Water Damage and Fire Damage Go Hand in Hand

6/20/2018 (Permalink)

When you’re recovering from a fire on your commercial properties in Albuquerque, it's natural to wonder why you incurred both fire damage and water damage at the same time. While you might have a basic understanding of the role of water in fighting a destructive fire, it's helpful to comprehend what happens when a fire starts to burn. The mechanics of fire suppression rely on such an understanding, and this knowledge also gives you greater insight into the restoration and cleanup process.

Why Does a Fire Burn?

While most people learn principles that make fire work in high school science classes, this knowledge also forms the foundation for both basic and advanced firefighting techniques. Fires need four crucial components to start and keep burning:

• Fuel (sometimes called a “reducing agent”)
• Energy, in the form of heat
• An oxidizing agent (commonly oxygen)
• A chemical reaction

What accounts for a blaze’s destructive nature that leads to massive fire damage is its dependence on these four elements. So long as there are plentiful supplies of fuel, heat and oxygen, a fire's chemical reaction will continue, permitting it to burn, grow and spread. 

How Is a Fire Extinguished?

Fire suppression focuses on robbing the flames of one or more of these elements. When delivered in huge quantities through a fire hose, water both significantly reduces a fire’s heat and takes away oxygen as it transmutes from liquid to vapor form at extremely high temperatures. Unfortunately, this enormous amount of water also floods buildings and wreaks havoc on its own. 

Even with groundbreaking modern methods for quenching a blaze, the most expedient way to kill a fire is with a huge amount of water. That’s why flooding and excess water occurs with most fire damage on your commercial properties. This combination is why a restoration professional’s job includes extracting water, soot, odors and smoke from your property along with completing essential repairs.

Having a company that can coordinate the whole process from start to finish to make your life easier and gets you back in your home or business faster. “Like it never even happened.”

If you would like more information on hiring a team experienced in Water and Fire Restoration Call SERVPRO of South Albuquerque Today at (505) 345-4700