Before

After

Soot Stained Wall in West Michigan

Before using your fireplace make sure to check the flue damper or your walls could look like this cottage in West Michigan.  The damper should always be fully open before lighting a fire and while the fireplace is in use.  Once the fire is extinguished you can close the flue damper.  This cottage owner called SERVPRO of Holland/W. Ottawa County after using her fireplace for about a week with the flue closed.  Soot stained the walls of their living room, dining room, kitchen and sun room, flooring in all areas and soft goods such as furniture, rugs, etc.  Our technicians used a dry cleaning sponge to get as much soot off the walls as possible.