If you’ve experienced any type of fire damage in your home, you may need to consider replacing the flooring. Whether you can restore the current flooring or whether you need to replace it depends on how it was affected by fire, smoke, and water. Here’s what you need to know about how fire affects different types of flooring.
Tile
Tile is one of the most resilient types of flooring in a fire. This is because it’s resistant to both fire and water damage, and it can often be cleaned if smoke and soot have discolored it. Porcelain tile is usually nonporous, and because it’s fired at high temperatures, it’s extremely hard and able to withstand fire and smoke penetration. However, it’s possible that tile exposed to large amounts of water could cause damage to the underlying subfloor, so a professional would need to assess any water damage and mold possibilities.
Carpet
Carpet is one of the most susceptible flooring materials to fire, smoke, and water. It’s extremely difficult to remove smoke odor, so it’s nearly impossible to salvage carpet after a fire, even if the carpet itself wasn’t burned. Additionally, water will soak into the carpet pad, which means it must be removed. Carpet must be replaced, but it may be possible to save area rugs with professional cleaning and restoration.
Hardwood
Hardwood floors that are exposed to smoke but not fire and water damage may be salvageable. Although wood is porous and can trap smoke particles and odors, you may be able to clean the floors using a vinegar and water solution. However, depending on the extent of damage, you may need to replace part or all of the hardwood.
Linoleum and Vinyl
Linoleum and vinyl are made mostly of plastic, so in most cases, these materials need to be replaced when exposed to fire. However, the non-porous nature of vinyl means that it may resist smoke and water damage.
If you need help restoring or replacing flooring after a fire, Flooring Pros can help. Visit us today to learn more.