Let Us Put Your Worries to Rest After a Fire

9/20/2021 (Permalink)

For homeowners who suffer fire damage, one of the most devastating and noxious issues is the ongoing presence of odors. They serve as a reminder of the fire, and they also present a potential health hazard.

Controlling those odors is a multilayered process, but the SERVPRO fire damage experts in Fresno NE/Shaver Lake use a complete set of procedures to solve the problem. And that process starts with basic knowledge involving the nature and characteristics of odor particles.

As you might expect, odor particles are microscopic. They’re typically measured in microns, with a size range of 0.01 to approximately 4 microns.

As small as that number sounds, it becomes even more startling when compared to other tiny objects. For instance, the tip of a human hair measures 75-100 microns, making it dozens of times larger than a typical odor particle. That tininess is what allows odor particles to easily penetrate surfaces in your home after a fire.

To eliminate them, deodorant particles must be used to penetrate those same surfaces. This allows them to combine with the odor particles and neutralize them.

This is where SERVPRO expertise comes into play. SERVPRO techs know how to create the right conditions for deodorant particles to work so the problem can be solved quickly and completely.

SERVPRO techs also use several other characteristics of odor particles to help eliminate smoke odors. One is the surface porosity of the penetrated materials—the more porous the material, the more likely it is to absorb odors. Another is the concentration of residue on penetrated materials. The more concentrated the residue, the larger the amount of surface area that is typically impacted.

The other two major factors are heat and the amount of exposure time. The longer the surfaces are exposed, the larger the number of odor particles that penetrate surfaces. And heat makes porous surfaces expand, which in turn allows odor particles to penetrate more deeply. When the heat is removed and the surfaces contract, the odor particles are left behind and trapped, and once again deodorant particles are the solution.

Grease Fire Safety Tips

9/9/2021 (Permalink)

Statistically there are 160,000 Home fires annually, 2/3 of these fires (66%) are caused by cooking and the majority starting from a grease fire. The following are a few SERVPRO tips for safety surrounding grease fires:

• NEVER TRY TO PUT OUT A GREASE FIRE WITH WATER
• Cover the fire with a large metal lid
• If there's no lid nearby, douse the fire with salt or baking soda
• Turn off the heat source if possible
• As a last resort, use a fire extinguisher

Always be careful and vigilant in the kitchen! If you do find yourself dealing with the aftermath of a kitchen fire call SERVPRO of Fresno NE/Shaver Lake ASAP and we will be there to help you every step of the way!

Are Your Alarms Ready?

9/9/2021 (Permalink)

Having functioning fire alarms in your house is one if the most important things you can do to stay prepared if a fire did happen. It is a small item that can tend to be overlooked but with just a few minutes of your time it could save yours and your families lives.

According to www.cpsc.gov, here is why smoke alarms are so important and where in your home they should be placed 

Why Are Smoke Alarms Important?

Every year in the United States, about 2,000 people lose their lives in residential fires. During a fire, smoke and deadly gases tend to spread further and faster than heat. This is one reason why most fire victims die from inhalation of smoke and toxic gases, not from burns. A majority of fatal fires happen when families are asleep because occupants are unaware of the fire until there is not adequate time to escape. A smoke alarm stands guard around the clock, and when it first senses smoke, it sounds a shrill alarm. This often allows a family the precious, but limited, time needed to escape. About two-thirds of home fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.  Properly installed and maintained smoke alarms are considered to be one of the best and least expensive means of providing an early warning of a potentially deadly fire and could reduce by almost half the risk of dying from a fire in your home. 

Where Should Smoke Alarms be Installed? 

Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of the home, outside sleeping areas, and inside bedrooms A smoke alarm should be installed and maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When installing a smoke alarm, many factors influence where you will place the alarm, including how many are to be installed.  Consider placing alarms along your escape path to assist in egress in limited-visibility conditions. In general, you should place alarms in the center of a ceiling or, if you place them on a wall, they should be near the ceiling.

Fire Damage: Do's and Don't Until Professional Help Arrives

9/2/2021 (Permalink)

If you experience fire or smoke damage in your home, here are a few Do's and Don'ts to keep in mind until a professional remediation team arrives.

Do:

• Limit movement throughout the home to prevent soot particles from being embedded into upholstery and carpet.
• Place dry, colorfast towels or old linens on rugs, upholstery, and carpet traffic areas.
• If electricity is off, empty freezer and refrigerator completely and prop doors open to help prevent odor.
• Wipe soot from chrome on kitchen and bathroom faucets, trim, and appliances, then protect these surfaces with a light coating of lubricant.
• If heat is off during winter, pour RV antifreeze in sinks, toilet bowls, holding tanks, and tubs to avoid freezing pipes and fixtures.
• Change HVAC filter, but leave system off until a trained professional can check the system.
• Tape double layers of cheesecloth over air registers to stop particles of soot from getting in or out of the HVAC system.

Don't:

• Attempt to wash any walls or painted surfaces
• Attempt to shampoo carpet or upholstered furniture
• Attempt to clean any electrical appliances (TV sets, radios, etc.) that may have been close to fire, heat, or water without first consulting an authorized repair service.
• Consume any food or beverages that may have been stored close to fire, heat, or water (they may be contaminated).
• Turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet. Wiring may be wet or damaged and cause electrical shock, and air movement may create a secondary damage.
• Send garments to dry cleaner. Improper cleaning may set in smoke odor.

Fire Safety in Your Fresno/Shaver Lake Home

9/1/2021 (Permalink)

Fall is quickly approaching! That means all of the fall activities are about to begin in the Fresno/Shaver Lake are, if they haven’t already! One popular item associated with the fall season is the candle. If a house smells like fall, it feels like home. SERVPRO® of Fresno NE/Shaver Lake knows that candle fires happen and even though candles are small, the damage of a residential fire by a candle can turn out to be larger than expected.

Here are some candle fire safety tips for the Boulder area:

• When lighting a candle in the home, keep the candle at least twelve inches away from anything that can burn
• Try to avoid keeping a lit candle in bedrooms, bathrooms or sleeping areas
• Do not leave a lit candle where a child or family pet can access or reach it

One more important candle safety tip will tie to one of the above tips about not leaving a lit candle in the bathroom. When cleaning a bathroom using aerosol chemicals, this becomes extremely dangerous if there is a lit candle nearby. Aerosols are highly flammable and this can cause an explosion of sorts – please practice safety first and share this tip with friends and family who may not be aware of it.

If a Fresno/SHaver Lake home catches fire for any reason, including a candle, please call the trained professionals at SERVPRO of Fresno NE/Shaver Lake so we can help clean up the fire mess and damage.

Understanding Smoke and How it Interacts With Your Property

9/1/2021 (Permalink)

The damage to your property following a fire can often be complicated due to the unique behavior of smoke. There are two different types of smoke – wet and dry. As a result, there are different types of soot residue after a fire, SERVPRO of Fresno NE/Shaver Lake Professionals are thoroughly trained in fire cleanup and restoration process including the different types of smoke and their behavior patterns. Before restoration begins, SERVPRO of Fresno NE/Shaver Lake Professionals will survey the loss to determine the extent of impact from fire, smoke, heat, and moisture on the building materials and contents. The soot will then be tested to determine which type of smoke damage occurred. Pretesting determines the proper cleaning method and allows our team to focus on saving your precious items.

SERVPRO of Fresno NE/Shaver Lake know smoke can penetrate various cavities within the structure, causing hidden damage and odor. Their knowledge of building systems helps them investigate how far smoke damage may have spread. The following are additional facts you may not know about smoke.

• 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 types of smoke may greatly affect the restoration process.

Different Types of Smoke

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 materials rather than from a fire)

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

Fuel Oil Soot (Furnace Puff Backs)

While “puff backs” can create havoc for homeowners

Other Types (Tear gas, fingerprint powder and fire extinguisher residue)

Special loss situations require special care.

The SERVPRO of Fresno NE/Shaver Lake team are trained to handle even the toughest losses. If your home or business suffers fire or smoke damage, contact us, at 559-737-4041, to help make it “Like it never even happened.”

SERVPRO of Fresno Northeast & Shaver Lake Handles Fire!

9/17/2020 (Permalink)

Creek Fire Map Of Affected Areas

The first 48 hours after a fire damage can make the difference between restoring as opposed to replacing your property and personal belongings. SERVPRO of Fresno Northeast & Shaver Lake provides timely response with mitigation services ranging from fire, smoke and soot removal to contents claims inventory and document restoration. These services help ensure your property, belongings and memories are restored to preloss condition when possible.

What You Can Do Until Help Arrives

• Limit movement in the home to prevent soot particles from spreading and additional damage from occurring
• Place clean towels or old linens on rugs and high traffic areas and upholstery
• Coat chrome faucets, trim and appliances with petroleum jelly or oil
• Place aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet carper
• Do no wash an walls or painted surfaces
• Do not shampoo carpet or upholstery
• Do not clean any electrical equipment
• Do not send clothing to a dry cleaner since improper cleaning may set smoke odor into the fabric

SERVPRO of Fresno Northeast & Shaver Lake is available 24-hours a day to help you regain control quickly. Give us a call at 559-797-4041.

SERVPRO can handle your fire damage

7/29/2020 (Permalink)

Just hours after a fire occurs, metal fixtures, including faucets and handles on doors can be permanently ruined by fire damage in your Fresno home or business if it is not immediately treated properly. Our technicians at SERVPRO of Fresno Northeast / Shaver Lake have both the compassion and knowledge needed to perform your fire damage restoration the right way the first time. Our team of technicians are licensed, fully trained and certified in smoke and fire damage restoration. We realize that these times are stressful and emotional, and treat you accordingly, guiding you through each step of the restoration. We understand what each fire emergency needs.

Timing is critical once the fire is out. Your repairs for fire damage need to be started fast to maximize their effectiveness. We will answer your call and move into action right away, 24/7. We recognize the trauma and emotional upset which occupants suffer, and work fast and considerately to mitigate any damage to property that is salvageable, like fixtures, household items, metals and other items. Our techniques are state-of-the-art, and our cleaning processes will many times stop you from having additional costs of replacement. Smoke and fire damage restoration needs special skill and knowledge, our technicians at SERVPRO of Fresno Northeast / Shaver Lake are professionals and have the expertise that is needed to do the job correctly.

SERVPRO of Fresno Northeast / Shaver Lake expertise mitigates smoke damage

7/29/2020 (Permalink)

Fire and smoke damage can be very destructive even in your home? In such an event, your home or work property is likely to sustain damages. It is advisable to hire experts to restore your home rather than do it on your own. Take a look at the benefits you get when you hire professionals.  

Experts like us at SERVPRO of Fresno Northeast / Shaver Lake have numerous years of field experience. Over the years, we have seen various types of fire damage in Shaver Lake, Fresno, and surrounding areas.  This gives us ample knowledge to tackle unique problems. We work with expediency to get your business or residence back to normal. "Like it never even happened."

When dealing with the expense in a fire and smoke damage restoration process, you often have to deal with the insurance company. In most cases, the company may not be congenial of the situation you are in and rather than being helpful, they can bury you with loads of paperwork. As a result, the process becomes long and frustrating. When you hire us, we can work with your insurance adjuster to lessen the burden on you by helping with the claims process.

What to do After a Fire

7/29/2020 (Permalink)

A house fire is one of the most frightening and disruptive events that can impact a family. After surviving a fire, it is crucial to remain calm and take the steps that will help you recover from this traumatic event. Enlisting the prompt support of family and emergency service professionals, like SERVPRO of Clovis can really make a difference in the recovery process.  Here are a few things you can do until help arrives:

Limit movement in the home to prevent soot particles from being embedded into upholstery and carpet.

Keep hands clean. Soot on hands can further soil upholstery, walls and woodwork,

What you don’t want to do:

Attempt to clean walls or any painted surfaces

Turn on A/C or heater, ceiling fans.

Let the professionals at SERVPRO of Fresno Northeast / Shaver Lake make it "Like it never even happened.”

Fire Damage to Your Business

7/29/2020 (Permalink)

Many businesses and homes are at risk for a fire, especially when they lease older buildings in need of repairs. We know how costly and devastating a fire can be to a business or home, so it is always our goal to get you back up and running right away. SERVPRO of Fresno Northeast / Shaver Lake is committed to working around the clock to get your business or home restored as quickly and seamlessly as possible. 

What to Expect When We Arrive After a Fire Loss:

1. Detailed scope of the effected areas to determine the extent of the loss.

2. Pretest affected surfaces is always performed to determine the type of smoke and which products will help us recover the area most effectively.

3. Equipment, expertise, and experience to restore your fire and smoke damage.

If a fire has damaged your business or home, call us right away at 559-797-4041. SERVPRO of Fresno Northeast / Shaver Lake will treat you with empathy, respect and care for your property.

Commercial Restoration Presents Unique Challenges

Fire damage is especially devastating for a business or commercial property. In addition to the fire and smoke damage, significant water damage from firefighting efforts and fire suppression systems may occur. SERVPRO of Fresno Northeast / Shaver Lake has the training, experience, and equipment to handle large commercial fire damage emergencies. Whether your fire emergency occurs in a restaurant, motel, office building or your personal home, we will respond quickly to mitigate the damage and manage the restoration project through to its completion.

We at SERVPRO of Fresno Northeast / Shaver Lake are available 24/7/365. 

Smoke and Soot Cleanup

7/29/2020 (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 smoke–wet and dry. As a result, there are different types of soot residue after a fire. Before restoration begins, SERVPRO of Fresno Northeast / Shaver Lake 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 – 559-797-4041

Call The Professionals

7/29/2020 (Permalink)

After a fire, your house is left with lingering smoke that can be harmful to your health and property. The best thing to do in such a situation is to clean the smoke immediately because if you ignore it, the smoke will cause massive damage on your property which will require more money to clean than if you had cleaned it sooner. If the smoke is not cleaned as soon as possible, the items that will be mostly affected by smoke includes drapes, carpets, upholstery and walls because they will become permanently discolored. Glass will become extremely etched, and metals will tarnish which will result in having to replace these items.

You might think that you can do a good job at cleaning smoke by yourself without any basic knowledge and skills on how to go about it, but this can lead to you causing further damage on the items. The best thing to do will be to hire experienced professionals from a reputable company to do the cleaning and restore the home to the state it was in before the fire disaster struck. That is where SERVPRO of Fresno Northeast / Shaver Lake comes into play.

One of the advantages of using experts to clean soot is that they have specialized tools which are crucial in eliminating smoke. These are tools such as extractors, rotary scrubbers, and wet cleaning tools. Another advantage is that we have a lot of experience in doing such work; therefore, we will know the right steps to take in cleaning your home and preventing further damage on the property.

When we come to your home, the first thing we will do is to assess the extent of the damage and determine where the odors are coming from. We will then vacuum the whole house to remove any traces of soot. Soot is dangerous because it can cause breathing complications besides damaging property. After we finish vacuuming, we will cover the carpets and furniture to prevent more dirt from settling on them. We will also identify what can and cannot be replaced and advise you accordingly. Once we find the source of the odor we will use specialized detergents to treat it and eliminate the smell completely.

Indeed, bringing in a professional on site will save you a lot of headaches and ensure that you get rid of the smoke efficiently. If you live in Fresno, Shaver Lake or surrounding cities, call SERVPRO of Fresno Northeast / Shaver Lake for reliable smoke removal services at an affordable cost. For more information call us at (559) 797-4041.

Avoiding Electrical Fires

7/29/2020 (Permalink)

We all know that installing and maintaining a smoke detector is the best way to stay safe in case of a fire in your home, but you may be surprised to learn about the most common causes of electrical fires.  Here they are:

Faulty outlets, appliances - Most electrical fires are caused by faulty electrical outlets and old, outdated appliances. Never use an appliance with a worn or frayed cord which can send heat onto combustible surfaces like floors, curtains, and rugs that can start a fire.

Light fixtures- Light fixtures, lamps and light bulbs are another common reason for electrical fires. Installing a bulb with a wattage that is too high for the lamps and light fixtures is a leading cause of electrical fires. Always check the maximum recommended bulb wattage on any lighting fixture or lamp and never go over the recommended amount. Extension cords - Misuse of extension cords are another electrical fire cause. Appliances should be plugged directly into an outlet and not plugged into an extension cord for any length of time. Only use extension cords as a temporary measure.

Space heaters- Because space heaters are portable, many times people put them too close to combustible surfaces such as curtains, beds, clothing, chairs, couches and rugs. Coil space heaters are especially dangerous because the coils become so hot, they will almost instantaneously ignite any nearby flammable surface.

Wiring- Outdated wiring often causes electrical fires. If a home is over 20 years old, it may not have the wiring capacity to handle the increased amounts of electrical appliances in today’s average home.

Be sure to check today and make sure none of these dangers are in your home. In the unfortunate case of a fire, the professionals at SERVPRO of Fresno Northeast / Shaver Lake are on-call 24 hours a day to help.

Call us at 559-797-4041.

Fire Damage in Home

7/15/2019 (Permalink)

Kitchen Fire 6/26/19

This fire damage happened in June of 2019 in a new two month old home. Fire damages are more common than people think and often start in the kitchen. In this particular case, the customers over caught on fire and the food that was wrapped in plastic exploded. The fire quickly spread and the homeowner put water on it thinking it would contain the fire. Many people don't realize that if the fire is a grease fire you need to smoother the fire by eliminating oxygen. This can be done through a large heavy blanket or in throwing flour on the item on fire. If you put water on the grease that is on fire it will actually spread and become unmanageable. Sadly, this was the case for this customer. All of his belongings were damaged either by fire or smoke damage.

Here at SERVPRO of Fresno Northeast/Shaver lake we work hard to make this traumatic experience the best it can be. We have vendors that specializes in restoring damaged items, including sentimental photographs. If ever this happens to you, please give us a call at any time. We are always here to help!

Example of Smoke Damage Repair

6/21/2019 (Permalink)

cleaning a fire and smoke damage

This is an example of some of our wonderful employees doing a cleaning job for a customer that had smoke damage outside of his home. The affected area was a white outside pergola that contained a grill that was used often by the family. We explained to the customer that could try to remove the soot and smoke damage using our cleaning supplies that are specific to fire damages. We explained that this would leave the pergola looking much better but not perfect. For those desired results we needed to first do an overall clean then repaint the pergola. We did this within the customers budget and time frame and they were very pleased with our work. They appreciated our communication and said they would use us for other work.