Smoke Damage or Fire Damage – What’s Worse?

5/15/2023 (Permalink)

What is conclusive is that both smoke and fire damage will cause loss – both of life and financial loss.

Brutal Statistics of Smoke and Fire Damage

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), in the United States, a fire department responds to a fire every 23 seconds. Notably, 96% of all homes in the United States have been afflicted by some form of smoke-related or fire damage. In fact, over a five-year study, NFPA found house fires to cause 2,620 deaths and $6.9 billion in property damage. It is undeniable that fires have catastrophic consequences.

Fire damage can span the gamut, ranging from minor damage to complete destruction. Similarly, smoke damage can severely impact one’s health and one’s home. Fire safety reporting agencies list smoke inhalation as the leading cause of home fire deaths. All this research begs the question, which is worse smoke damage or fire damage?

Fire Damage

On average, seven people per day are killed by fires. In the event that a fire does not result in loss of life, burn injuries are among the most painful and damaging injuries a person can experience. Burn injuries due to fire damage often require long-term hospitalization. Further, burn injuries can affect nerves, muscles, bones, and blood vessels.

From an economic standpoint, every year over $10 billion in property damage is the result of fires. For example, a fire in a commercial kitchen can cost $23,000 in fire damages. Many items lost in fires are irreplaceable family heirlooms and memories.

Smoke Damage

Oftentimes, the smoke that accompanies a fire can cause more damage than the fire itself. Many fire detection, prevention, and containment tactics do nothing to dispel the smoke. During a fire, different chemicals are released into the air with the smoke. Inhaling smoke from a fire can cause grave respiratory and cardiac effects. Moreover, smoke decreases the quantity of oxygen in the lungs which can cause a person to suffocate.

In the instance of a fire, firefighters will cut holes in walls and roofs to quickly ventilate a building. Their goal is to get the smoke out as rapidly as possible. This may require multiple holes cut into buildings and roofs depending on the nature of the smoke. More ventilation holes will require more costly building repairs. Smoke can permeate behind walls, into HVAC vents, and in electrical outlets. Odors related to smoke can get trapped in closets and walls and take many years to dissipate. It leads to yellowing of walls. Additionally, it is very messy and difficult to fully clean.

Which is Worse?

What is conclusive is that both smoke and fire damage will cause loss – both of life and financial loss. While some fires are unavoidable, many fires can be prevented.

Some key fire prevention tips include, outfitting your home or building with fire alarms in every room and on every floor; installing carbon monoxide detectors on every floor; using proper space heater precautions, such as automatic shut offs and keeping space heaters at least three feet away from all flammable objects; extinguishing all candles and embers in a fireplace in the appropriate manner; practicing fire drills so everyone knows the proper fire procedures; and learning how to use a fire extinguishers.

As always, you can count on SERVPRO of South Palm Beach for any fire damage and smoke damage needs.