into a greater financial burden even if you insure everything.

Types of Smoke Damage

Smoke from any fire class contains soot, carbon monoxide, and other harmful chemicals that can quickly enter the air and latch onto nearby structures (walls, floors, furniture, etc.) or be inhaled by occupants nearby. The degree of devastation depends on many things, including the type of smoke, the temperature, and the surrounding environment.

Let’s check out the different types of smoke damage in commercial properties:

1.    Dry Smoke Damage

Dry smoke residue is a product of high-temperature fires usually caused by explosions due to gas leaks or electrical malfunctions. The resulting black or grey soot doesn’t necessarily stain walls or surfaces, especially if you hire professionals for a clean-up right away.

2.    Wet Smoke Damage

Wet smoke residue is a product of low-temperature fires generally caused by melting plastic or overheating equipment. While this type of smoke doesn’t always leave behind soot, it can cause a pungent odor to sink into the walls and floors.

3.    Fuel/Oil Smoke Damage

This type of smoke often results from fires in factories, warehouses, and facilities that store petroleum products. Petroleum-based smoke and its soot residue are usually dark and enter the air in large quantities.

The Effects of Smoke Damage in Large Commercial Areas

Smoke damage in large commercial areas can be more devastating compared to smaller residential neighborhoods. With buildings and structures closely packed, the fire damage doesn’t just render the property unusable but \also damages other buildings and structures in the vicinity. As hot air rises from the fire site, air currents flowing through the building push the smoke towards the ceiling and outside the doors, ductways, and windows (if any).

As a result, businesses and other buildings with furniture, electronics, décor, and items nearby can be damaged by the smoke coming from your commercial property as well. Even though the damage won’t be as extensive as the main fire, it can still halt operations due to the health and safety risks it presents. Moreover, fire and smoke damage can force several property owners in large commercial areas to file insurance claims, and when this happens, it can cause insurance premiums to go up in the area. Plus, if your insurance company doesn’t compensate you for the damages, you’ll have to pay for all the property and bodily damages caused by the fire on your property.

Renowned Commercial Restoration Services – 911 Restoration of Baltimore

At 911 Restoration of Baltimore, we aim to help educate our customers about the different types of fire and water damage so they can proactively assess their properties and avert any disastrous consequences. Of course, there’s no way to predict random events, so our team of restoration experts can help you devise a disaster recovery plan that will specify how to deal with fire damage and its effects on other buildings in your area. Lastly, in the event of a fire, we have the expertise and equipment to return your property to its original condition and salvage as much as we can from the damage.

Feel free to call us for more information regarding our fire damage repair services.