What Causes Soot Webs On The Wall?

3/15/2021 (Permalink)

Contact the professionals at SERVPRO before trying to clean soot webs on your own!

After a fire breaks out, you may be left with soot webs.

Fire disasters can cause devastating consequences, and it is crucial to understand the impact of smoke damage. All fire damages result in smoke and soot damage. Soot consists of carbon particles that are released as a product of incomplete combustion. 

When there is a fire, the heat moves towards cooler surrounding areas as a phenomenon of atmospheric equilibrium. Thus, enabling the smoke and soot particles to circulate along with air to spread around the entire space. 

High vapor pressure forces these particles into closed and sealed spaces, creating newly formed soot chains, known as soot webs or soot tags. The development of soot webs may look like an initial consequence of prior existing spider webs, but that is false. Soot webs are formed entirely as a consequence of a fire disaster. 

What Are Soot Webs Made Of? 

Soot webs are created as a product of improperly combusted carbon particles following a fire disaster. The development of soot webs is facilitated by air motion and thermal equilibrium. These soot webs resemble spider webs, except they form immediately after a fire, they appear darker, and they have a strong odor of oil present. 

How Do You Clean Soot Webs?

Soot webs can range from light to heavy and are often detected as dust that reappears even after being vigorously cleaned. It is noticed on hands as charcoal would when touched. Soot smears on the surfaces of walls when touched. Additionally, soot produces a lingering smell of smoke.

The cleaning of soot webs can be a highly challenging and daunting task. The first thing to do is to open doors and windows to ensure that there is sufficient ventilation. Turn off all fans and air-conditioners to prevent the spread of loose soot dust within the vents. 

To clean soot:

1. Wear a multilayered face-mask or a respirator to avoid breathing in soot particle deposition.
2. Effectively remove furniture uncovered in soot to prevent unnecessary deposition and contamination that could occur while the soot webs are cleared.
3. Begin the soot cleaning by vacuuming in and around the walls and surfaces covered in soot or soot webs. This will eradicate the loose dusty soot and leave the adherent particles intact.
4. Follow this step by wiping the area with a special chemical sponge. 

When to contact SERVPRO

Cleaning soot webs calls for attention to urgent damage restoration by professionals to efficiently clean up these soot webs and clear up all closed and sealed spaces. Soot adheres to multiple surfaces and is notorious for leaving permanent stains if not tended to immediately. 

The entire process is tedious and can be extremely hard to manage without adequate equipment and training. 

The professionals at SERVPRO specialize in damage restoration and cleaning up of all devastating consequences following a fire disaster. The highly trained workers at SERVPRO will make sure to restore your place in a good-as-new condition. 

Contact us today if you have any questions about our soot web cleaning process. We are available 24/7 to answer your questions!