That’s Not Charlotte’s Web!

6/6/2023 (Permalink)

Commonly, when a fire occurs, even a small one, strange thread-like chains reminiscent of a spider’s web can form. Many people are often concerned that the fire may have attracted some unwelcome guests into their home. Arachnophobes can rest easy, those web-like structures are (most likely) not from a spider, they are soot tags, also known as soot webs.

What Are They and What Causes Them?

Soot tags are thread-like chains that are made from carbon and tar that are released as a fire burns. They are black in color and people often wrongly assume they are cobwebs that are covered in soot. Fires produce heat that releases both soot and smoke. Soot is made up of powdery or oily carbon and tar, while smoke is a vapor that is made up of the finest particles. Heat is naturally drawn to cooler areas, and as it moves, it pulls the smoke and soot with it. The ionized soot particles gather in the corners of walls and ceilings, thereby forming the adeptly named “soot webs” in the home.

Have you recently experienced a house fire? Give SERVPRO® of Columbia County a call at 706-868-5441 for a consultation. We can clean, deodorize, and get your home back to preloss condition in no time!