Fire Damage Information

9/28/2022 (Permalink)

Fire damage is a serious concern; the restoration work following it even more so. The extent of the damage from a blaze can set back both private homeowners and companies alike, though peace of mind can indeed be achieved by hiring the right team to do the restorative work. 

In the unfortunate event that your home, business establishment, or nearby areas gets ravaged by a fire, never even once think that the subsequent restoration work is something worth a DIY approach, and the same goes for water damage restoration endeavors. The following passages will explain why.

A good reason involves the damaging elements. If you think that the flames alone do all the destructive work, you’re quite mistaken. Much of the smoke from a fire can indeed settle, but it leaves considerable amounts of smoke particles behind. These can embed into walls, ceilings, carpets, furniture, and other belongings. If left uncleaned, they can lead to foul odors and even result in other problems over time. 

In addition, smoke can also damage electronics. Almost all gadgets aren’t specifically created to withstand high humidity and heat very well, let alone a smoke film. When smoke gets into your electronic equipment, they can short circuit. Smoke residue also acts as a kind of insulating cover over the gadgets’ heat-producing components, making the devices more prone to overheating and premature failure. Smoke’s extremely corrosive nature makes all these possible. 

This is where fire damage restoration pros from companies like SERVPRO of Rancho Santa Margarita/Coto De Caza/Trabuco Canyon, CA  come in. Most DIY tips on removing lingering smoke and soot involves the use of harsh chemicals, as well as a special piece of equipment called an ozone machine, which is perhaps the best solution available. Ozone machines are made to run for days at a time inside a fire-damaged home that’s been sealed, but using them yourself poses several risks—ozone itself is very toxic, and ozone machine rentals are expensive. The pros can effectively get rid of lingering odors and prevent further damage by removing any more unwanted contaminants.

Note that it’s not just smoke that can damage your home in different ways. The resulting ashes can, as well. This is because the ash produced by fire is acidic—everything it touches will suffer discoloration over time. Acid from ash is so potent that nearby plastic items can start deteriorating in mere minutes. Should the ash stay for more hours, other items such as fiberglass and appliances will also start to turn yellow, and metals will tarnish.

Call SERVPRO of Rancho Santa Margarita/Coto De Caza/Trabucco Canyon at (949) 472-0992

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Fire Damage Restoration: Why You Should Leave It to the Professionals

6/16/2022 (Permalink)

Caved in Roof After a Fire

Fire damage is a serious concern; the restoration work following it even more so. The extent of the damage from a blaze can set back both private homeowners and companies alike, though peace of mind can indeed be achieved by hiring the right team to do the restorative work. 

In the unfortunate event that your home or business establishment of Rancho Santa Margarita/Coto De Caza/Trabuco Canyon, CA or nearby areas gets ravaged by a fire, never even once think that the subsequent restoration work is something worth a DIY approach, and the same goes for water damage restoration endeavors. The following passages will explain why.

A good reason involves the damaging elements. If you think that the flames alone do all the destructive work, you’re quite mistaken. Much of the smoke from a fire can indeed settle, but it leaves considerable amounts of smoke particles behind. These can embed into walls, ceilings, carpets, furniture, and other belongings. If left uncleaned they can lead to foul odors.

In addition, smoke can also damage electronics. Almost all gadgets aren’t specifically created to withstand high humidity and heat very well, let alone a smoke film. When smoke gets into your electronic equipment, they can short circuit. Smoke residue also acts as a kind of insulating cover over the gadgets’ heat-producing components, making the devices more prone to overheating and premature failure. Smoke’s extremely corrosive nature makes all these possible. 

This is where fire damage restoration pros from companies like SERVPRO of Rancho Santa Margarita/Coto De Caza/Trabuco Canyon, CA which serves your area and other close communities, come in. We come in and use a special piece of equipment called an ozone machine, which is perhaps the best solution available when it comes to getting rid of smoke or soot that you can't do on your own. Ozone machines are made to run for days at a time inside a fire-damaged home that’s been sealed, but using them yourself poses several risks—ozone itself is very toxic, and ozone machine rentals are expensive. 

Note that it’s not just smoke that can damage your home in different ways. The resulting ashes can, as well. This is because the ash produced by fire is acidic—everything it touches will suffer discoloration over time. Acid from ash is so potent that nearby plastic items can start deteriorating in mere minutes. Should the ash stay for more hours, other items such as fiberglass and appliances will also start to turn yellow, and metals will tarnish. Lastly, pros can effectively get rid of lingering odors and prevent further damage by removing any more unwanted contaminants.

Call SERVPRO of Rancho Santa Margarita/Coto De Caza/Trabucco Canyon at (949) 472-0992

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What to Expect After a Fire in Your Home

6/8/2022 (Permalink)

Experiencing a disastrous event such as a fire in your home is a highly taxing and unfortunate circumstance. Now, you find that you must also deal with the aftermath of the fire in order to restore your house to its former state. However, even if the fire had already been put out, the house still poses a certain degree of danger. What you need is a fire and water damage restoration company like SERVPRO in Rancho Santa Margarita/Coto De Caza/Trabuco Canyon. 

Hidden Dangers

After a fire, the house has been damaged to an extent that it is unfit for anybody to enter it, especially if high pressure water was used for extinguishing it. It is likely that your house has not only been damaged by the fire but the water as well, therefore, the foundation and the entire house’s structure has been weakened from its exposure to the elements. Entering the house in such a state will be dangerous.

Determine Safety

Before you check how severe the damage is, determine if the house is safe to enter by asking the fire fighters if it is safe to go inside.

At this point, they should have already extinguished the fire, established a safety zone, and conducted an extensive inspection to confirm that it is indeed safe. Keep in mind, however, that if the damage is too severe, you may not be allowed to enter at all.

Get Professional Help

Now, you need to bring in the help of the experts. Contact a company that specializes in fire damage restoration such as SERVPRO in Rancho Santa Margarita/Coto De Caza/Trabuco Canyon. Don’t attempt to undertake the restoration yourself especially if you have no experience or the appropriate protective gear.

Your house could have multiple types of damage from the fire like ash, soot, smoke, charring, odor, as well as water damage. The experts should be equipped to handle all of these.

Prevent Further Damage

Leaving it to the professionals doesn’t mean that you can’t do your part to help the process of restoration. If your house is not so heavily damaged and the professionals say that it’s safe to enter, you can help prevent further damage by opening all windows to allow for air to flow freely. Otherwise, mold and mildew would have a chance to grow.

Call SERVPRO of Rancho Santa Margarita/Coto De Caza/Trabuco Canyon at (949) 472-0992

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Prevent Home Fires: Dryer Vents

6/8/2022 (Permalink)

Vent in Need Of Cleaning

For most of us, convenience is everything. This is especially true in our homes. Imagine where we would be without the Air Conditioner, Dishwasher, or Microwave. You may remember the days of collecting all your quarters and going down to the Laundromat to do laundry. However, there was a benefit to that.

The benefit: not having to clean your Dryer Vents. Hardly any of us think about cleaning our vents or even know we should be. The fact of it is Lint accumulates in our dryer vents overtime. We can see a sample of this when we reload our dryer and clean out the small vent trap. Now imagine that on a larger scale. Say you've lived in the same home for 10-15 years+ and never had the vents cleaned...They'd be clogged!  

The truth of the matter is we sometimes take convenience for granted. That mistake could cost us our home, or even our life. Around 2,900 Dryer Fires are reported each year. How can we bring this statistic down? Clean our Dryer Vents.

How do you know if you need your vents cleaned?

• Your laundry may take longer to dry. 
• The dryer may be hotter to the touch than usual. 
• A burning smell may be present when the dryer is running. 

For professional clean up and help

Call SERVPRO of Rancho Santa Margarita/Coto De Caza/Trabucco Canyon at (949) 472-0992

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The SERVPRO Difference - How We Help You With a Fire Damage

6/1/2022 (Permalink)

Ozone Generator

Fire damage can be devastating for home owners and even business owners.

Most of the time people call us when a nearby brush fire has damaged their home with smoke. It is definitely a frustrating time because nothing you do can take this smell away. We completely understand why one may feel upset and or angry but let the professional at SERVPRO of Rancho Santa Margarita/Coto De Caza/Trabucco Canyon help.

We sometimes use a machine called an ozone generator to help remove any kind of odor. The ozone machine splits apart oxygen to generate ozone with electrical charges. Something that happens naturally through thunderstorms, where the 3 oxygen molecules in our Ozone detaches and then reattaches to the odor molecule causing the smell to disappear .

*** As long as the ozone machine is on, we ask humans and pets to leave the home as it is not safe to breathe in. 

If you need any help with your Fire Damage give us a call

Call SERVPRO of Rancho Santa Margarita at (949) 472-0992

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What to do After a Fire

5/23/2022 (Permalink)

There is nothing quite as devastating as a house fire. Once the smoke clears, and the fire trucks drive away, the real work begins: rebuilding. It may be a daunting task, especially when there is such a mess left behind, but it is possible to rebuild.

The first thing you should do after a fire is contact your insurance company within the first 24 hours. Your insurance company will advise you on how to handle the aftermath of your fire, and possibly be able to recommend a professional fire restoration company such as SERVPRO of Rancho Santa Margarita/Coto De Caza/Trabuco Canyon 

A fire restoration company provides services to prevent further damage, help determine which items can or cannot be refurbished, and which structural items do and do not need to be repaired or replaced. They provide estimates to insurance companies for the cost of damages, and will help walk you through the process of thoroughly deodorizing, cleaning, and repairing your home.

Things to remember after a fire:

• Don’t use any electrical appliance that was in or around the fire.
• If the ceiling or floor above is wet, do not use any ceiling lights or fans.
• Don’t touch anything to prevent soot from getting everywhere.
• Don’t wash drapes or other materials that may require dry cleaning.

Hiring a professional like SERVPRO of Rancho Santa Margarita/Coto De Caza/Trabucco Canyon right after a fire can save you time and money.

Call SERVPRO of Rancho Santa Margarita at (949) 472-0992

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Fire Safety Tips for You and Your Children

5/18/2022 (Permalink)

Make an escape plan

It is important to have a plan especially when there are children in your home. Children most likely need help getting out of the house in the case of a fire. They may not know how to escape or what to do unless an adult shows them.

• Have a plan for young children who cannot get outside by themselves. You will need to wake babies and very young children and help them get out. In your plan, talk about who will help each child get out safely.
• It is important to find two ways out of every room in your home, in case one exit is blocked or dangerous to use.
• Choose a meeting place outside your home. Children should know what to do when they hear a smoke alarm and there is no adult around. Help them practice going to the outside meeting place. Teach them to never go back inside a building that is on fire.
• Practice the plan. Once you have established a plan for you and your children in the event of an emergency, practice what it would be like. That way if anything is to happen, they are more prepared.

Keep children safe from fire and burns

Some children are curious about fire. There are simple steps you can take to keep you and the people you love safer from fire and burns.

• Keep children 3 feet away from anything that can get hot. Space heaters and stove-tops can cause terrible burns. Keep children at least 3 feet away from stoves, heaters or anything that gets hot.
• Keep smoking materials locked up in a high place. Never leave cigarette lighters or matches where children can reach them.
• Never play with lighters or matches when you are with your children. Children may try to do the same things they see you do.

Call SERVPRO of Rancho Santa Margarita at (949) 472-0992

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Let SERVPRO Help You With Your Fire Damage

12/23/2021 (Permalink)

There are many reasons why California is one of the most desirous of all of the states to live in but it does have its drawbacks, too. The Orange County, CA is a unique geography that can result in fast moving and devastating natural disasters like wildfires and flash flooding. In the aftermath of such a catastrophe, it's understandable that a homeowner would want to roll up his or her sleeves and personally take on cleanup duties to save both time and money. Cleanup after such disasters is risky business which is why it is best left to professionals. Attempting to clean up and restore properties on your own can lead to disasters of a very different kind.

Why Fire Cleanup Is Not a DIY

When authorities allow homeowners to return to properties in the aftermath of fire, it's understandable that they would quickly want to begin the process of cleaning up and restoring their home. Unfortunately, in many cases, amateur cleanup and restoration efforts result in additional damage to these homes. Insurance companies will not cover such damage, no matter how inadvertent. What these companies will do however, is supply homeowners with information on how to contact professional fire restorers. Fire damage restoration is a good deal more than airing smoke out of rooms or sweeping up soot. Homeowners in Rancho Santa Margarita/Coto De Caza/Trabuco Canyon, CA should take advantage of available professional services.

SERVPRO Fire Damage Restores can:

•    Conduct professional assessments to determine what is salvageable
•    Correct damage caused by ash and soot residue
•    Remove lingering odors
•    Clean fabrics and upholstery
•    Repair water damage

   
After a fire is extinguished, water damage also becomes a problem. Pressure from the water used to put the fire out could have weakened a home’s structure. Homeowners are often advised to stay out of their properties until it has been deemed safe by professionals. In addition to the risks they run of invalidating insurance policies, there are risks associated with post-flood cleanup, ranging from exposure to harmful chemicals to electrocution. Damage could also be extensive, affecting everything from carpeting to drywall to glassware. Water damage restoration professionals in Orange County, CA can:

SERVPRO Water Damage Restores can:

•    Do property damage assessments and evaluations
•    Remove excess water
•    Dry out interior walls and electrical damage
•    Detect and prevent mold infestations

Hiring a professional like SERVPRO of Rancho Santa Margarita/Coto De Caza/Trabuco Canyon right after a fire can save you time and money.

Call SERVPRO of Rancho Santa Margarita/Coto De Caza/Trabuco Canyon at (949) 472-0992

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Steps to Take After a Fire

11/17/2021 (Permalink)

Step 1: Emergency Contact

The restoration process begins when you call us. Our representative will ask questions regarding the fire damage event that will help us respond immediately with the appropriate equipment and resources. 

Step 2: Inspection and Fire Damage Assessment

We carefully inspect and test adjoining rooms of your property to determine the extent of the fire, smoke, and soot damage. This step is crucial to developing a plan of action. 

Step 3: Immediate Board-Up and Roof-Tarp Service

Fire damage can often compromise windows, walls, and roofs. To maintain security and to protect against further damage, we can board up missing windows and walls and place tarps on damaged roofs. 

Step 4: Water Removal and Drying (if water damage is present)

The water removal process begins almost immediately and removes the majority of the water. We then use dehumidifiers and air movers to remove the remaining water and complete the drying process. 

Step 5: Removal of Smoke and Soot from All Surfaces

We use specialized equipment and techniques to remove smoke and soot from ceilings, walls, and other surfaces. 

Step 6: Cleaning and Sanitizing

We clean, sanitize, and disinfect all of the restorable items and structures that were damaged by the fire. We use a variety of cleaning techniques to restore your belongings to pre-fire condition. We’re also trained to remove odors using industrial air scrubbers and fogging equipment.

Step 7: Restoration

Restoration is the final step—getting your home or business to its pre-fire condition. Restoration may involve minor repairs, such as replacing drywall, painting, and installing new carpet; or it may entail major repairs such as the reconstruction of various areas or rooms in a home or business.