Fire Damage in Oak Knoll Homes might be Extensive even from Small, Contained Fires

12/16/2016 (Permalink)

It's always best to keep an eye on any lit candles in the home. If a small fire does start, exercise safety precautions and then call SERVPRO!

It Can be Hard to Deal with Fire Damage without Professional Technicians by Your Side

House fires during the holiday season are on many people's minds, although they can happen any time of the year. Public announcements on television warn about being careful about the placement of certain decorations and the dangers of leaving lights on when nobody is at home to supervise them. These same cautions should hold true all year long.

When Oak Knoll residents have small fires in their homes, they are often surprised by the amount of fire damage caused. Small fires can cause extensive damage, throughout a home, in a very short time if they are in an area where there are items that will create heavy smoke, ash, and soot when burned. The airborne particles can spread quickly to every other part of your home, even if the fire never spreads to those areas.

Fire damage can also include melted plastics that have dripped onto other surfaces. Some surfaces can be restored more easily than others, depending on what they are made of. Some surfaces, such as fabrics, might not be able to be restored on-site. Some, such as carpeting, might need to be repaired by one of our carpet repair and restoration technicians. The same is true of upholstered furniture.

This is one of the reasons why it is so important to be highly cautious with lights and candles around artificial trees. Made of plastic, they are hard to catch on fire, but not impossible. Before burning, they will melt, and also release toxic gasses. One of the components found in older trees, as well as the cord used for most lights, including newer ones, is lead. This can be very toxic around young children and babies. However, when these melt, they can create shock hazards with their now-exposed wiring.

SERVPRO professionals can help clean up such messes, and also give you pointers on how to avoid similar problems in the future. It is not always a candle that starts a fire. It can be combinations of other things that also pose hazards during the winter months.

When you need a helping hand cleaning up fire damage in your home, call us, SERVPRO of Minnetonka at (952) 473-4837. We have the training to handle any situation, large or small, that has threatened to take over your home. Call us anytime, 24/7, and we will take care of your emergency situations professionally.