What is a Puff Back and How Can it Cause Fire Damage to Your Wetumpka Home?

3/19/2019 (Permalink)

Inspect your furnace annually to help prevent possible fire damage.

Puff Backs Happen in Wetumpka When Your Furnace Malfunctions

Not all fire damage we tackle comes from an actual fire. Puff back is a malfunction of an oil-burning furnace that sends soot and residue all over walls, ceilings and any objects in the path of the spew from the unit. This situation often occurs after the furnace has been off for some time and then turned back on and fails to ignite initially. Vapors build up in the ignition chamber, and when the spark from the igniter attempts to light, soot and oil residue blow through the exhaust system into the home. Anywhere this is a register has the potential to spread the soot throughout the home.  

When SERVPRO remediates a Wetumpka home for fire damage type issues after a puff back, our technicians first determine where the soot and residue have landed within the home. The soot damage can range from light particles that are barely visible on countertops to oily dark streaks and solids that resemble a spider's web, and then there is the smell. The odor left behind is unpleasant and needs eradicating.  

Damage from a puff back should never be cleaned up on your own. Soot particles can be unhealthy to breathe, and the home requires professional cleaning. SERVPRO technicians have both the knowledge and equipment such as HEPA filtered air scrubbers in tandem with activated charcoal filters to remove the odor-causing particles from the air. Technicians hand-clean restorable items using professional-grade cleaners and wet and dry sponge techniques.  

SERVPRO has certified Odor Control Technicians (OCTs) experienced in removing foul odors from homes, and they have numerous resources at their disposal. Thermal fogging is a very effective way to neutralize foul odors left behind by a puff back. The OCT uses a fogger to deliver a hot vapor that works much like smoke and penetrates porous objects to eliminate the odors and leave no trace of the smoke or soot odor.  

A puff back is just as dangerous as fire damage and should be professionally cleaned up as soon as possible. To get started, call SERVPRO of Prattville at (334) 358-1186, and one of our expert technicians can begin the process to turn back the clock on the damage to your home and make it "like it never even happened."

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