Recent Fire Damage Posts

Smoke Damage from Fires

9/8/2023 (Permalink)

Questions and Answers How is Smoke Damage Treated

Smoke from fires travels through out the enclosed space.  Our best advice is to call the professionals from SERVPRO to properly clean the residue.

SERVPRO will make it "Like It Never Even Happened!"

After a Fire: What Not To Do

9/12/2022 (Permalink)

Fires, as we know, disrupt daily life for homeowners and regular operations for commercial properties. As a property owner, your mind is likely fixated on what you can do to restore your home or business to its pre-fire condition as soon as possible. While this thinking may be productive, taking hasty actions after a fire can risk additional damage to a property already suffering from fire damage. Read on to learn about actions to avoid after a fire in an effort to protect your property from additional, avoidable damage. 

  1. Re-entering Your Home or Business Before It Is Safe to Do So

Although the fire may be extinguished, it is not necessarily safe to re-enter the property. It is understandable that you are anxious to re-enter your home or business after a fire in order to assess the damage. However, it is important to remember that entering a fire-damaged property prematurely can result in an increased risk for additional damage. 

  1. Cleaning the Property Yourself

Small and large fires alike can bring about smoke and soot residue, both of which risk damage to a property’s contents, as well as its ceilings and walls. Calling a fire damage restoration professional is beneficial, to make sure that the property is thoroughly restored and cleaned with professionally, tested, and reliable methods and tools. Taking matters into your own hands, especially when it comes to cleaning carpets and walls, only risks further, unwanted damage. By contacting SERVPRO of Clarion Jefferson and Forest Counties instead, your property will receive the highest quality care, making your fire damage seem “Like it never even happened” after an emergency.

  1. Using or Cleaning Electrical Appliances

Remember that in the early stages after a fire, areas of the property can be damp or soaked from fire extinguishing efforts.  That makes it important to avoid using electrical devices and appliances in an effort to prevent electrical shock. Because fires are extinguished with water, the wiring of electrical appliances, such as televisions, computers, refrigerators, and washing machines, can be left damp and dangerous to use. This is why it is best to also leave the task of cleaning electrical appliances to the professionals, who can make sure that everything is completed safely. 

Call SERVPRO After a Fire

Making the call to SERVPRO of Clarion Jefferson and Forest Counties after a fire is the best way to ensure great care for your property. Let our trusted restoration and cleaning services, experienced crew members, and advanced technology give you peace of mind after a fire. You can learn more about our fire damage restoration offerings, including our commercial and residential services on our website. At the first sign of damage, pick up the phone and call SERVPRO of Clarion Jefferson and Forest Counties at 814 849-5653 to make it “Like it never even happened” and restore your home or business to its pre-fire condition as soon as possible

Safety Tips to Prevent Home Cooking Fires

10/27/2021 (Permalink)

Stovetop Cooking Fire Cooking Fires are the biggest cause of home fires and injuries according to the National Fire Protection Agency

Cooking Fires - How They Can Affect Your Home

SERVPRO of Clarion Jefferson and Forest County can help with all your fire restoration needs.   

Cooking at home can be a fire hazard due to grease fires.  The National Fire Protection Association reports that firefighters respond to roughly 172,100 fires started from cooking each year, or an average of 471 cooking fires each day.  

Though there are more occurrences around the winter holidays. We should be prepared year-round for grease fires. The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking. Here are a few ways to prevent these grease fires: 

  • Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, boiling or broiling food
  • While simmering, baking, or roasting food check it regularly and use a timer to remind yourself that you are cooking
  • Be gentle when adding food or oil to the pot or pan 
  • Use a thermometer to monitor temperature 
  • Always keep a lid, baking soda, and salt nearby 
  • Keep anything flammable (wooden spoon, oven mitts, etc.) away from pot or pan 

These measures can all significantly help prevent a grease fire. Sometimes, these fires do break out, and here’s what you can do to fight it: 

  • If your fire leaves the stovetop, call 911 immediately 
  • Cover your pot or pan with a metal pan or cooking sheet 
  • NEVER use water to put out a grease fire 
  • Turn your burner off 
  • Use a Class-K fire extinguisher to fight the fire (Aim low, go slow!)

Remember, if your fire leaves your stovetop, you should call 911 immediately.

If those prevention tips do not work, and you do experience a fire, please follow those tips. If your home is damaged, SERVPRO of Clarion Jefferson and Forest County can help with all your fire restoration needs.

SERVPRO of Clarion Jefferson and Forest County can provide you with: 

  • Board-up and tarp-up services 
  • Smoke and soot removal 
  • Odor removal 
  • Carpet and upholstery cleaning 
  • Caring for your belongings 

SERVPRO of Clarion Jefferson and Forest County understands how important it is to have your home and lives back to normal. If fire restoration services are needed, please call us at (814 849-5653). 

Practicing Fire Safety With Lithium Batteries

9/22/2021 (Permalink)

Batteries in all shapes and sizes Batteries can create fire hazards

OH NOOO!!!!! MY laptop is on fire!!!!

Lithium may sound familiar to you as we hear of it a lot because of our reliance on electronic devices. In terms of power, lithium tackles multiple different roles, including the power source for lithium batteries and lithium-ion batteries. The two types of lithium batteries differ in their cell type and abilities to recharge, but they both allow electronic devices to run on portable energy. As a result, many of the electronic devices that we use on a daily basis employ lithium batteries. It is important then to understand that lithium is a powerful substance that can create fire hazards in some circumstances. Read on in order to learn more about the steps that you can take to prevent fire damage caused by lithium batteries.

Why Are Lithium Batteries Such a Concern?

While risks accompany lithium batteries, they are still safe for everyday use. Unless they short-circuit or overheat to a certain degree, both of which are rare occurrences, lithium batteries can be used safely on a regular basis. However, overheating and overcharging can both cause electronic devices to release a significant amount of heat, increasing the risk of fire. You may have seen news stories about cell phones and hover boards going up in flames on hot days, but these circumstances are extraordinarily rare. As a matter of fact, the US Postal Service categorizes lithium batteries as Class 9 hazards, a category consisting of miscellaneous hazardous materials that are only dangerous in transit situations.

Preventing Lithium Battery Fires

In our everyday lives, lithium batteries and lithium-ion batteries play important roles by powering devices of all kinds, from electric toothbrushes to cell phones and laptops. Certain times of the year, like summer, increases the risk of fires resulting from overheating. One preventative measure is making sure that electronic devices are not left lying idle in hot environments such as hot cars or under the sun for prolonged periods of time. Additionally, it is a good idea to avoid charging electronic devices in hot environments. Charging your devices can be made safer by avoiding overcharging and utilizing a high-quality charger. It may also be helpful to purchase a strong case for your device that will effectively protect its battery from potential damage.

If You Experience Fire Damage, Call SERVPRO

Even if preventative measures are put in place, it is still possible for the unimaginable to happen. That’s why SERVPRO of Clarion Jefferson and Forest Counties is always standing by in the event that an emergency occurs and we are ready to make it "Like it never even happened." Whether it’s a lithium battery or a different reason that causes a fire to ignite and cause damage to your property, SERVPRO can help. As a leading name in the fire damage restoration industry, we offer top-of-the-line Commercial and Residential Fire Damage Restoration Services for your property. For immediate services and the best chance of preventing any further damage, CALL SERVPRO of Clarion Jefferson and Forest Counties at 814 849-5653.And by reading more on our website. Trust SERVPRO and our 24 hour emergency services to help you restore your residential or commercial property to its preloss condition in the event of a fire.

Cleaning Smoke and Soot Damage from a Fire

9/14/2020 (Permalink)

Smoke vapors Smoke and soot can leave a pervasive odor and lots of stains in your home

When a fire occurs it sends out heavy, oily, black smoke and soot throughout every room in the house.

Smoke and Soot Facts:

  • Hot smoke migrates to cooler areas and upper levels of a structure.
  • Smoke flows around plumbing systems, seeping through the holes used by pipes to go from floor to floor.
  • The type of smoke may greatly affect the restoration process.

All belongings get covered and need to be restored.  It is a devastating experience, but SERVPRO of Clarion Jefferson and Forest Counties works hard to clean and inventory all of the content

We are able to remove the oily soot, and even the smell from the home.  Our goal is always to make your home “Like it never even happened.”

What To Expect:

When we visit your home after any type of fire loss, smoke, or soot damage, we will assess the affected areas to determine the extent of the loss. Our team will then always pretest affected surfaces to determine the type of smoke, and which products will help us recover the area most effectively. We have the equipment, expertise, and experience to restore your home. If a fire has damaged your home, call us right away at 814 849-5653.  SERVPRO of Clarion Jefferson and Forest Counties will treat you and your family with compassion and respect, and your property with care. 

Have Questions about Fire, Smoke, or Soot Damage?

Call Us Today – 814 849-5653 We are Here To Help!

What is a Puff back?

3/11/2019 (Permalink)

When this happens to you give the experts at SERVPRO of Clarion, Jefferson & Forest Counties a call at 814 849-5653.

When you turn on your furnace, did you ever get black particles coming from your vents? That is called a puff back. These can arise when a furnace or oil burner malfunctions....oil is ignited and an "explosion" in the fire box occurs

The aftermath is usually the main problem. Walls, ceilings, carpets, furniture and curtains are coated with a fine film of soot and smoky streaks. As a rule, the damage is worse with a forced-air heating system or central air-conditioning, because the duct work provides a path through the house, even into closets.

What should you do first?  Call your insurance carrier.  Next call SERVPRO of Clarion, Jefferson & Forest Counties at 814 849-5653.

If you’ve had a puff back, you really don’t want to attempt cleanup by yourself. The soot from a puff back is a sticky, greasy, grimy mess second to none. And, it can present a severe health hazard in the place that’s supposed to be a haven – your home.

All those miniscule, oil based particles from a puff back embed themselves in curtains, carpets, and clothing while contaminating the air with dangerous carcinogens.

Cleaning up the mess is not a job for the amateur, but rather a professional cleaning company, like SERVPRO of Clarion, Jefferson & Forest Counties.  We use special techniques and materials. For example, attempts to wash soot off a flat-painted wall or ceiling usually leave greasy smears. SERVPRO of Clarion, Jefferson & Forest Counties uses waterless rubber sponges that work like an eraser and absorb the soot without spreading it.

Cleaning carpets, upholstery or draperies can be trickier. They must be washed or chemically cleaned, depending on the material and how dense the absorbed soot is. In extreme cases it may be impossible to remove stains or odors completely.

Be careful, cautious and call SERVPRO of Clarion, Jefferson & Forest Counties 814 849-5653. We will clean damaged homes, businesses and contents. Contents include furniture, blinds, carpets and more!

           Like it never even happened.

North Central PA Smoke and Soot Cleanup

9/27/2017 (Permalink)

Smoke and soot is very invasive and can penetrate various cavities within your home, causing hidden damage and odor. Our smoke damage expertise and experience allows us to inspect and accurately assess the extent of the damage to develop a comprehensive plan of action. 

Smoke and soot facts:

  • Hot smoke migrates to cooler areas and upper levels of a structure.
  • Smoke flows around plumbing systems, seeping through the holes used by pipes to go from floor to floor.
  • The type of smoke may greatly affect the restoration process.

Different Types of Smoke

There are two different types of smokes “wet and dry. As a result, there are different types of soot residue after a fire. Before restoration begins, SERVPRO of Clarion, Jefferson & Forest Couties and SERVPRO of Clearfield County will test the soot to determine which type of smoke damage occurred. The cleaning procedures will then be based on the information identified during pretesting. Here is some additional information:

Wet Smoke  “ Plastic and Rubber

  • Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, smeary. Smoke webs are more difficult to clean.

Dry Smoke “ Paper and Wood

  • Fast burning, high temperatures, heat rises therefore smoke rises.

Protein Fire Residue “ Produced by evaporation of material rather than from a fire

  • Virtually invisible, discolors paints and varnishes, extreme pungent odor.

Our Fire Damage Restoration Services

Since each smoke and fire damage situation is a little different, each one requires a unique solution tailored for the specific conditions.  We have the equipment, expertise, and experience to restore your fire and smoke damage. We will also treat your family with empathy and respect and your property with care.

Have Questions about Fire, Smoke, or Soot Damage?
Call Us Today 814-849-5653