Here's What You Need to Do After Fire and Smoke Damage

10/30/2023 (Permalink)

Fire damage is both emotionally and physically devastating. Restoration needs to happen in specific steps. Trust SERVPRO of Dunedin/Palm Harbor South.

If your property needs restoration from fire and smoke damage, here are some of the steps involved. Aside from the assessment, removal of your belongings, and cleanup of the debris, you’ll want to be familiar with all the other steps too, especially when you hire a team to do the restoration work. Here’s what you can expect.

Secure the Foundation

To get started, the crew will need to secure the foundation to make sure the structure is sound and safe to enter. Don’t rely on an ‘eyeball test’ Hire pros to check for potential danger from weakened trusses, floor joists, etc. 

Clean and Remove Soot

Don’t tackle the smoke and soot on your own. These leave stains behind and require specialized techniques to prevent making the damage even worse. Pumping and airing out the moisture is also an essential step in the cleanup process. Pros have specialized equipment to make that happen. With expert assistance, you can prevent mold growth that often happens from the water that is used to extinguish the fire.

Perform the Repairs

Repairs must be done right away. This goes for both the structure and your belongings. Do you have heirloom pieces in your furniture? Some of the items might be impossible to restore if they’ve been subjected for too long to the soot and smoke. Talk to the restoration firm to learn more about the workaround solutions they offer.

Do the Renovation

A lot of people opt for a complete renovation, though. That’s often because of extensive damage. Talk to the restoration firm. Experienced restoration contractors know when property owners like you are much better going for a total renovation. 

The IICRC certified team at SERVPRO of Dunedin/Palm Harbor South has experience in fire and smoke damage restoration and renovation. You can call them anytime 24/7 for a quick response to your emergency. Just call (727) 793-1333.

Fire Damage? Call the Professionals!

10/16/2023 (Permalink)

The professionals at SERVPRO of Dunedin/Palm Harbor South can handle even the most extensive fire and smoke damage.

How We Handle Fire Damage

When dealing with fire damage it’s not only about restoring your furnishings and items that have been burned, it’s also about restoring the structural components of the home such as studs, floor joists, and roof trusses. Also, things such as electrical wiring and plumbing repairs may also need to be addressed and repaired.  Restoring the structural integrity of the home is our first priority.

Dealing With Smoke Damage

When you have fire damage in your home or business, the restoration process nearly always involves smoke damage care. This care may include cleaning surfaces, cleaning and sanitizing the HVAC system, and painting rooms to lock out the scent of the smoke. There can also be a good deal of discoloration on surfaces that will also need to be taken care of professionally to restore the property.

Preventing Moisture Damage

Water damage in the home can quickly lead to mold and rot. It is important to make sure that you are getting the moisture removed as soon as possible. As part of the clean-up and restoration of your building, we remove all wet surfaces, including damaged drywall and flooring, if necessary. Once this is done, those surfaces are cleaned properly and treatments are done to prevent mold growth.

Our Team Is Dedicated to Restoring Your Home

Getting your home to pre-fire condition is a complex process, but the team at SERVPRO of Dunedin/Palm Harbor South can help you. Give our team a call to learn more about the work we do in fire damage restoration. 

We are here for you 24-hours a day. Just call 727-793-1333.

5 Major Steps for Fire Restoration

3/16/2022 (Permalink)

Residential fires can be devastating. SERVPRO of Dunedin/Palm Harbor South have the experience to restore your home quickly.

There are several steps involved when your property needs restoration from fire and smoke damage. The team at SERVPRO of Dunedin/Palm Harbor South will begin with an assessment, the removal of your belongings, and the cleanup of the debris. Once those steps are complete they will move on to the structural repairs. Here’s what you can expect:

1. Secure the Foundation

The first step is to secure the foundation. The team will assess and then secure the foundation to make sure the structure is safe to enter. Never rely on an ‘eyeball test’, hire pros to check for potential danger from weakened trusses, floor joists, etc. 

2. Clean and Remove Soot

The next step is to clean and remove soot and smoke damage. Don’t tackle the smoke and soot on your own. Smoke and soot leave stains behind and it takes specialized techniques to clean and neutralize them and prevent them from making the damage worse. 

3. Moisture Control

Due to the amount of water used to put out the fire moisture can be a real problem. Pumping and airing out the moisture is an essential step in the cleanup process. With expert assistance, you can prevent mold growth and rot. Our team has specialized equipment to dry out your home and prepare it for the repairs it needs. 

4. Perform the Repairs

When it comes to your home and belongings it's important that the repairs are done right away. The longer your items are left exposed to the soot and smoke the harder it may be to restore them. If you don’t start making repairs on the building itself you may end up needing more work done like mold removal or rot. Make sure that you talk to the restoration firm to learn more about the restoration timeline and any of the workaround solutions they offer.

5. Do the Renovation

Due to extensive fire, smoke, and soot damage, a lot of people opt for a complete renovation. Talk to the restoration firm about your situation and the best solution. Experienced restoration contractors know when property owners like you are much better off going for a total renovation. 

The IICRC certified team at SERVPRO of Dunedin/Palm Harbor South has experience in fire and smoke damage restoration and renovation. 

You can call them anytime 24/7 for a quick response to your emergency. Just call (727) 793-1333.

Let The Pros Restore Your Belongings After a Fire

3/1/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Dunedin/Palm Harbor South can carefully restore many of your belongings even after extensive fire damage.

Numerous tasks make up the restoration process in Palm Harbor homes after a fire loss incident.  Because effects like soot and odors can spread almost continually without intervention from restoration technicians like our SERVPRO team, the contents of your house are at a higher risk for irreversible damages.

Content management is one of the unique offerings we provide during fire damage restoration in Palm Harbor homes. This entire process is devoted exclusively to protecting your personal belongings, furniture, and other contents from migrating effects like soot, odors, smoke residues, and other threats. We have in-house strategies that begin with relocating your possessions to an untouched area of the home. When combined with surface cleaning techniques, deodorizing, and other corrective actions, we can recover many items without off-site strategies.

Is Pack-Out the Best Option for Your Belongings?

When damages are too considerable for on-site recovery options, we rely on the pack-out procedure. This technique carefully relocates your belongings to our nearby SERVPRO facility. We can return your belongings to their original condition through focused attention and restoration techniques in most cases. While there are dozens of techniques and technologies at work in our warehouse to recover your belongings, fire-damaged contents can benefit from:

• Ozone Chamber for Deodorization of Multiple Items
• Ultrasonic Submersion Tank for Soot Removal
• Advanced Drying Techniques for Water-Damaged Materials
• Safe, Climate-Controlled Storage of Your Belongings

Despite how damaging a fire loss can be, our SERVPRO of Dunedin / Palm Harbor South team can help to protect the things that matter most with content management solutions and the full restoration and reconstruction of your home as necessary. Give us a call anytime 24/7 at (727) 793-1333.

Fire Restoration Services Are a Specialty of SERVPRO Dunedin

11/24/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Fire Restoration Team Vehicle

The Experienced, Certified SERVPRO Technicians Are Available 24/7 and Arrive Quickly to Cleanup Post-Fire in Palm Harbor

Palm Harbor is a beautiful locale located just 22 miles north of downtown St. Petersburg. This is a mostly residential community with some areas of commerce around the city. One of the most vibrant areas of the town is the historic downtown district. Numerous craft fairs, art exhibitions, and festivals take place in this area every year. The first Friday of every month is "Palm Harbor's First Friday Celebrations," and youngsters and adults are welcome at the venue to create a sense of community. There are rides and games to play for the kids and food featured from many local eateries. 

Another popular annual event takes place every October with the Taste of Palm Harbor happening. The Palm Harbor Junior Women's Club sponsors this event, and proceeds go towards their "Making a Difference" grants & scholarships program. Along with excellent foodstuffs to try, mainly the locally sourced seafood is the highlight, this venue has live music, and an average of 20 local restaurants participate each year. 

Local Government 

The town of Palm Harbor remains an unincorporated part of Pinellas County. The last bill to incorporate the city died in committee in 2009, and it has not been readdressed. The Pinellas County legislators voted that same year and supported a bill that voters would have the final say on whether it would incorporate in the future. A feasibility board is on the books to determine if it is financially feasible and in the best interest of the city to incorporate. 

Recreational Opportunities Abound in Palm Harbor

Palm Harbor has a large number of excellent venues for activities. There are numerous parks, such as:

• John Chesnut, Sr. Park
• H.S. "Pop" Stansell Park
• Steve Putnam Park
• Palm Field 
• Sunderman Recreation Complex

History

In 1888, the original name of Palm Harbor was Sutherland, which was a shortening of the name of the holding company, the Southern Land and Development Company. In 1925, the name change occurred, and the area began to get settled. Notably, J.C. Craver was the first settler that hailed from the Northern U.S. to call this area of Florida home permanently. Craver kept a diary and wrote that his physicians advised him to settle in Palm Harbor. Briefly, the post office was known as Yellow Bluff, but that name was changed to the Palm Harbor post office due to the negative connotations with the yellow fever epidemic that ravaged the area. 

Palm Harbor Climate

This Florida area would get considered wet as it gets an average of 51 inches of rain yearly. The average rainfall across the United States is 38 inches. Consequently, snow is never an issue as there are 246 sunny days per year, and the Winter lows average around 51 degrees Fahrenheit. The summers are hot and muggy, with an average July temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit. This area recorded 68 hurricanes since 1930. The most massive named storm to hit Palm Harbor was Frances in 2004, with sustained winds of 130mph. 

Notable People From Palm Harbor

A significant number of sports stars have come from this city, such as: 

• Christopher B. Coghlan an MLB star that got named Rookie of the Year in 2009
• John James Davis, an American Football guard
• Dakoda Dowd an American Amatuer Golfer
• Johnny Ray Huston, a professional golfer that won seven PGA tours
• Theodore Larsen, an NFL guard
• Justin Mark Miller, an MLB player

Palm Harbor Fire Rescue

In the summer of 1956, an early version of the current fire department started as the "Ozona, Palm Harbor, Crystal Beach Volunteer Fire Department." The goal was to give residents peace of mind through organized fire protection to answer calls expediently. Volunteers built the first fire station in the 1960s and it remained in place until Station 65 replaced that structure in 1988. In the summer of 2000, the department's legal name changed to Palm Harbor Special Fire Control and Rescue District. This fire rescue service services the local community of approximately 62,000 residents with a total of four fire-rescue service stations in operation. 

Is Fire Restoration By SERVPRO Techs Possible for Furniture in Palm Harbor Properties?

After a fire in your Palm Harbor home, the fire restoration should begin as rapidly as possible. The sooner the cleanup efforts start the less chance of cross-contamination throughout the property. SERVPRO technicians have a great deal of comprehensive training and state-of-the-art equipment to clean up and restore many items that may not look like they have the potential. The technicians carefully test all fabrics and surfaces before applying any type of cleaning method to ensure that they do not mar any object through their chosen application.

In particular, furniture may get covered in soot and still have the potential for restoration and reuse. Here are some of the most common types of furnishings and how SERVPRO technicians clean them: 

• Leather and faux-leather furniture - The technicians often use dry cleaning sponges to lift away the layer covering the leather gently and use specially developed restorative cleaning agents for use on the leather. 
• Upholstered furniture - first, the techs inspect and test the fibers to determine the type of construction materials and if the piece has the potential for restoration.
• Hardwood furniture - The techs utilize different kinds of wood soaps, along with wet and dry cleaning agents, to address the different types of smoke that settle on the wood. In some cases, a wood paste or solvent gets needed to remove a thin layer of finish to rid the item of smoke damage successfully. 

SERVPRO of Dunedin / Palm Harbor South at (727) 793-1333 supports the local Palm Harbor community with fire restoration services. Through the use of their training, expertise, and equipment, the technicians make the damage, "Like it never even happened."

Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration in Dunedin

11/24/2021 (Permalink)

Identifying the type of smoke damage is critical for restoration to be effective.

SERVPRO Provides Dunedin Residents with Expert Fire Damage Restoration Technicians.

What is the best method for cleaning smoke residues?
After a house fire in your Dunedin home, there is likely to be significant blackening of walls, ceilings, and surfaces due to smoke. Cleaning these residues requires careful planning. Not all smoke residues are the same, with each residue requiring different methods of cleaning. There are four broad categories for smoke damages that technicians need to be aware of when performing restoration. An excellent way to identify smoke residue is by asking what type of material, or fuel combusted to cause the fire. The material composition that burns is an influential factor in smoke damages.

What are the four types of smoke residue?
    •    Dry smoke residues which are usually the result of natural materials combusting
    •    Wet smoke residues, which include synthetic materials like plastics
    •    Protein smoke residues are the result of burning animal fats and common in kitchen fires.
    •    Fuel oil smoke residues can occur from furnace puff back or other fires involving an oil fuel source.

What ways are useful for identifying protein fire residues?
A kitchen is a common site for fire damage restoration to take place in your Dunedin home. Kitchen fires typically involve burning meat such as poultry, rudiment meat, and fish. An excellent way to identify protein smoke residues is by inspecting the color of the soils. These soils are typically greasy and yellow or amber. Wiping a small part of the wall can help determine smoke residues since these are often pale yellow or amber but can be invisible. A sure sign that protein residues exist is pungent malodors. SERVPRO uses an oil-based solvent to tackle these greasy deposits and typically resort to deodorizing the area to deal with malodors.

What other factors influence smoke residues?
    •    Fast-combusting fires with much oxygen produce dry smokes.
    •    Slow-burning fires typically produce a wet smoke residue.
    •    Material composition, either natural or synthetic, can produce wet or dry smoke, respectively.

Identifying the type of smoke residues in your home is vital to performing the necessary restoration steps. Contact SERVPRO of Dunedin / Palm Harbor South at (727) 793-1333.

Fire Restoration for Your Dunedin Home

9/6/2021 (Permalink)

Smoke and soot damage require specialized techniques for the best possible restoration outcome.

A Deeper Understanding of the Combustion Processes Delivers the Right Outcomes for Your Restoration 

When mitigating damages caused by fire, homeowners should know that they have to dispose of some items and save others. Having a deep understanding of fire damage helps determine whether affected materials are restorable and clears things up with insurance adjusters. SERVPRO of Dunedin/Palm Harbor South has the know-how Dunedin homeowners need to streamline recovery. 

Which fire damage problems does superior knowledge help resolve better?  

The entire fire restoration process at your Dunedin home can derail if you fail to understand some basic things about fires. For instance, you might fail to realize that:  

• Fires pose risks even after they are put out 
• Even harmless residue can cause permanent damage 
• Fire residues reach areas that you might not expect 

Apart from damaging your valuables, the combustion process produces a wide range of by-products. For instance, when a fire burns organic compounds, it produces nitrogen oxide, while sulfur dioxide is the by-product of burning inorganic compounds. Other substances such as hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide are also left in the air. Venturing into the damaged property without protection can lead to bodily harm. Our SERVPRO technicians prepare by wearing protective gloves, boots, or respirators when entering the property.  

What are the best examples of harmless residues that lead to damages?  

Fires leave various residues on surfaces, including ash and soot. The seemingly benign nature of soot can fool you into thinking that everything is safe and can stay the same until you are ready to restore it. However, soot has acidic properties and can cause permanent damage to some materials, including:  

• Chrome or other metallic finished materials 
• Granite or other stone surfaces 
• Plastics or related materials  

Soot causes staining or discoloration on materials given sufficient time. Our technicians use simple approaches such as pre-cleaning and applying protective oil films to prevent such damage.  

A deep understanding of the processes that cause damages is the best skill when restoring fire damage. Call SERVPRO of Dunedin / Palm Harbor South at (727) 793-1333 to send highly skilled technicians that help resolve any issue, “Like it never even happened.”

If you experience fire damage in your Dunedin home, call the restoration experts at SERVPRO of Dunedin/Palm Harbor South anytime 24/7. We're ready to help you! Call 727-793-1333.

More about Dunedin.

When Fire Damage Strikes Call a Professional Restoration Company

2/15/2021 (Permalink)

Even extensive fire and smoke damage and be restored with help from the professionals at SERVPRO of Dunedin/Palm Harbor South.

Even extensive fire damage can be restored when you get the professionals involved. Call SERVPRO of Dunedin/Palm Harbor South anytime 24/7 for your fire damage emergency.

Fires are devastating to structures. Not only does the fire damage surfaces, but smoke and water damage can make things even worse. 

Handling the Fire’s Damage

The fire damage itself may not only include the actual furnishings and items burned, but also the structural components of the home such as studs, floor joists, and roof trusses. All damaged furnishings need to be removed. Additionally, electrical wiring and plumbing repairs may be necessary.  Restoring the structural integrity of the home is the first priority.

Minimizing Water Damage

Cleaning up the water damage fast is important since mold can begin to grow in a matter of hours. Removing all wet surfaces, including damaged drywall and flooring, is necessary. Once this is done, those surfaces need proper cleaning and treatment to prevent mold growth.

Overcoming Smoke Damage

Fire damage cleanup nearly always involves smoke damage care. This may include cleaning surfaces, sanitizing the HVAC system, and painting rooms to lock out the scent of the smoke. Discoloration on surfaces also needs to be taken care of professionally to restore the property.

Invest in a Team Dedicated to Restoring Your Home

Getting your home to pre-fire condition is a complex process, but the team at SERVPRO of Dunedin/Palm Harbor South can help you with it right away. Give our team a call to learn more about the work we do in fire damage restoration. We are here for you 24-hours a day. Just call 727-793-1333.

Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration is Best Left to the Pros

2/11/2021 (Permalink)

Residential fires are both physically and emotionally devastating. SERVPRO of Dunedin/Palm Harbor South can handle the restoration.

Fire and smoke damage can be physically and emotionally devastating. If this happened in your home, it could potentially destroy everything you own. To make sure you restore your possessions and your property you’ll need to hire the services of a fire and smoke damage restoration team. Here are a few tips to help you deal with the aftermath.

Remove the Soot and Smoke

Don’t leave the soot, fire, and smoke unattended for too long. Once you get the go-ahead that it is safe to enter your property, your restoration team will need to start removing your belongings as soon as possible. The faster your team can remove those items, the more successful the restoration efforts will likely be.

Don't Touch Anything

Cleaning your carpets and belongings of smoke and soot is more difficult than it appears. It is best to leave the work in the hands of experts. SERVPRO of Dunedin/Palm Harbor South has the experience and tools to take care of this for you. 

Replace Your Belongings

Cleaning efforts can only do so much. This applies to your belongings and your property. If your restoration team suggests that you replace your carpets or rebuild parts of your home, you’ll need to follow that advice. Experts know best, so trying to fix those belongings or structures yourself will mean you’ll only be tossing money out the window.

Be Careful with Clothing

It’s easy for soot to get into your clothing, just as it can get into your curtains. When you clean your clothes, don’t rub them, or throw them into the wash with the rest. Doing so will contaminate the rest of your clothing. If your SERVPRO team tells you that the damaged clothes are beyond repair, toss them and get new ones.

SERVPRO of Dunedin/Palm Harbor South is Your Best Resource for Fire Damage Restoration

The experts at SERVPRO of Dunedin/Palm Harbor South have decades of experience in restoring fire and smoke damaged structures and belongings. Their professionals are IICRC certified. They have all the latest equipment and processes that will make certain you get the best results from your restoration. They are available anytime 24/7.  Call them at 727-793-1333.

SERVPRO Helps Local Palm Harbor Residents Get Life Back to Normal Through Fire Restoration Services

11/20/2020 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO of Dunedin / Palm Harbor South after a fire damage. They are ready to help you as soon as possible.

The Experienced, Certified SERVPRO Technicians Are Available 24/7 and Arrive Quickly to Cleanup Post-Fire in Palm Harbor

Palm Harbor is a beautiful locale located just 22 miles north of downtown St. Petersburg. This is a mostly residential community with some areas of commerce around the city. One of the most vibrant areas of the town is the historic downtown district. Numerous craft fairs, art exhibitions, and festivals take place in this area every year. The first Friday of every month is "Palm Harbor's First Friday Celebrations," and youngsters and adults are welcome at the venue to create a sense of community. There are rides and games to play for the kids and food featured from many local eateries. 

Another popular annual event takes place every October with the Taste of Palm Harbor happening. The Palm Harbor Junior Women's Club sponsors this event, and proceeds go towards their "Making a Difference" grants & scholarships program. Along with excellent foodstuffs to try, mainly the locally sourced seafood is the highlight, this venue has live music, and an average of 20 local restaurants participate each year. 

Local Government 

The town of Palm Harbor remains an unincorporated part of Pinellas County. The last bill to incorporate the city died in committee in 2009, and it has not been readdressed. The Pinellas County legislators voted that same year and supported a bill that voters would have the final say on whether it would incorporate in the future. A feasibility board is on the books to determine if it is financially feasible and in the best interest of the city to incorporate. 

Recreational Opportunities Abound in Palm Harbor

Palm Harbor has a large number of excellent venues for activities. There are numerous parks, such as:

• John Chesnut, Sr. Park
• H.S. "Pop" Stansell Park
• Steve Putnam Park
• Palm Field 
• Sunderman Recreation Complex

History

In 1888, the original name of Palm Harbor was Sutherland, which was a shortening of the name of the holding company, the Southern Land and Development Company. In 1925, the name change occurred, and the area began to get settled. Notably, J.C. Craver was the first settler that hailed from the Northern U.S. to call this area of Florida home permanently. Craver kept a diary and wrote that his physicians advised him to settle in Palm Harbor. Briefly, the post office was known as Yellow Bluff, but that name was changed to the Palm Harbor post office due to the negative connotations with the yellow fever epidemic that ravaged the area. 

Palm Harbor Climate

This Florida area would get considered wet as it gets an average of 51 inches of rain yearly. The average rainfall across the United States is 38 inches. Consequently, snow is never an issue as there are 246 sunny days per year, and the Winter lows average around 51 degrees Fahrenheit. The summers are hot and muggy, with an average July temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit. This area recorded 68 hurricanes since 1930. The most massive named storm to hit Palm Harbor was Frances in 2004, with sustained winds of 130mph. 

Notable People From Palm Harbor

A significant number of sports stars have come from this city, such as: 

• Christopher B. Coghlan an MLB star that got named Rookie of the Year in 2009
• John James Davis, an American Football guard
• Dakoda Dowd an American Amatuer Golfer
• Johnny Ray Huston, a professional golfer that won seven PGA tours
• Theodore Larsen, an NFL guard
• Justin Mark Miller, an MLB player

Palm Harbor Fire Rescue

In the summer of 1956, an early version of the current fire department started as the "Ozona, Palm Harbor, Crystal Beach Volunteer Fire Department." The goal was to give residents peace of mind through organized fire protection to answer calls expediently. Volunteers built the first fire station in the 1960s and it remained in place until Station 65 replaced that structure in 1988. In the summer of 2000, the department's legal name changed to Palm Harbor Special Fire Control and Rescue District. This fire rescue service services the local community of approximately 62,000 residents with a total of four fire-rescue service stations in operation. 

Is Fire Restoration By SERVPRO Techs Possible for Furniture in Palm Harbor Properties?

After a fire in your Palm Harbor home, the fire restoration should begin as rapidly as possible. The sooner the cleanup efforts start the less chance of cross-contamination throughout the property. SERVPRO technicians have a great deal of comprehensive training and state-of-the-art equipment to clean up and restore many items that may not look like they have the potential. The technicians carefully test all fabrics and surfaces before applying any type of cleaning method to ensure that they do not mar any object through their chosen application.

In particular, furniture may get covered in soot and still have the potential for restoration and reuse. Here are some of the most common types of furnishings and how SERVPRO technicians clean them: 

• Leather and faux-leather furniture - The technicians often use dry cleaning sponges to lift away the layer covering the leather gently and use specially developed restorative cleaning agents for use on the leather. 
• Upholstered furniture - first, the techs inspect and test the fibers to determine the type of construction materials and if the piece has the potential for restoration.
• Hardwood furniture - The techs utilize different kinds of wood soaps, along with wet and dry cleaning agents, to address the different types of smoke that settle on the wood. In some cases, a wood paste or solvent gets needed to remove a thin layer of finish to rid the item of smoke damage successfully. 

SERVPRO of Dunedin / Palm Harbor South at (727) 793-1333 supports the local Palm Harbor community with fire restoration services. Through the use of their training, expertise, and equipment, the technicians make the damage, "Like it never even happened."

Is Getting Rid of Smoke Residue Possible without Damaging Surfaces in Dunedin?

10/17/2020 (Permalink)

Identifying the type of smoke residues in your home is vital to performing the necessary restoration steps.

SERVPRO Provides Dunedin Residents with Expert Fire Damage Restoration Technicians.

What is the best method for cleaning smoke residues?
After a house fire in your Dunedin home, there is likely to be significant blackening of walls, ceilings, and surfaces due to smoke. Cleaning these residues requires careful planning. Not all smoke residues are the same, with each residue requiring different methods of cleaning. There are four broad categories for smoke damages that technicians need to be aware of when performing restoration. An excellent way to identify smoke residue is by asking what type of material, or fuel, combusted to cause the fire. The material composition that burns is an influential factor in smoke damages.

What are the four types of smoke residue?
    •    Dry smoke residues which are usually the result of natural materials combusting
    •    Wet smoke residues, which include synthetic materials like plastics
    •    Protein smoke residues are the result of burning animal fats and common in kitchen fires.
    •    Fuel oil smoke residues can occur from furnace puff back or other fires involving an oil fuel source.

What ways are useful for identifying protein fire residues?
A kitchen is a common site for fire damage restoration to take place in your Dunedin home. Kitchen fires typically involve burning meat such as poultry, rudiment meat, and fish. An excellent way to identify protein smoke residues is by inspecting the color of the soils. These soils are typically greasy and yellow or amber. Wiping a small part of the wall can help determine smoke residues since these are often pale yellow or amber but can be invisible. A sure sign that protein residues exist is pungent malodors. SERVPRO uses an oil-based solvent to tackle these greasy deposits and typically resort to deodorizing the area to deal with malodors.

What other factors influence smoke residues?
    •    Fast-combusting fires with much oxygen produce dry smokes.
    •    Slow-burning fires typically produce a wet smoke residue.
    •    Material composition, either natural or synthetic, can produce wet or dry smoke, respectively.

Identifying the type of smoke residues in your home is vital to performing the necessary restoration steps. Contact SERVPRO of Dunedin / Palm Harbor South at (727) 793-1333.

What Types of Skills Does Fire Restoration in Affected Dunedin homes Require?

9/1/2020 (Permalink)

Fire damage is difficult to restore. Don’t go it alone. Call SERVPRO!

SERVPRO Capitalizes on Deeper Understanding of the Combustion Processes to Guarantee the Right Outcomes from Restoration 

When mitigating damages caused by a fire, it pays to know that you have to dispose of some items and save others. Having a deep understanding of fire damage helps determine whether affected materials are restorable and clear things up with insurance adjusters. SERVPRO helps avail the know-how Dunedin homeowners need to streamline recovery. 

Which fire damage problems does superior knowledge help resolve better?  

The entire fire restoration process at your Dunedin home can derail if you fail to understand some basic things about fires. For instance, you might fail to realize that:  

• Fires pose risks even after they are put out 
• Considerably harmless residue can cause permanent damage 
• Fire residues reach areas that you might not expect 

Apart from damaging your valuables, the combustion process produces a wide range of by-products. For instance, when a fire burns organic compounds, it produces nitrogen oxide, while sulfur dioxide is the by-product of burning inorganic compounds. Other substances such as hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide are also left in the air. Venturing into the damaged property without protection can lead to bodily harm. Our SERVPRO technicians prepare well by wearing protective gloves, boots, or respirators for protection when entering the property.  

What are the best examples of harmless residues that lead to damages?  

Fires leave various residues on surfaces, including ash and soot. The seemingly benign nature of soot can fool you into thinking that everything is safe and can stay the same until you are ready to restore it. However, soot has acidic properties and can cause permanent damage to some materials, including:  

• Chrome or other metallic finished materials 
• Granite or other stone surfaces 
• Plastics or related materials  

Soot causes staining or discoloration on materials given sufficient time. Our SERVPRO technicians use simple approaches such as pre-cleaning and applying protective oil films to prevent such damage.  

A deep understanding of the processes that cause damages is the best skill when restoring fire damage. Call SERVPRO of Dunedin / Palm Harbor South at (727) 793-1333 to send highly skilled technicians that help resolve any issue, “Like it never even happened.”

More about Dunedin.

What is Content Management for My Palm Harbor Home?

6/21/2020 (Permalink)

When you are facing fire damage in your home, you need help. Contact our experienced technicians right away.

After a fire loss, our SERVPRO team can focus on restoring your personal belongings with both on-site and off-site recovery tactics. 

Numerous tasks make up the restoration process in Palm Harbor homes after a fire loss incident. Despite the spread or severity of these disasters, some of the effects that must get addressed remain constant. Because effects like soot and odors can spread almost continually without intervention from restoration technicians like our SERVPRO team, the contents of your house are at a higher risk for irreparable damages.

Content management is one of the unique offerings we provide during fire damage restoration in Palm Harbor homes. This entire process is devoted exclusively to protecting your personal belongings, furniture, and other contents from migrating effects like soot, odors, smoke residues, and other threats. We have in-house strategies that begin with relocating your possessions to an untouched area of the home. When combined with surface cleaning techniques, deodorizing, and other corrective actions, we can recover many items without off-site strategies.

Is Pack-Out the Best Option for Your Belongings?

When damages are too considerable for on-site recovery options, we rely on the pack-out procedure. This technique carefully relocates your belongings to our nearby SERVPRO facility. We can return your belongings to their original condition through focused attention and restoration techniques in most cases. While there are dozens of techniques and technologies at work in our warehouse to recover your belongings, fire-damaged contents can benefit from:

• Ozone Chamber for Deodorization of Multiple Items
• Ultrasonic Submersion Tank for Soot Removal
• Advanced Drying Techniques for Water-Damaged Materials
• Safe, Climate-Controlled Storage of Your Belongings

Despite how damaging a fire loss can be, our SERVPRO of Dunedin / Palm Harbor South team can help to protect the things that matter most with content management solutions and the full restoration and reconstruction of your home as necessary. Give us a call anytime at (727) 793-1333.

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