Fire Damage Cleaning – Exeter, NH

It is not a frequent occurrence in New Hampshire, but on occasion a squatter situation can lead to fire damage cleaning needs. This happened at an Exeter property that was foreclosed and vacant. Squatters, who unlawfully occupy an abandoned building, had moved into a once prestigious home. The property was empty for over a year after the owners were foreclosed on. The squatters broke in at some point during its vacancy. Their daily habits, which included illegal drug usage, caused a small fire in the living room. The fire caused smoke damage throughout the property. The damages were discovered by the bank when they inspected the property months later. Soil-Away was called to the Exeter house to perform the fire damage cleaning services.
Soil-Away fire damage cleaning crews washed ceilings, walls and floors. All the remaining fixtures were wiped down. The entire property was completely deodorized from the smoke odor. In addition to the fire damage cleaning, Soil-Away sanitized the entire structure to help prepare it for sale. The combination of the extended vacancy and squatter occupancy had resulted in an unsanitary environment. Only a firm certified in both fire damage and bio-hazard cleaning was fit for this cleanup job. After a few days of hard work, the property was free of smoke odor and sanitary for inhabitation. The bank could get back to selling the Exeter property.

The need to monitor empty buildings

Vacant buildings are susceptible to many sources of damage. Pipes can freeze leading to flood damage. Roofs can start to leak without detection.  Vandals can smash windows. Criminals can break in to steal copper piping. These examples can all lead to water damage and eventually mold problems. If you are involved with a vacant property, it is important to develop sufficient monitoring protocols to avoid serious issues such as these. As with the case with the Exeter property, routine monitoring of the foreclosed property may have helped avoid the need for costly fire damage cleaning.
Fortunately for the bank, Soil-Away’s bio-hazard and fire damage cleaning brought the property back to life. The bank re-listed the foreclosed property. It was sold within weeks. The bank was lucky the fire damage from the squatters did not take the whole property down. The Exeter home was a sitting duck and a disaster waiting to happen. They learned an important lesson on how to manage their vacant properties from there on out.

Fire damage cleaning

Fire damage cleaning is a specialized service requiring significant training and resources. Properties with fire, soot and smoke damage need certified experts to eliminate the problem. Individuals or companies not trained in this arena are not advised to take on fire damage cleaning projects themselves. A mishandled project could results in long-term smoke odor problems or unnecessary staining to surfaces.
Soil-Away Cleaning and Restoration specializes in water and fire damage cleaning projects in Exeter and the surrounding towns. The company is ready to respond 24/7 to any property damage emergency. Soil-Away is IICRC master-certified in both water and fire damage restoration. They service all towns on the New Hampshire Route 101 corridor from Manchester to the seacoast. This includes towns such as Candia, Raymond, Epping, Exeter and Hampton.