Archived Fire Damage Blog Posts
Reviving Homes from Flames: SERVPRO's Expertise in Yuma
3/18/2024 (Permalink)
Fire damage is not something that is easy cleaned up. Contact SERVPRO of Yuma for professional services in your home.
Comprehensive Fire Restoration for Yuma Residences
In the unfortunate event of a fire, the aftermath can be devastating. Residents of Yuma have, however, a beacon of hope in SERVPRO®. Known for their expertise in fire damage cleanup and restoration, SERVPRO of Yuma East, Foothills offers a detailed process tailored to the unique challenges of a two-story residence facing first-floor charring and second-floor smoke damage.
The journey toward restoration begins with a thorough assessment of the damage. For a Yuma residence suffering from fire damage, this typically involves:
- First-Floor Charring: SERVPRO's trained professionals tackle structural damage with precision. They remove charred sections of walls, floors, and even ceilings to prevent further damage and prepare for reconstruction.
- Second-Floor Smoke Damage: Smoke can infiltrate far beyond the flames, leaving a pervasive odor and soot. SERVPRO employs advanced cleaning techniques and equipment to remove smoke residue and odors, restoring the air quality and surfaces to their pre-fire condition.
What about water damage?
A critical aspect often overlooked is the water damage resulting from first responders' efforts to extinguish the fire. SERVPRO of Yuma East, Foothills addresses this with:
- Water Extraction and Drying: Prompt water removal is crucial to prevent mold growth and additional damage. SERVPRO uses industrial-grade dehumidifiers and air movers to ensure a thoroughly dried environment.
There are countless reasons to trust our skilled technicians. SERVPRO of Yuma East, Foothills stands by the commitment Here To Help 24/7®, offering:
- Emergency response day or night
- Professional assessment and planning
- Comprehensive cleanup, including soot, smoke, and water
- Restoration and reconstruction to make it "Like it never even happened."
For Yuma residents facing the aftermath of a fire, SERVPRO provides not just a service but a promise of restoration, support, and peace of mind during challenging times. Call us at (928) 247-1180 to initiate fire restoration services.
Ready, Set, Grill
5/1/2023 (Permalink)
Be safe when using your BBQ.
SERVPRO of Yuma fire remediation specialists advises Yuma-area grill masters to consider safety during the cooking season.
Firing up the BBQ and Grilling all Year Long is Part of the Joy of Living in Yuma. But, every homeowner should practice safety when cooking outdoors. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) warns families that grilling season also marks a rise in home fires started by outdoor grilling activities. According to the NFPA, on average, 10,600 home fires are started by grills yearly. These fires caused an average of 10 deaths, 160 serious injuries, and $149 million in direct property damage.
"Sixty-one percent of U.S. households own a gas grill," says Rick Isaacson, SERVPRO Industries, LLC CEO. "A total of sixty-four percent own at least one outdoor BBQ, grill, or smoker. The popularity of this outdoor cooking equipment combined with longer, warmer days creates a unique fire hazard that should be taken seriously."
The NFPA offers these essential tips for fire-safe grilling for gas/propane grills:
- Check the gas tank for leaks before using
- Open the lid on all gas grills before lighting the grill
For Charcoal Grills:
- Use only charcoal starter fluid to start the fire but never add it or any flammable liquids to a fire that is burning
- Cool coals entirely before you dispose of them in a metal container
For All Grills:
- Place the grill well away from the house and deck railings. Don't place it under eaves or branches
- Remove grease and fat buildup from grills and trays after each use
- Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the grill
- Never leave the grill unattended when in use
For Deep Fryers:
U.S. fire departments respond to more than 1,000 fires involving deep fryers yearly. There are, on average, five deaths and 60 injuries every year. More than 900 homes and $15 million in property damage are blamed on the careless use of deep fryers, according to the NFPA.
- Keep deep fryers more than 10 feet from the house or structure
- Stay away from any flammable materials like tall grass or trees
- Never leave your deep fryer unattended
- Protect the chef by wearing oven mitts
- When working with hot grease and flammable material, keep children or animals at a safe distance.
- Have pots to smother flames and a fire extinguisher handy. NEVER use WATER on a grease fire.
NEVER GRILL INDOORS:
Charcoal and gas grills produce large amounts of carbon monoxide, which can be deadly. Even small amounts of carbon monoxide can kill you. This might seem obvious. However, at least a dozen people die yearly from using outdoor grills inside homes and structures.
At SERVPRO of Yuma East, Foothills, we encourage you to be safe when you cook outdoors. Over the years, our company has responded to several fire cleanup jobs caused by outdoor grilling. That's why we hope you will be safe and not have to employ our fire and smoke cleanup services.
For more safety information, visit: the 123HELP APP
To reach SERVPRO of Yuma East/Foothills, call 928-247-1180
SERVPRO of Yuma has Professional Equipment for Fire Cleanup.
4/3/2023 (Permalink)
An ultrasonic cleaning machine is "the" ultimate tool for cleaning soot-damaged contents after a fire.
Advanced Technology for Fire and Smoke Remediation
Cleaning soot and smoke residue after a fire requires special chemicals and advanced technology. That is because the soot composition may contain oils, acids, and other harsh particulates that bond to surfaces. SERVPRO of Yuma has invested in the technology required to clean up a soot and smoke-contaminated environment. The following is a list of the many types of equipment we own. This may be a rather technical article for residential consumers. However, our insurance adjusters and facilities engineer clients appreciate this information. We are presenting this material to demonstrate our commitment to providing excellent service.
These special vacuums remove 99.9% of fine airborne particulates and are designed not to exhaust particles back into the air during vacuuming.
- HEPA Air Purification (air scrubbers)
The portable filtration machine sucks air into primary and secondary filters through HEPA filters and then exhausts clean air back into the room. Our devices exchange 500 cubic feet of air or more per minute.
The use of ozone has proven to be an effective deodorization tool for cleaning up fire/smoke, cooking odors, and trauma scenes. How does ozone destroy odors? Ozone reacts with odor molecules by transferring the “extra” oxygen atom of the ozone molecule in gas form to the odor molecule, which changes its composition and no longer has the same chemical makeup. This chemical reaction is called oxidation and is used in various cleaning applications to kill odor.
This adaptation of an Ozone machine can be safely used in rooms where people work or are present. This air cleaning technology is used in the International Space Station and Submarines.
The Esporta industrial-grade laundry machine was invented in Canada to clean hockey uniforms and firefighter jackets. The Esporta system can handle the most challenging cleaning assignment, such as soot, yet it’s designed not to rub and wear fibers, which is ideal for more delicate fabrics.
- Ultrasonic Content Cleaning Machines (Pictured)
When a fire spreads smoke throughout an interior environment, the contents often become covered and saturated with a dark black film of soot. An ultrasonic washing system removes the smokey film far more thoroughly than can cleaning by hand. There is no better or faster way to clean objects that can be immersed in a wet solution.
SERVPRO of Yuma East, Foothills is dedicated to using the best technology to produce quality results that meet our customer’s needs.
Avoid Fire at All Cost!
12/8/2022 (Permalink)
When a fire happens, the firefighters often move the contents out of harm's way but often make a mess simultaneously.
How Can You Protect Your Home From Fire?
Preparing and maintaining your home to prevent fires is an excellent way to protect your family and belongings. SERVPRO of Yuma East Foothills has prepared a list of ten helpful tips to help keep you safe.
1. TEST YOUR SMOKE ALARMS REGULARLY
Press the test button; if it beeps weakly, you need to change the batteries ASAP.
2. INSPECT YOUR HEATING SYSTEM
If your heating sources aren’t working correctly, they could trigger a fire. Have them checked by a professional. Make sure your air filters are always cleaned or replaced. If you’re using a space heater – it needs to be positioned away from anything flammable.
3. KEEP YOUR STOVE AND OVEN CLEAN
When stoves combust, it is usually caused by oil spilling during cooking or by forgotten food particles on the burner. They can catch fire if you leave a dish towel or cookbook on a burner that you forgot was still hot.
4. DON’T LEAVE Cooking Food unattended
A few seconds is all it takes for a fire to break out. Never leave cooking food alone. If you must go, call someone into the kitchen to watch the food until you get back.
5. ALWAYS CHECK YOUR DRYER
Driers should be inspected every year. Don’t forget to clean out your lint trap every time you put in a new load of laundry. You also want to check behind the machine for lint or clothing items like socks… clean the area and remove clothing items.
6. MAINTAIN ALL ELECTRICAL CORDS
Before you plug something in, ensure the cord hasn’t been frayed. Replace damaged wires because this is a considerable fire hazard. Check your cord placement. They tend to get hot. Avoid running them under a rug or between your wall and furniture.
7. PROPERLY STORE FLAMMABLE PRODUCTS
Household cleaners, solvents, and everyday cosmetic items such as hairspray can be hazardous if exposed to a heat source. They can combust. Keep them away from space heaters and other high-heat sources.
8. PRACTICE CAUTION WITH CANDLES
Be cautious with candles. Keep them far away from curtains, blankets, or other flammable objects. Never put them on an uneven surface like carpets. If you have pets, make sure lit candles stay out of their reach. Blow out candles when you leave the room.
9. BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR FIREPLACE
Use a fire screen to prevent sparks from escaping from the fireplace. Don’t burn rubbish in a fireplace. Don’t leave the room with the fireplace blazing. Dispose of the ashes properly. Make sure they are cool. Dispose of them in a metal container designated for the ashes.
10. HAVE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS ON HAND
Fire extinguishers are your best defense weapon when a fire breaks out. Make sure you have at least one in the kitchen and one in the garage. Every family member should know how to use an extinguisher so that if a fire does happen, it can be put out as fast as possible. However, never put your life at risk. Know when to escape
YOU CAN HELP PREVENT HOUSE FIRES!
There is nothing more devastating than losing your treasures to a house fire. Your home is where you make your most memories, so you owe it to yourself and your family to protect it.
If your home ever suffers from fire or smoke damage, contact us to learn how we can help with cleanup and restoration services. We’re SERVPRO of Yuma East Foothills. Contact us at 928-247-1180.
What Happens to a House After a House Fire?
12/8/2022 (Permalink)
How are the Contents Cared for After a Structural Fire?
Good question. When a fire happens, most people look at the apparent damage, which is the damage to the structure. The fire’s impact on the unique contents is an afterthought unless expected for the victims of the fire.
When flames or severe heat damage furniture, clothing, plastics, and other contents, the damage is often “total.” When contents are damaged beyond repair, the insurance company declares them a total loss. The restoration company will document these items on a total loss inventory list. Valuable items with extreme damage may be retained and stored for fire investigators or insurance company adjusters to inspect. Other items will be disposed of.
However, when the source of the damage to the contents is smoke and soot, the contents can often be restored. In many cases, soot, odor, and discoloration can be successfully removed when the items are cleaned and treated quickly.
The makeup of the smoke and soot impacts the difficulty of the cleaning and restorative process. For example, some soot will have a high-acid composition, others will leave oily deposits, and each is cleaned and removed in their way. The longer these substances remain on items, the more damage they can do.
There are times when our content cleaning specialists at SERVPRO of Yuma are not able to quickly determine if a particular content can be cleaned and restored. In this case, we perform a cleaning test on a small portion of the item. If the test results are successful, our technicians will complete the cleaning.
Sometimes, we will hire specialist contractors to work with us to restore valuable contents, especially on large fire cleanup projects where time is a critical component to the ultimate success of the recovery.
Services by Cleaning Specialists:
- Electronic equipment
- Clothing, leather, and fabric cleaners
- Area rug cleaners
- Fine art restoration
- Document recovery
SERVPRO of Yuma takes every fire damage job seriously. Successfully cleaning a family’s contents and personal treasures is meaningful and satisfying to us. We want to make every property damage event we restore “Like it never even happened.”
SERVPRO of Yuma: 928-247-1180
Fires cause different types of smoke damage.
12/7/2022 (Permalink)
Kitchen fires can put greasy soot into the air that will deposit on surfaces throughout a home.
THERE ARE FOUR TYPES OF SMOKE.
Beyond just the fire damage, residual smoke and soot can cause a great deal of damage. Soot often contains impure carbon-based residues, creating a hazardous situation. Soot is basically un-burnt hydrocarbons. It’s the residue of the materials that were on fire. Many structural building materials, such as plastics, contain adhesives and petroleum-based (carbon-based) components. Carpeting and laminate flooring are an example of this. When these materials are not fully combusted, particulate carbon and gases are released into the air and become residues that eventually cling to or settle on interior surfaces as soot.
Four common types of smoke damage (dry smoke, protein residue, fuel/oil residue, and wet smoke) are caused by different circumstances like the fire’s temperature and fueling materials. The cleanup and restoration process varies slightly for each kind of smoke/soot contamination.
- Dry Smoke
Dry smoke is created by fast-burning, high-temperature fires that are typically fueled by paper or wood. Its powdery texture means it doesn’t smear when being wiped up. It’s relatively easy to clean compared to more dense smoke and soot residue. However, dry smoke usually produces very small particles of soot that can work their way into cracks or porous materials which can make it difficult to remove the smoke odor.
- Protein Residue
A cooking mishap can cause protein residue particles to be carried into the smoke. This type of smoke can be essentially invisible with no noticeable soot or streaking, but it can permanently discolor paint and other finished surfaces. While it may be challenging to see protein residue, it’s not hard to smell it. I left untreated, the unpleasant odor will intensify over time and can permeate your entire home or business and the contents within.
- Fuel/Oil Residue
Fuel/oil residue, also called petroleum residue, thankfully isn’t seen too often in home or business fires unless petroleum products were being stored in the space. However, it’s not uncommon for a building with an oil-burning furnace to have a “puff back” where it doesn’t ignite properly and ultimately releases smoke and soot into the surrounding space. This means you can deal with fuel residue smoke damage even when there hasn’t been a fire. Petroleum residue is sticky, dense, and especially difficult to clean. Its odor is strong and offensive, efficiently ruining upholstery and carpets when not cleaned promptly.
- Wet Smoke
Wet smoke damage comes from low-heat, smoldering fires. Both plastic and rubber produce this contamination when they are burned. These incredibly smelly fires usually have fewer flames but produce thick, black smoke. Because wet smoke residue is sticky and dense can completely cover your home or business’s surfaces. This soot residue is challenging to remove without special equipment and cleaning agents because it tends to smear during the cleaning process.
How does SERVPRO of Yuma restore smoke damage to your home or business?
There are three main ways to deal with smoke damage after a fire:
- cleaning, resurfacing and replacing. When possible, we clean your space by removing the smoke residue from all existing items, avoiding the high costs of replacing them. This is often the case with smaller blazes that leave behind minimal damage.
- When the smoke residue is worse or has been given time to permeate your space, we will attempt to salvage or repair existing items to return them to their pre-fire state. This involves advanced cleaning or re-painting, re-carpeting, re-upholstering, and so on.
- In extreme cases, we will replace all non-salvageable items and provide reconstruction services. This is the last choice solution because of its high cost, but it’s necessary when the damage is severe. Please understand: If an insurance company is involved, then an insurance adjuster will have the final say on what is to be salvaged or replaced.
Please get in touch with our office if you ever experience a fire and smoke damage emergency. The sooner we are invited to help, the faster you can return your structure to its preloss condition. Please understand during a disaster, first and foremost, we work for you, and we’re also experienced in successfully interacting with insurance companies. We’re SERVPRO of Yuma East Foothills. 928-247-9811
Evite Daño por Incendio a Toda Costa!
9/9/2022 (Permalink)
SERVPRO of Yuma can help.
Cómo Puede Usted Proteger Su Hogar Contra Un Incendio?
Estar preparado y mantener su hogar para prevenir incendios es una forma excelente de proteger a su familia y sus pertenencias. SERVPRO of Yuma East Foothills ha preprado una lista de 10 recomendaciones para ayudarle a mantenerse seguro.
1. PRUEBE SUS ALARMAS CONTRA INCENDIO CON REGULARIDAD
Presione el botón de prueba, si el sonido es leve, es probable que sea necesario cambiar las baterías cuanto antes.
2. INSPECCIONE SU SISTEMA DE CALEFACCION
Si su sistema de calefacción no está trabajando adecuadamente, podría ocasionar un incendio. Programe revisions anuales con un professional. Asegúrese de que sus filtros de aire estén siempre limpios, o reemplácelos. Si utiliza un calentón portátil, asegúrese de que no apunte hacia ningún material inflamable.
3. MANTENGA SU ESTUFA Y HORNO LIMPIOS
Cuando las estufas se prenden solas, usualmente es causado por derrames de aceite cuando se está cocinando, o porque se quedaron pequeños pedazos de comida en el quemador. Si deja una toalla o libro de recetas sobre el apagador que todavía está caliente, puede comenzarse un incendio.
4. NO DEJE COMIDA COCINANDO SIN ATENDER
Todo lo que se necesita es unos cuantos segundos para que se comience un incendio. Nunca deje comida cocinando sin attender. Si necesita salir, llame a alguien a la cocina para que pueda attender la comida mientras usted regresa.
5. SIEMPRE REVISE SU SECADORA DE ROPA
Se recomienda que inspeccione su secadora de ropa por lo menos una vez al año. No olvide limpiar la trmpa de la pelusa cada vez que empiece una tanda de ropa en la secadora. Trate de revisar atrás de la secadora por si hay pelusa, or ropa pequeña como calcetines. Limpie el área y retire la ropa olvidada.
6. MANTENGA TODAS LAS EXTENSIONES ELECTRICAS EN BUEN ESTADO
Ante de que conecte cualquier aparato eléctrico, asegúrese de que el cordon está en buen estado. Reemplace los cables dañados, ya que son un gran peligro de incendio. Revise la colocación del cable. Pueden tender a calentarse. Evite corer cables bajo tapetes, alfombras o entre la pared y sus muebles.
7. ALMACENE TODO PRODUCTO INFLAMABLE APROPRIADAMENTE
Líquidos para limpiar, solvents y cosméticos comunes como hairspray pueden ser peligros si se exponen a una fuente de calor. Pueden ser combustibles. Mantenga estos líquidos alejados de calentones portátiles y otras fuentes de calor..
8. tenga precaucion con velas
Sea cuidadoso con velas. Mantengálas alejadas de cortinas, cobijas u otros artículos inflamables. Nunca coloque sus velas en una superficie desigual o insegura, como alfombras. Si usted tiene mascotas, asegúrese de que las velas estén fuera de su alcance. Apague las velas cuando salga del cuarto.
9. TENGA CUIDADO CON SU CHIMENEA
Use una pantalla contra fuego para prevenir que se escapen chispas de su chimenea. No queme basura en su chimenea. No salga del cuarto cuando el fuego esté llameando. Disponga de las cenizas adecuadamente. Asegúrese de que no estén calientes. Retírelas en un contenedor de metal designado para cenizas.
10. MANTENGA EXTINGUIDORES A LA MANO
Los extinguidores contra incendios son su mejor herramienta cuando un incendio empieza. Asegúrese de tener por lo menos uno en la cocina y uno en el garaje. Se recomiendo que todos los miembros de la familia sepan cómo usa un extinguidor, para que si un incendio llegara a pasar, se puede apagar tan pronto como sea possible. Sin embargo, nunca arriesgue su vida. Sepa cual es la mejor manera de salir y escaper un incendio.
usted puede prevenir incendios en el hogar!
No hay nada tan devastador como perder sus pertenencias en un incendio. Su hogar es donde usted tiene la mayoría de sus mejores recuerdos, y merece que usted y su familia estén protegidos.
Si algún dâa su hogar sufriera un incendio, y daño por humo, llámenos para aprender como le podemos ofrecer nuestros servicios de limpieza y restauración. Somos SERVPRO de Yuma East, Foothills. Nos puede localizar llamando a número: 928-247-1180. Estamos aquí para ayudarle.
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