How Can an Electrical Fire Impact My Home?

7/23/2020 (Permalink)

Many Daytona Beach Property Owners Are Big Fans of SERVPRO's Fire Damage Cleanup, Restoration, and Repair Services.

SERVPRO Restoration Technicians Mitigate Damage and Perform Fire Restoration for Daytona Beach Homes

Behind cooking fires, electrical failures are one of the most common causes of residential structure fires in the United States, including Daytona Beach. Anything from an overloaded circuit to faulty wiring can ignite flames that can quickly damage structures and contents. Without fast action, the residues left behind by these fires can cause even more damage over time.

When disaster strikes in your home, SERVPRO is ready to offer Daytona Beach residents fire restoration services that can return their properties to a preloss condition. SERVPRO technicians take care of everything from soot and smoke residue cleanup to rebuilding damaged areas of your property to make your home a comfortable and safe space once more.

What Areas of My Home Does Fire Damage Affect?

Daytona Beach homes are affected by fires in a variety of ways that homeowners may not initially expect. Smoke residues and soot deposits penetrate and settle on a diverse array of surfaces quickly and easily. Areas of your home that can be affected after a fire include:

• The HVAC system. After a fire, your vents are likely to have copious amounts of soot and residues settling inside. Flex duct is more cost-effective to replace in this situation, but sheet metal vents can be carefully cleaned and reinstalled in many cases.

It may be best to leave the cleaning to the pros, however. Teams like SERVPRO have access to commercial-grade EPA-registered cleaning solutions designed to tackle fire damage. Consumer-grade all-purpose cleaners and water-based solutions are often insufficient for addressing tough stains and soils left behind by fire damage.

• A home structure fire can wreak havoc on insulation, even in areas of the home with extensive fireproofing material such as a garage with fire-resistant sheetrock and insulation. These materials are not designed to ward off fires, but instead to contain them and prevent them from spreading to other areas of the home for as long as possible. Fiberglass and rock wool insulation both often have options for fireproofing, but damaged portions typically require removal and replacement unless the fire left behind surface-level staining.
• Wall studs and ceiling joists. These essential components of your home’s structure can quickly absorb soot or become charred in a fire and may require partial repairs or reconstruction to preserve the structural integrity of your property. SERVPRO techs can sand off superficial charring and apply a finish to prevent further staining. Proprietary Wood Creme Paste is typically utilized for tougher stains.
• Nooks and crannies. Fire damage residues can settle into any crack and crevice and can cause discoloration, foul odors, and even corrosion of metals over time when exposed to moisture. Restoration technicians carefully pore over your home to ensure that cracks and crevices in both your home’s structure and contents are as free from fire damage as possible while minimizing property loss.

How Do Electrical Fires Happen?

Here is the breakdown on residential electrical fires, per National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) data:

• An average of 47,700 residential structure fires per year features electrical failures and malfunctions as a contributing factor. Electrical fires are not always the catalyst for these fires: they can also ignite and exacerbate a disaster.
• These fires are costly: each year, electrical fires can cause anywhere from hundreds of millions to over $1 billion in property damage.
• From 2007 to 2011, almost half of the reported fires involving electrical failure or malfunction detailed a failure of lighting equipment or wiring that caused the ignition.
• Other cited causes for the 2007 to 2011 time period included the following:
  • Electrical fans
  • Washing machines and clothes dryers
  • Space heaters
  • Water heaters
  • Electric stoves
  • Air conditioners

Homeowners in Daytona Beach should exercise caution with major appliances, light fixtures, and heating and cooling systems in the home to minimize indoor fire risk.

What Tools Does SERVPRO Use to Mitigate Soot and Odors?

SERVPRO teams have access to mitigation tools that address various types of fire damage odors, stains, and soils, including:

• EPA-registered, OSHA-approved cleaning solutions that mitigate potential microbial growth, soot damage, protein residues, and water damage from fire suppression efforts.
• Water- or 
• solvent-based deodorizing solutions that can be deployed with thermal foggers, which allow for effective odor control that penetrates surfaces effectively.
• Agitation tools and manual cleaning modalities allow for the rapid removal of fire damage soils and deposits from your property.
• Equipment that improves indoor air quality after a fire includes HEPA-filter air scrubbers, ozone machines, high-powered ventilation box fans, and hydroxyl generators.

SERVPRO of North Daytona Beach / Ormond Beach is ready to keep disaster-affected homes looking, “Like it never even happened.” Call (386) 677-9993 to start the mitigation process within hours of your initial contact.