Fire Damage in a Millbrook Home HVAC System

7/6/2018 (Permalink)

Fire & Smoke Cleanup and Restoration in Millbrook? Call SERVPRO for Great Results

Smoke Residue and Odors Are Key Elements Needing Cleanup after a House Fire

After a fire, Millbrook residents are very conscious of the damage to their homes and take the necessary steps to clean and return them to a clean state. One area that often goes unnoticed, however, especially if the fire was short and did minimal damage, is the heating and air or HVAC system.
 
Even when there is no physical fire damage to the HVAC in a Millbrook home, there are still problems to address. The residues left behind by smoke and burning property can cover the vent covers and ductwork. SERVPRO technicians know that once the HVAC is activated again, these residues can spread throughout the entire home, causing damage to personal items if not structural property.
 
The severity of damage depends on where the fire started, how fast it burned, and what fueled it. For example, a kitchen fire usually starts small, so it burns slowly, going through food, metal pans, plastic handles, and fabrics like cotton dishtowels. A fire like this one usually sends up a large amount of smoke. The residues it leaves are often sticky and difficult to remove.
 
A fire which starts in another part of the house as a living room is different. While it may start slowly, the fire quickly begins to burn faster, consuming furniture, paper, carpets, and eventually, building material. The residues left behind from a fire like this one are drier, more like powder, and easier to clean, though the charred materials may be much greater than a small kitchen fire.
 
In the case of an HVAC system, the powdery residues can be wiped off vent covers using a dry sponge. If they have not gotten too far into the ductwork, SERVPRO technicians can remove them using a larger sponge on a telescoping, long handle. If the residue is slightly sticky, technicians use water or a mild detergent to break them up for removal.
 
For residues from a kitchen or similar fire, our restoration teams use a much stronger cleaning agent. They combine it with a long-handled scrub brush to break up the residues for removal. With both kinds of residues, technicians can also remove them with a vacuum hose.
 
For residues that penetrated deep into the ductwork, our teams can use a fogging machine to generate a cloud of cleaning agent. They force it through every duct, breaking up the residue and then use fans to push it all outside the home.
 
If you have cleaned up after a recent fire, but still find smoke residue throughout your home, it may be a problem inside your HVAC. Call SERVPRO of Prattville today at (334) 358-1186 to determine if you need additional cleaning services.

More about this city by clicking here.