Can I Salvage Burnt Contents from a Housefire?

6/4/2020 (Permalink)

If you have an electrical fire in your Fairfield Glade home, call the professionals of SERVPRO to mitigate your problem.

Many Contents with Fire Damage Are Restorable. Call SERVPRO For Fire Restoration Assistance.

Do I need to replace home appliances after a fire?

Your Fairfield Glade home is likely full of appliances that could sustain smoke or soot stains in a fire. Refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, and dishwashers are just a few items that are expensive to replace after a home fire. Equally, they are impossible to keep with odor-causing soot or soiling. Finishes on appliances can melt or bubble, which may cause synthetic odors like the smell of burning plastic to pervade your home. We operate with a restore over replace mentality. Our technicians can remove appliances, inspect their connections to your plumbing or electrics as well as surface soiling on the appliance itself. Hard surfaces, like those on appliances, are usually resistant to temperature and soot, which gives them a strong chance of successful restoration.

How do I remove soots from appliances?

The approach for removing fire damage from appliances in your Fairfield home is similar to our approach for hard surfaces. The material construction of these contents is usually nonabsorbent, like metals, plastics, glass, and Formica. Non-porous materials are easy to clean because soot do not penetrate the material itself but can, in some cases, bond with the surface. Our technicians rely on wet-cleaning methods which involve water-based cleaning solutions. Introducing water to a hard surface is safe because there is little chance of pushing soot further into the surface. The advantage of avoiding solvents it is not chemically dangerous and requires less application time when removing soot.

What are the top tips for cleaning appliances?

• Use a dry sponge, cloth or feather duster to remove excess soiling from the surface of the appliance
• Apply a surface cleaner directly onto the surface then apply a rinsing agent to remove any streaks
• Finish cleaning the surface using a polish to return the appliance to its preloss condition

Why do some soot residues remain on appliances after cleaning?

The composition of this un-combusted soiling is influential in the effectiveness of the cleaning method. Some house fires burn synthetic materials or protein and grease like kitchen fires. These deposits are classifiable as wet smoke and may require further attention because they repel water. Wet smokes are easy to spread around without the correct cleaning method. It is often necessary to apply a strong alkaline, oil-based solvent that can bond with the grease-based soiling. Once the soiling bonds with the solvent, it becomes suspended and can be washed away using an alkaline rinsing agent. Measuring the type of soot you are dealing with is essential if you want to avoid causing further damage to your home. SERVPRO pre-test materials for the type of smoke can help us decide the most effective restoration method.

What can I do to remove stubborn burned spills in ovens and stoves?

• Apply a full-strength industrial cleaner onto the surface and allow it to soak
• Pull out removable fittings to get greater access to the surface
• Once deposits are dissolved in the industrial cleaning liquid, scrub the surface using steel wool or stiff brush
• Scrub greasy residues and check ventilation hoods, ducts along with both interior and exterior of the stove

How can I remove yellowing from wooden surfaces?

At high temperatures, some types of wood surface finish can discolor. Usually, this discoloration manifests as yellowing on parts of the surface. SERVPRO technicians can restore light wood damage by applying wood creme to the affected surface. Using light steel-wool we can gently clean the surface to restore it to its original condition. If woods have direct exposure, there is a chance that the finish burns away entirely and can char parts of the naked surface on the wood. When there are visible signs of wood damage, technicians can use soda blasting to abraid surface levels of the wood gently before refinishing it to a good condition.

Do I need a specialist for electrical repair after a fire?

Items in the home that have complex construction or electricity running through them need assessment and repair from a qualified electrician. Restorers can perform initial cleaning of the electronic device without causing damage before bringing in a specialist for service and repair. As part of our stress-free claim, SERVPRO can enlist trusted third-parties on your behalf so that you only have to deal with one point of contact from start to finish. At the end of service, we can pass on paperwork to an insurance adjuster.

If your appliances become coated in, soot or smoke residues use a professional restoration service to return it to its preloss condition. Contact SERVPRO of Cumberland, Morgan & White Counties at (931) 250-5333.