Fire and Smoke Damage

Fire-damage-contamination, it arises from intense heat exposure and leaves charred residues on surfaces. Steel substrates versus wood materials, contamination patterns differ sharply—steel develops thin oxide scales with embedded soot, while wood forms thick, porous carbon layers that trap volatile compounds. This difference impacts laser cleaning; on metals, ablation proceeds evenly but risks subsurface cracking from thermal stress. Wood surfaces, contamination still clings deeply after initial pulses, thus requiring multi-pass treatments to avoid fiber charring. Formation follows rapid pyrolysis, and residues bond variably—adhesive on metals, crumbly yet persistent on organics. Removal challenges emerge in uneven energy absorption, so precise pulse control enhances efficacy without further degradation. Treatment applies, surface already shows reduced haze, and cleaning yields cleaner profiles across materials.

Yi-Chun Lin, Ph.D.
Taiwan