3 Alarming Signs of Burnt Carpet in Your Property

9/25/2023 (Permalink)

The professionals at SERVPRO are ready to help you combat fire damage!

Do you know how to identify when you need help with burnt carpet?

A property's aesthetic appeal plays a crucial role in forming the first impression, and the carpet often plays a significant part. However, an unexpected event, such as a burnt carpet, can lead to visual displeasure and health concerns. Understanding the signs and knowing when to call in the experts, like our team at SERVPRO®, is essential for the safety and longevity of your property.

What is burnt carpet restoration?

Burnt carpet restoration refers to the process of repairing or restoring carpets that have been damaged due to burns. Whether it's a minor scorch mark from a dropped cigarette or significant damage from a fire caused by an electrical spark, professional fire restoration services can bring your carpet back to life, saving property owners the cost of a complete replacement and ensuring the living space remains attractive and safe.

3 common causes of burnt carpet

There are several reasons why a carpet may become burnt or damaged. Here are three of the most common causes:

1. Cigarette burns: One of the leading causes of minor burns or scorch marks on carpets. While these might seem small, they can lead to discoloration and weaken the carpet fabric over time.
2. Electrical sparks: Faulty wiring, overloaded power boards, or malfunctioning electronics can result in sparks that cause considerable burn marks.
3. Heat appliances: Items like hair straighteners, curling irons, or even irons, if left unattended or dropped on the carpet, can cause burns.

Can a burnt carpet be repaired?

Yes, indeed! The burnt carpet can be repaired when addressed promptly. However, the success of the repair often depends on the burn's severity and the restoration service's expertise. For instance, more minor burns might be fixed by trimming the burnt fibers or using patchwork. In contrast, more significant damages might require professional tools and techniques to restore the carpet to its original state.

Does the burnt carpet need to be replaced?

Only sometimes. While severe burns that affect the carpet's integrity or larger areas might necessitate replacement, many instances of burnt carpet can be restored. The key lies in getting an expert assessment, like one from SERVPRO, to determine the best course of action.

SERVPRO to the rescue in Smyrna, Georgia!

Earlier this year, our dedicated SERVPRO team received a distress call from a property owner in Smyrna, Georgia. A minor electrical mishap led to a sizable portion of their lavish living room carpet being burnt. The owner was distraught, believing that the entire carpet would need replacement.

Our SERVPRO team, with years of experience in burnt carpet restoration, quickly assessed the damage. Using state-of-the-art equipment and techniques, we restored the damaged carpet area and ensured that the repair was seamless, keeping the visual continuity of the carpet intact. The property owner was elated at the outcome, grateful they didn't have to bear the costs and inconvenience of a total carpet replacement.

Why should property owners choose SERVPRO for burnt carpet restoration services?

1. Experienced team: Our professionals are trained in handling various types of carpet damage, ensuring you receive the best solution tailored to your problem.
2. Advanced techniques and tools: We utilize the latest technology and methods in burnt carpet restoration, ensuring effective and efficient results.
3. Customer-centric approach: At SERVPRO, our primary focus is our clients' satisfaction. We provide timely service and transparent communication, striving to exceed expectations every time.

How does SERVPRO handle burnt carpet damage?

1. Assessment: Our team starts by assessing the severity and extent of the carpet damage.
2. Cleaning: We thoroughly clean the affected area, removing soot, debris, and potential contaminants.
3. Repair or patching: Depending on the damage, we either trim the burnt fibers, patch the area using a matching piece, or employ specialized techniques to restore the carpet.
4. Final inspection: Once the restoration is complete, a thorough review ensures that our quality standards are met and that the property owner is satisfied.

Conclusion

Burnt carpet damage, while distressing, doesn't always mean a complete loss. With the right expertise, tools, and techniques, carpets can be brought back to their original state, saving money and maintaining the aesthetics of your property. With SERVPRO's commitment to excellence, property owners can rest assured that their burnt carpet restoration needs are in capable hands. Contact us today for any questions on how we can alleviate your fire damage.

5 Effective Firework Safety Tips for a Happy Memorial Day

5/29/2023 (Permalink)

Keep safe, and let this Memorial Day be a time of joy!

Keep these firework safety tips this memorial day to safeguard your property and loved ones.

Memorial Day is a cherished holiday that brings together families and communities across the nation to honor the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. It is a time of remembrance and reflection, but it is also a time of celebration. 

Fireworks have become an integral part of the Memorial Day tradition, lighting up the night sky and filling our hearts with awe. However, it is crucial to prioritize safety during these festivities to prevent property damage and ensure the well-being of our loved ones. In the following blog post, we will review five firework safety tips to ensure your property is safe from fire damage. 

In the unfortunate event of fire damage, choosing a reliable and experienced company like SERVPRO becomes paramount to restoring your property efficiently and effectively. When faced with fire damage, you need a restoration service that understands the urgency and complexity of the situation. That's where SERVPRO excels. With years of experience and a reputation for excellence, SERVPRO is a trusted industry leader. Choosing SERVPRO ensures you receive top-notch professional assistance, comprehensive fire restoration services, and peace of mind during a challenging time.

5 tips from SERVPRO for a safe celebration with fireworks

Regarding fireworks, preparation is critical to a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day celebration. Here are some essential tips to keep in mind when lighting fireworks:

1. Secure a suitable location: Choosing the right site for your fireworks display is vital. Ensure it is an open area, away from structures or flammable objects such as dry grass or trees. Additionally, be mindful of your neighbors and their properties, keeping a safe distance to avoid potential accidents.
2. Read and follow instructions: Fireworks can be complex and dangerous if mishandled. Always read and follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Each type of firework has specific guidelines regarding ignition, handling, and safety distances. Ignoring these instructions can lead to severe consequences, including property damage or personal injury.
3. Adult supervision: Fireworks should only be handled and ignited by responsible adults. Keep children at a safe distance from the fireworks, allowing them to enjoy the show while minimizing the risk of accidents. Adults should also avoid alcohol consumption while handling fireworks, as impaired judgment can lead to poor decision-making and hazardous situations.
4. Safety equipment: Protective gear, such as safety glasses and gloves, should be worn when handling fireworks. These precautions may seem excessive, but they are essential for shielding your eyes and hands from potential debris and sparks. 
5. Have a fire extinguisher handy: In case of a firework malfunction or an unintended fire, always have a fire extinguisher readily available. Make sure everyone presents knows its location and understands how to operate it. Quick and efficient action can help prevent a tiny spark from turning into a devastating fire that could cause extensive property damage.

SERVPRO's expertise in fire damage restoration 

Even with the utmost care and precautions, accidents can happen. If your property falls victim to fire damage during Memorial Day festivities, turn to the professionals at SERVPRO for swift and effective restoration services.

Upon arrival, SERVPRO's highly trained technicians will assess the extent of the fire damage to your property. Then, using advanced techniques and equipment, they will identify areas requiring immediate attention and develop a comprehensive restoration plan tailored to your needs.

SERVPRO's expertise extends beyond cleaning up fire debris. Their professionals are skilled in handling smoke and soot damage, which can be equally devastating to your property. Smoke and soot particles can permeate every nook and cranny, leaving behind an unpleasant odor and causing long-term damage if not adequately addressed. With their knowledge and specialized equipment, SERVPRO technicians can thoroughly clean and deodorize your property, eliminating the remnants of smoke and soot to restore a safe and healthy living environment.

Wrapping up 

As you prepare to celebrate Memorial Day with fireworks, prioritize safety to protect your property and loved ones. You can minimize the risk of accidents and fire damage by following the provided safety tips. However, in the unfortunate event that fire damage occurs, rely on SERVPRO professionals' expertise. With their swift response, specialized equipment, and comprehensive restoration services, they will help you restore your property, ensuring a smooth and efficient recovery process. Let this Memorial Day be a time of joyful remembrance while keeping safety at the forefront of your celebrations. Contact us today if you have any questions about our emergency fire restoration services!

After Disastrous Candle Fires: Your #1 Recovery Guide

1/30/2023 (Permalink)

The professionals at SERVPRO are here to help you combat any amount of fire damage caused by candles.

Candle fires are devastating and potentially dangerous events that can cause extensive damage.

The professionals at SERVPRO of South Cobb understand the complexities of fire damage and are equipped to restore your home or business to its preloss condition. However, most people don't realize that candle fires produce fumes and smoke beyond the visible destruction, leading to severe risks and significant property losses. 

While candle fires are not every day, they often occur enough that everyone needs to be aware of the dangers they present and the ways to prevent them. In the following blog post, we will discuss candle fires, the potential damage they can cause, and how SERVPRO of South Cobb can help you recover from a candle fire disaster. Candle fires can cause a wide variety of damage, from structural damage and loss of possessions to smoke and soot damage. 

The longer the candle fire burns unchecked, the more extensive the destruction will be. SERVPRO of South Cobb has the expertise and tools to assess the damage caused by candle fires and begin the restoration process.

Types of damage candle fires can cause

Candle fires can cause a wide range of damage to structures, furniture, and personal possessions. Structural damage can include burned walls, floors, ceilings, and roofs. Furniture and personal possessions can be damaged by the fire and by the resulting smoke, soot, water, or fire-extinguishing chemicals. In addition, candle fires can create toxic fumes like carbon monoxide, posing potential risks.

How to prevent candle fires in your home or business

Although candle fire damage is not always preventable, there are candle fire safety tips and specific steps you can take to reduce the risk of candle fires occurring in your home or business.

• Always use candle holders that are appropriate for the candle size and type.
• Keep candles away from flammable objects such as curtains, bedding, clothing, furniture, and paper products.
• Constantly monitor candle flames and do not leave them unattended.
• Do not burn candles near open windows or air vents, as drafts can cause the candle to flare up.
• Never move a burning candle – always blow it out before relocating it!
• Keep combustible materials away from candle flames.
• Ensure candle wicks are trimmed and not burning too close to the candle holder.
• Consider using battery-powered flameless candles, which have become increasingly popular and realistic in recent years.

What to do if a candle fire occurs in your home or business?

When a candle fire occurs in your home or business, the most important thing is to get everyone out safely and call 911. Once the fire department has extinguished the fire, contact a fire damage restoration company to assess and restore any damage caused by the candle fire. The team of professionals should be available 24/7 and respond quickly to help you recover and restore your property.

SERVPRO's candle fire restoration process

We know that candle fires can be a devastating experience. That's why SERVPRO of South Cobb is here to help. Our process for helping your property recover from fire damage includes the following:

• Assessment and documentation of candle fire damage
• Removal of furniture, fixtures, and other items to prevent further damage
• Cleaning and deodorizing surfaces affected by candle fires
• Structural repairs as needed

We hope you've found this article helpful in understanding candle fire damage and how SERVPRO of South Cobb can help restore your home or business after a candle fire disaster. Our team of professionals will work quickly to assess the damage and begin the restoration process. We have extensive cleaning products and tools to remove soot, smoke, and other debris. 

Contact us today for more information on candle fire restoration services.

Thermal Fogging: The #1 Best Way to Neutralize Smoke Odors

10/24/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO offers quality and effective thermal fogging services!

The professionals at SERVPRO of South Cobb use thermal fogging to remove smoke odors from homes and businesses after a fire. 

After a fire breaks out in a home or business, there are often lingering smoke odors that can be tough to remove. That's where thermal fogging comes in. 

Thermal fogging is a process that uses thermal energy to produce a fog or mist. The fog or mist penetrates and treats an area with a thermal disinfectant, chemicals that kill microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and spores. The professionals at SERVPRO use state-of-the-art disinfectants to ensure that unwanted organisms are removed and do not come back. 

SERVPRO of South Cobb uses thermal foggers to create a thermal fog that will neutralize the smoke odors in your home or business. We are dedicated to helping our customers through the entire fire restoration process, from start to finish. 

The following blog post will go over when you should use thermal fog, the benefits of thermal fogging, and how SERVPRO of South Cobb uses thermal foggers to remove smoke odors from your home or business. Then, keep reading to find out why SERVPRO is many property owners' go-to company for fire restoration! 

When to use thermal fogging?

Thermal fogging is usually used in one of two scenarios: 

• When traditional cleaning methods aren't enough to remove the smoke odor
• When the smoke odor is widespread and permeates throughout the entire property

If you've tried cleaning the affected areas with traditional methods, such as airing out the property or using air fresheners, and the smoke odor is still present, thermal fogging may be your best option. 

Thermal fogging offers many benefits, including: 

• Effective at removing tough smoke odors
• Fast and convenient
• Safe to use in occupied spaces
• Leaves your home or business smelling fresh and clean

How does thermal fogging work?

Thermal fogging is a process that uses thermal energy to produce a fog or mist. The fog or mist penetrates and treats an area with a thermal disinfectant. Thermal disinfectants are chemicals that kill microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and spores.

SERVPRO of South Cobb uses thermal foggers to create a thermal fog that will neutralize the smoke odors in your home or business. The thermal fogging process works by heating the thermal disinfectant until it becomes a vapor. This vapor is then released into the area needing treatment, where it will penetrate and kill any microorganisms.

Our thermal fogging process

When a customer contacts us for help with smoke odors, our first step is to assess the situation and determine the best course of action. Once we've decided that thermal fogging is the best option, we will begin the process by setting up our equipment. 

We will then heat the thermal disinfectant until it becomes a vapor. Afterward, we release this vapor into the area needing treatment, where it will penetrate and kill any microorganisms. The thermal fogging process is effective against many microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and mold spores. 

After the thermal fogging process, we will conduct a final assessment to ensure that the smoke odors have been completely neutralized. 

SERVPRO of South Cobb fire restoration services

If you're dealing with smoke odors after a fire, SERVPRO of South Cobb can help. We are dedicated to helping our customers through the entire fire restoration process, from start to finish. Our fire restoration services include:

• Assessing the damage
• Cleaning and repairing damaged items
• Pack-out and storage services
• Smoke and odor removal
• Reconstruction

We understand how overwhelming it can be to deal with the aftermath of a fire. Our goal is to make the fire restoration process as stress-free as possible for our customers. Our professionals have undergone extensive training and are certified by the IICRC, and we have a wide range of state-of-the-art equipment to provide our customers with the best possible service. 

Contact us today for more information about our thermal fogging services.

Summer Fire Damage: The 3 Main Fire Risks

8/10/2022 (Permalink)

The professionals at SERVPRO are available 24/7 for fire restoration services!

SERVPRO of South Cobb is here to help you avoid summer fire damage to your home.

Summertime always brings a sense of relaxation and fun. But sometimes, this fun can be ruined by fire damage that can occur as a result of careless behavior. The professionals at SERVPRO of South Cobb have seen it all when it comes to summer fire damage, and we're here to help you avoid becoming a statistic. Here are the three risks that can lead to fire damage during the summer months:

1. Fire pits and patio heaters
2. Fireworks
3. Grilling

The following blog post will go over each of these summer fire risks in more detail and what you can do to avoid them.

What is summer fire damage?

Summer fire damage is any fire that occurs during the summer months. Summer fire damage can cause anywhere from minor damage to a lot of damage to your home and belongings. But, no matter the size of summer fire damage your property has sustained, SERVPRO of South Cobb can help.

How to avoid summer fire damage?

There are several ways you can avoid summer fire damage. The most important thing is to be aware of the risks and take precautions to prevent them. As we mentioned earlier, there are three primary risks of fire damage during the summer months:

1. Fire pits and patio heaters
2. Fireworks
3. Grilling

Let's take a closer look at each of these summer fire risks.

Fire pits and patio heaters

Fire pits and patio heaters are an everyday summertime staple. They provide warmth and ambiance for outdoor gatherings. However, if not used properly, they can be a fire hazard. To avoid summer fire damage from fire pits and patio heaters:

• Ensure the area around the fire pit or patio heater is clear of flammable materials.
• Keep the fire pit or patio heater at least 10 feet away from buildings or structures.
• Never leave a fire unattended.
• Make sure the fire is fully extinguished before leaving the area.

Fireworks

Fireworks are a summertime tradition for many people. However, they can also be very dangerous. Each year, thousands of people have property damage caused by fireworks. To avoid summer fire damage from fireworks:

• Follow the fireworks safety tips
• Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.
• Older children should only use fireworks under close adult supervision.
• Always have a bucket of water or a hose handy in case of an emergency.
• Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
• Only use fireworks outdoors.
• Never try to relight or pick up fireworks that have not fully functioned.

Grilling

Grilling is a summertime favorite for many people. It's a great way to enjoy the summer weather and make delicious food. However, grilling can also be very dangerous. Each year, there are thousands of fires caused by grilling. To avoid summer fire damage from grilling:

• Only use grills outdoors.
• Make sure the grill is on a level surface to prevent tipping.
• Keep the grill away from flammable materials such as trees, bushes, or deck railings.
• Never leave the grill unattended while it's in use.
• Always make sure the grill is fully extinguished before leaving the area.

SERVPRO of South Cobb: summer fire damage experts

We hope you found this blog post helpful. Remember, the best way to avoid summer fire damage is to be aware of the risks and take precautions to prevent them. If you experience summer fire damage, the experts SERVPRO of South Cobb are here to help. When you choose to work with us for fire restoration services, we guarantee that we will:

• Work quickly and efficiently to minimize the damage.
• Communicate with you throughout the entire process.
• Work with your insurance company to make sure all claims are filed correctly.

For more information on our fire damage restoration services, contact a professional at SERVPRO of South Cobb today!

7 Toaster Oven Safety Tips to Avoid Fire Damage

5/11/2022 (Permalink)

Contact the professionals at SERVPRO for any size fire damage project!

Every year, toaster ovens cause thousands of fires in homes across the United States.

Toaster ovens are one of the most popular small appliances. They're efficient and durable and come in various sizes to fit your needs. But with that convenience comes a level of fire risk if not used and cared for properly.

Toaster ovens are responsible for more house fires than any other small appliance! If you have a toaster oven in your home, it is essential to be aware of the dangers and take precautions to avoid fire damage.

The professionals at SERVPRO of South Cobb understand that the best way to avoid fire damage is to prevent the fire from happening in the first place. Therefore, this blog post will discuss seven toaster oven safety tips that will help keep you and your family safe from potential toaster oven fire damage.

What are toaster ovens?

Toaster ovens are small appliances used to cook various foods, including meats, vegetables, and pizzas. They are similar to regular ovens, but they are smaller and typically have fewer features.

Are toaster ovens a fire hazard?

Toaster ovens are a fire hazard because they use electric coils to heat food. The coils can get very hot, up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, and can easily cause a fire if not used and cared for properly.

Toaster ovens will become a fire hazard concern when any of the following occurs:

• If the toaster oven is left on and unattended
• If something flammable, like a paper towel, is left too close to the toaster oven
• If the toaster oven coils become damaged or worn out
• If food crumbs or grease builds up on the toaster oven coils

Seven toaster oven fire safety tips

It is essential to follow these toaster oven safety tips to prevent fire damage in your home:

1. Always use your toaster oven on a flat level surface.
2. Do not leave your toaster oven unattended while it is in use.
3. Keep flammable objects, such as towels and curtains away from your toaster oven.
4. Use gloves or tongs to handle hot food.
5. Keep the toaster oven clean and free of crumbs.
6. Do not use aluminum foil to line the toaster oven.
7. Unplug the toaster oven when it is not in use.

What to do when a toaster oven causes a fire?

When a toaster oven causes a fire, it can quickly spread to other parts of your home and cause extensive damage. Therefore, if your toaster oven catches on fire, it is essential to know what to do to minimize the damage and keep yourself and your family safe.

The first thing you should do is unplug the toaster oven and turn off the power to the appliance. Then, using a fire extinguisher, attempt to put out the fire. If you are unsuccessful in putting out the fire, or if the fire is too large to handle, evacuate your home immediately and call 911.

Once you have evacuated your home, do not go back inside until the fire department has extinguished the fire. After the fire department has cleared the property safe to re-enter, you will want to contact a reliable fire restoration company to handle the fire damage.

Conclusion

Today we learned that toaster ovens are small appliances found in many homes across the United States. They're efficient and durable, but they also come with a level of fire risk if not used and cared for properly. 

We hope you enjoyed the seven toaster oven safety tips to help you avoid any fire damage in your home. If a toaster oven fire has damaged your home, the professionals at SERVPRO of South Cobb are here to help. We have the training and experience to handle all aspects of fire damage restoration, from smoke and soot removal to repair and rebuild. We understand that fires are stressful events, and we will work quickly and efficiently to get your home back to normal. Contact us today for more information.

5 Steps to Take After a House Fire: What to Do When Disaster Strikes

4/13/2022 (Permalink)

The professionals at SERVPRO will help you with your house fire every step of the way!

It's important to know what to do in the aftermath of a house fire so that you can start rebuilding your life.

A house fire can be one of the most devastating things that can happen to a family. Not only do you have to worry about all of your belongings and memories being destroyed, but you also have to worry about the safety of your loved ones.

The professionals at SERVPRO of South Cobb have restored homes and businesses after a fire, so we know a thing or two about the process. This blog post will discuss five steps you need to take after a house fire has occurred. So, without further ado, let's get started!

What can cause a house fire?

A house fire can start with several things, such as faulty wiring, a kitchen accident, or a candle that was left burning. No matter the cause of the fire, it's essential to take the necessary steps to protect yourself and your family.

If you experience a house fire, it's essential to remain calm and follow the steps below.

The five steps

In the aftermath of a house fire, it is essential to take the necessary steps to ensure that you and your family are quickly back on their feet. Here are five steps that you should take after a house fire has occurred:

Step One: Contact your insurance company

The first step you need to take after a house fire is to contact your insurance company. Next, you will need to file a claim to get the ball rolling on the rebuilding process. Make sure to have all of your paperwork in order before making the call.

Step Two: Contact a restoration company

After contacting your insurance company, the next step is to contact a restoration company. The right restoration company will help you with the following three steps.

Step Three: Make a list of damaged or lost items.

The next step is to list all the damaged or lost items in the house fire. The list will be used when you file your insurance claim. The software Xactcontents helps the professionals at SERVPRO keep track of everything from clothing to furniture to electronics.

Step Four: Start cleaning up the mess.

Once you have taken care of the paperwork and made a list of your damaged belongings, it's time to start cleaning up the mess. Here is where mitigation specialists at SERVPRO of South Cobb come in. We are experts in fire damage restoration, and we will work quickly to clean up the mess and get your home back to normal.

Step Five: Rebuild your home.

After the mess has been cleaned up, it's time to rebuild your home. This process can be daunting, but with the help of your insurance company and a reliable restoration company like SERVPRO of South Cobb, you will be back on your feet in no time. After your home is rebuilt, you should prevent future house fires from happening by following these steps to prevent house fires.

Final thoughts

The professionals at SERVPRO of South Cobb hope that you never have to experience a house fire. However, if you do, we hope that this blog post has helped you understand what steps you need to take to get your life back on track.

A house fire is a traumatic event, but it is essential to remember that you are not alone. There are people who can help you through this difficult time. 

We want to be your go-to resource for fire restoration services! Please contact us if you need assistance with your fire cleanup and restoration process. We are available 24/7, 365 days a year, to help!

Backyard Fire Pit: 7 Safety Tips and When to Call SERVPRO

3/23/2022 (Permalink)

Contact the professionals at SERVPRO for superb fire restoration services!

It is essential to prioritize safety when lighting a backyard fire pit! 

A backyard fire pit can be a great addition to any home. They provide a place for friends and family to gather around, roast marshmallows, tell stories, and enjoy each other's company. However, it is essential to remember that backyard fire pits come with risks. 

The professionals at SERVPRO have seen severe fire damages caused by backyard fire pits that were not used or maintained correctly. Therefore, before purchasing a backyard fire pit of your own, you should be aware of the following seven safety tips mentioned in this blog post. 

Follow these seven safety tips to help keep you and your loved ones safe while enjoying your backyard fire pit! And, if things go wrong and you experience fire damage, don't hesitate to call the professionals at SERVPRO of South Cobb for fire restoration services. We're here to help!

How to choose the right backyard fire pit?

When choosing the right backyard fire pit, consider a few things. First, size is essential- you'll want to choose one that is big enough for your needs, but not too big that it takes up too much space. You'll also want to make sure that the fire pit materials are weatherproof and durable. And finally, make sure to check your local ordinances to see if there are any restrictions on backyard fire pits.

How to use a backyard fire pit safely?

Backyard fire pits are a great way to enjoy the outdoors and entertain guests. However, it is critical to follow safety precautions to avoid fires or injuries. Here are seven tips to keep in mind when using a backyard fire pit: 

1) Make sure your fire pit is placed on level ground and is far away from any structures, including your house. At a minimum, your fire pit should be 50 feet away from any building.

2) Do not use flammable liquids to start the fire. Using flammable liquids can be very dangerous and easily cause a fire to spread.

3) Keep children and pets at least 5 feet away from the fire pit. In addition, never let children or pets play with fireworks near the fire pit.

4) Use caution when adding wood to the fire, as sparks can fly out and cause a fire. Also, try to avoid using softwoods like pine as they can easily create sparks.

5) Make sure the ashes are cool before disposing of them in a metal container.

6) Be aware of wind direction before lighting a fire. If the wind speed is too high, it is best to avoid starting an outdoor fire altogether.

7) Always keep a fire extinguisher on hand.

What to do when a backyard fire pit causes fire damage? 

If you experience a fire in your backyard caused by a backyard fire pit, there are a few things you should do. 

• First, make sure everyone is safe and out of the burning area. 
• Second, call the local fire department. 
• Third, call on fire restoration professionals for services. 
• Fourth, contact your insurance company to see if the fire damage is covered.

Why choose SERVPRO

At SERVPRO of South Cobb, we understand how devastating fire damage can be. Whether the fire is caused by a backyard fire pit or something else, we're here to help. We have the training, experience, and equipment necessary to restore your home or business to its pre-fire condition. 

Our fire restoration professionals will be there every step of the way to help you through this difficult time. We are dedicated to making it "Like it never even happened." 

If you need assistance with fire restoration, don't hesitate to contact us. We're available 24/7 and will respond quickly to your call.

Winter Fire Damage: The 6 Most Common Causes of Home Fires in the Winter

2/9/2022 (Permalink)

Contact the professional at SERVPRO for emergency fire damage services!

One of the most common causes of home fires in the winter is the careless use of heaters and fireplaces.

Winter is a time when many people are busy celebrating the holidays with their loved ones. But unfortunately, this season can also be a dangerous time for homeowners because of the increased risk of home fires.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, winter is the most dangerous time of year for home fires. In fact, the professionals at SERVPRO of South Cobb receive more fire damage calls in the months of December, January, and February than any other month. There are several reasons for this, but one of the leading causes is faulty heating systems. In this blog post, we will discuss the most common causes of winter fires and what you can do to prevent them from happening in your home!

The most common causes of winter fires

It is essential to be aware of the potential hazards and take precautions accordingly to prevent winter fire damage in your home. The most common causes of winter fires are:

1. Malfunctioning heating systems
2. Faulty electrical wiring
3. Candles that are left unattended
4. Dirty fireplaces
5. Cooking accidents
6. Smoking in bed

How to prevent winter fires in your home

The most important thing you can do when preparing for winter fire damage is to be mindful of potential hazards and take precautions accordingly! Therefore, one of the best ways to prevent a winter fire in your home is to ensure your heating system is working correctly. If you have any problems with your heating system, be sure to have it serviced by an HVAC professional. You should also make sure that all of your electrical wirings are up to code and in good condition.

Another way to prevent winter fires is to be mindful of candles and other open flames. Never leave candles burning unattended, and make sure they are placed in a safe place where they cannot be easily knocked over.

It is equally as essential to keep your fireplace clean and free of debris. Be sure to have it inspected and cleaned regularly. Finally, always be careful when cooking in your kitchen and never leave the stove unattended.

What to do in case of a winter house fire

If a fire does happen in your home during the winter months, you must plan what to do next.

If the fire is small, you should try to extinguish it yourself. Use a fire extinguisher or baking soda if you do not have anything else on hand, and remember that the more quickly you put out a small fire, the less likely it will become severe.

If you experience a large fire in your home, it is essential to take the necessary steps to prevent further damage. Here are four things you should do:

1. Evacuate your home immediately and call the fire department. Do not try to put out the fire yourself – this is best left to the professionals!
2. Ensure all of your family members and pets are accounted for and safe.
3. Contact your insurance company as soon as possible. They will help you file a claim and start the process of restoring your home.
4. Have the interior of your home inspected by a professional fire damage restoration team. The right team will assess the damage and develop a plan for repairing your home.

Emergency fire restoration services for homeowners

If you experience a fire in your home during the winter months, the professionals at SERVPRO of South Cobb can respond immediately and help you through this difficult time. We are ready and willing to assist you with all your fire restoration needs 24 hours a day, seven days a week – 365 days a year!

Our experienced IICRC certified team offers various services to help you through a fire damage restoration claim. Please contact us today for more information!

Soot Cleaning Services: The #1 Best Way To Fix Smoke Damage

12/15/2021 (Permalink)

Contact SERVPRO for superb soot cleaning services!

A property with fire damage will include soot particles settled into objects and surfaces around the property.

Picture this; a small grease fire just started on the stovetop, and you try to put it out with a pan lid but quickly realize that the fire is still blazing. You grab the fire extinguisher and put the fire out, but now there are black-looking spots all over your kitchen cabinets, walls, and countertops. Those black spots are soot, and they will not come off without professional soot cleaning services.

When soot particles settle on your property, they're not just an eyesore - they contain chemicals and residue that can cause significant damage over time. Soot can enter cracks and crevices, under cabinets and trim, behind walls, and more. Worst of all, if you try to wipe soot away from these areas, you might make a bigger mess of things by creating a soot-stained area.

The following blog post will outline how the professionals at SERVPRO clean up soot after a fire has occurred and how different types of fires cause different types of soot damage.

What is soot?

Soot are particles left behind after fire has occurred. Soot particles can be extremely difficult to remove from surfaces, furniture, or clothing after a fire because they are so small.

Soot can cause various problems to your property, including the destruction of property or furnishings: Soot residue is corrosive and will eat away at many surfaces over time if not cleaned off. When left untreated future damage or even destruction of property or furnishings may occur.

Soot damage cleaning depends on the type of smoke produced.

The cleaning protocols for cleaning soot will depend on the smoke produced in the fire.

Here are the four types of smoke damage:

1. Wet smoke damage
2. Fuel/oil residue damage
3. Protein residue smoke damage
4. Dry smoke damage

Wet smoke damage 

A fire that produces wet smoke damage will create a sooty mess that is difficult to clean. For example, wet smoke is produced when plastics and rubbers are burned.

A property owner will easily distinguish wet smoke damage from the smell and how it looks. Wet smoke fires will leave thick soot, which is difficult to clean.

Fuel/oil residue smoke damage

A fire that produces fuel/oil residue smoke damage will create a sooty mess that requires time and patience to clean. Fuel soot is easier to clean than wet smoke soot but will require extra effort.

Fuel/oil residue smoke can occur when a home furnace malfunctions and causes puff-back. The sooty residue left behind will be dense and sticky with a foul odor.

Protein residue smoke damage

Grease fires often cause protein residue smoke damage. The soot caused by protein residue smoke will appear smooth or greasy. 

These soot particles are the most difficult to see but can be distinguished by a pungent odor. Protein residue smoke damage is fairly easy to clean and will usually come off with a soot sponge.

Dry smoke damage

A fast-burning, high-temperature fire started by paper or wood will produce dry smoke damage. Restoration professionals find dry smoke damage the easiest type of smoke residue to clean.

It is essential to call fire restoration professionals for dry smoke damage. Although it is easy to clean off of walls and other surfaces, dry smoke damage may leave a lingering smell even after the space looks like it never had fire damage. 

SERVPRO soot cleaning services

When soot damage is discovered, the first step is to contact a professional fire restoration company. SERVPRO of South Cobb offers soot cleaning services with trained technicians experienced in dealing with all types of fire restoration scenarios.

The soot cleaning process begins with an initial assessment of the damage. Our technicians will consider the type of smoke damage, the extent of soot residue, and any other damages that the fire has caused.

Once the initial assessment has been completed, our technicians will begin the soot cleaning process. This process involves using specialized equipment and techniques to remove soot from all surfaces.

The soot cleaning process can be a time-consuming, challenging endeavor, but our team is up for the task. We will work diligently to restore your property to its pre-fire condition.

If you have suffered soot damage, please contact us today. We are available 24/7, 365 days a year, to help!

The Reality of Appliance Fires: What to Do and How to Stay Safe

9/8/2021 (Permalink)

Contact the professionals at SERVPRO today for fire restoration services!

Appliance fires account for many home and business fires a year.

The use of household appliances is a regular part of most people's daily lives and plays an essential role in our day-to-day routines. Look around; you can find appliances in your home, office, and other buildings that you visit regularly.

Since appliances are regularly used, the professionals at SERVPRO of South Cobb have received numerous calls from property owners that have property damage after one of their appliances malfunctions and catches fire. The most common appliances we have seen malfunction are ovens, stoves, microwaves, toaster ovens, dishwashers, and clothes dryers.

We created the following blog post for a property owner who currently has appliance fire damage and is looking for fire restoration services. We understand that appliance fires can be hazardous and challenging to navigate for those involved. Read on to learn what to do and what not to do during an appliance fire situation, so you know how to stay safe!

How to avoid appliance fire damage

Appliance fires are more common than you might think. Appliances fires account for many home structure fires - and the number one appliance to cause fire damage is a stove or oven. As professionals who have seen appliance fire damage firsthand, we know many structural damages will occur during a property fire.

No matter what type of appliances you have in your home, it's essential that you're aware of the risks they pose - and how to avoid appliance fire damage altogether.

The number one reason that appliance fires occur is commonly due to an appliance being faulty or outdated. The best way to ensure that an appliance fire does not happen to your property is by checking the date of the appliance and ensuring that your appliances are properly maintained. Avoid using appliances in properties that have not been updated or serviced in at least ten years because the older an appliance is, the more likely an appliance fire will start.

What to do when there is an appliance fire? 

An appliance fire will come without warning. If you find yourself with an appliance on fire, it's essential not to use water to put it out; avoid using water because water conducts electricity, and the use of water increases the probability of electrocution.

The best way to put out an appliance fire is to unplug the appliance and then use a fire extinguisher. If there is no fire extinguisher present, you should use a chemical compound that will not conduct electricity. The two best chemical compounds suited for extinguishing an appliance fire are baking soda or salt.

After the fire is put out and cleared by the local fire department, you will want to contact a professional fire restoration company, like SERVPRO, which can help mitigate the damage done to the property. In addition, the right restoration company will work with your property's insurance company to ensure that you are compensated correctly for the damages.  

Wrapping up

We hope you enjoyed learning about appliance fires and the best ways to extinguish them. Appliance fires can occur at any time without notice, so always be proactive when preventing an appliance fire incident from happening in the first place.

Please remember to never use water in the case that you do have an appliance fire! As you can see, the SERVPRO fire restoration professionals always prioritize the safety of those who reside at a property damaged by fire first.

SERVPRO of South Cobb is available 24/7, 365 days a year, for any size fire damage emergency. Please contact us today if you have any further questions regarding appliance fire damage or need emergency assistance.

Attic Fire: 3 Tips to Protect Your Attic From Fire Damage

6/9/2021 (Permalink)

Call the professionals at SERVPRO after an attic fire is put out!

An attic fire can happen to any homeowner!

The U.S. Fire Administration estimates 10,000 residential building attic fires are reported to U.S. fire departments each year. However, even though this number seems low, an attic fire will still leave any property owner with severe destruction. 

Attics are an easy place for fires to spread due to excess insulation that is commonly stored in attic space. During an attic fire, insulation will act as kindling, causing the fire to quickly spread throughout the attic space.

The professionals at SERVPRO have restored many homes after a quick-burning attic fire. Whenever they go to a fire damage job scene, they have to note what the cause of the fire damage loss was. In this blog post, we will go over three of the top causes of attic fires and tips to protect an attic from a fire.

The best way to protect a home from fire damage

The number one best way to protect against severe attic fire damage is to have one of the two types of smoke alarms in your home (ideally in each room). Smoke alarms are the best early warning system for detecting smoke from a fire before it becomes too intense to escape safely.

If you don't already have them installed, we recommend taking steps today to install working alarms on every floor of your home. If you do have them installed, you should test to see if they are still working and change the batteries if necessary.

What is a home attic?

An attic is an unfinished space in a house, often used for storage or as living quarters. Attics are usually located under the roof and have sloped ceilings with little to no natural light coming through them.

Three causes of attic fires with prevention tips

1) Electrical wiring: Wiring in attics often lacks sufficient insulation. Wiring with poor insulation is more likely to fail or short-circuit in high temperatures. When an electrical wire short circuits, it will produce sparks, igniting the insulation or any other nearby combustible materials.

Attic fire prevention tip: Ensure your attic wiring is inspected by a licensed professional annually for wear and tear. It is best to get any needed repairs taken care of ASAP to prevent unwanted electrical fires in the attic.

2) HVAC systems: HVAC systems can cause attic fire damage when debris and dust begin to build up in the HVAC ducts. Any debris can be ignited by the furnace or air conditioner fan, then cause a fire in the attic.

Attic fire prevention tip: Professionally clean out your HVAC ducts regularly to ensure there isn't any build-up of combustible materials.

3) Lightning strike: A lightning strike can cause an attic fire when the roof of a home is directly struck by lightning. A lightning strike can also damage any wiring in the attic.

Attic fire prevention tip: Verify your roof has an adequate grounding system for protection against lightning strikes and other power surges that could cause an attic fire. 

Final thoughts

We hope you enjoyed learning about the top three causes of attic fires and tips to protect against them. If you are a homeowner, it is essential to ensure that the attic space is regularly cleaned out and free from any potentially flammable materials such as excess insulation, clothing, or boxes that could catch fire.

If you are in a situation and your attic is on fire, you need to immediately call 911 before calling the professionals at SERVPRO of South Cobb. In any fire damage situation, your safety should be the priority. You can trust the SERVPRO professionals when it comes to restoring your property to its original state.

Our team of IICRC certified professionals are on call 24-hours a day for emergency water/fire/mold damage restoration services for residential and commercial properties! Contact us today for more information about our disaster response services near you!

Top 5 Reasons to Install a Smoke Detector in Your Garage

5/12/2021 (Permalink)

We are prepared for any size disaster!

Garage fires are common in metro Atlanta.

It's always good to be proactive about safety and prevention. As a homeowner, you want to do what is best for your family, and that includes installing a smoke detector in your garage. When it comes to fires, they can happen anywhere - even the place you least expect them! In this blog post, we will talk about some of the most common reasons why garages catch on fire and how some of these fires are started, so you can better protect yourself from danger.

Does your garage contain combustible items?

It is common for a garage to contain combustible items like gas, oil, and paint. These items can also contain hazardous elements like ethanol or acetone that make them potentially dangerous to store in a garage. You must be aware of the fire hazards present in your garage so you can take measures to prevent fires from occurring there at all.

Consider the following before storing any combustible items:

• Clean out your garage so it's free of any clutter that may catch on fire easily; this includes items like oily rags, paint cans, and gas containers. Removing excess debris will also make it easier for firefighters in case there is a fire emergency!
• Install smoke detectors where they're not blocked by anything else, such as doors or windows, because these are more difficult to reach if they have trouble with mobility due to age.
• Install fire extinguishers in the garage as a precautionary measure. Fire extinguishers should be mounted on walls or high shelves, and out of reach from children.
• Clean up any spilled flammable liquids to prevent accidental ignition. Consider having spill containment products in your garage, so any spills can be contained before they turn into major problems!
• If you use gasoline for household purposes, purchase only one gallon at a time and store it in tightly sealed containers with no more than two gallons total capacity. It is best to keep gasoline stored outside of the home if possible and away from anything else combustible such as dry leaves or grass. If you end up storing gasoline in the house, never place them near heat sources such as furnaces or electric space heaters.

Top 5 reasons why you need to install a garage smoke detector

1. Smoke detectors alert you before you smell smoke, giving you time to get to safety and call for help.
2. They are inexpensive and easy to install with the proper mounting bracket (they come in packages of two).
3. A smoke detector can last up to ten years on average before being replaced.
4. Smoke detectors reduce property loss.
5. May save on homeowners insurance when you install recommended smoke detectors.

Where to place the garage smoke detector?

The best location for a garage smoke detector is at least twelve inches from the floor at ceiling level and away from direct sunlight. When shopping for a garage smoke detector, you should consider getting one that has carbon monoxide detection.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause death. Vehicle exhaust can give off carbon monoxide, which is why it's essential to have a garage smoke detector with carbon monoxide detection.

Final thoughts on garage smoke detectors

We hope you learned the importance of installing a garage smoke detector. Although it is known that smoke detectors save lives, it is equally important to keep your garage free of clutter and anything that can easily catch fire. Also, make sure to leave plenty of space for ventilation so air is not unnecessarily trapped in your garage; installing one or more exhaust fans to increase circulation within the room will help tremendously. 

SERVPRO of South Cobb wants our Metro Atlanta residents to stay safe from fire damage. You can count on our IICRC certified team in the case that your garage has experienced a fire disaster.

In greater Atlanta, SERVPRO is well known for its high-quality customer service and honest professionals. We know how devastating a fire disaster can be, and that is why we want to be there for you every step of the way.

5 Common Causes of An Electrical Fire

4/28/2021 (Permalink)

We can help you restore your property after fire damage!

Is your home or business prone to an electrical fire?

Electrical fires are a source of great misery for both commercial and residential owners. There is sufficient data to support the fact that many fire damage claims result from faulty electrical wiring. 

It is imperative to know if your home or business can potentially be the harbor of a threatening fire outbreak. This post will answer questions regarding electrical fires and what to do when a fire outbreak occurs. 

How do electrical fires start? 

Electricity is our everyday staple that we need to run our daily lives. But we often tend to take it for granted, especially when there is no maintenance towards it. Electrical fires start due to poor conservation and upkeep. There needs to be a regular check on the electrical panels and electrical appliances to prevent an electrical fire. Even with the most thorough inspection, an electrical fire can still start from other reasons like a weather-related incident.  

The five reasons why

The number of hazards in residential areas took place in either bedroom, attics, or small spaces. It is essential to rule out the common causes of such an outbreak that can help you prevent such future fire damage. Here are some of them:

1) Light appliances

 Any component related to lamps or bulbs requires a specific wattage for it to operate on. If it is too great of a wattage being imparted to the light source, it can potentially lead to an outbreak of fire. So it is advised to double-check the recommended wattage on any light fixture to ensure it does not go above the recommended amount. Also, the use of paper or cloth to cover a lampshade can trigger a fire. 

2) Damaged appliances 

The maximum amount of fire-related accidents are owed to damaged appliances. It can either be a faulty cord or a switch. The heat from the device or appliance may catch carpeting or upholstery on fire. 

3) Extension cords

There is a lot of mistreatment associated with the use of extension cords. People tend to connect their appliances to an extension wire instead of the main switch. It does work temporarily, but it can potentially lead to a fire outbreak in the long run. 

4) Portable heaters

Portable heaters are easy to carry, and because they are lightweight, people tend to put them anywhere without considering the surface it is being placed on. The professionals at SERVPRO have seen fire damages from a portable heater placed on a bed, chair, or carpet. These appliances heat up fast and can ignite any surface near them.  

5) Old wires 

Faulty or old wiring can cause the fire to trigger, especially if the building has been an old construction. Old wiring cannot withstand a more significant electricity load and may lead to an uneventful fire outbreak. In modern-day circuitry, there are circuit breakers installed to alert when the electric load exceeds its capacity. But in old and faulty wiring cases, the breakers often do not work, leading to a fire outbreak.

How to put out an electrical fire?

1. Use a fire extinguisher 
2. Use a blanket to cover the fire, but this will only work if the fire is not as widespread. 
3. Use baking soda, but only if the fire is containable. 
4. Call the fire department.

Call SERVPRO for electrical fire damage restoration.

The occurrence of a fire is undoubtedly an unfortunate event. But you need to think of solutions to troubleshoot the problem at hand if it arises. SERVPRO of South Cobb provides IICRC trained professionals to restore your home or office to pre-fire condition quickly. 

In metro Atlanta, SERVPRO of South Cobb has built a name as one of the best restoration companies to provide quality customer service with superior quality. Contact us today, and we will make your electrical fire “Like it never even happened.”

The Key Differences Between Photoelectric & Ionization Smoke Detectors

3/1/2021 (Permalink)

Contact SERVPRO for your fire restoration services!

Learn how to choose the right smoke detector for your property! 

The average property owner changes their smoke detectors' batteries at least twice a year and performs testing every month. But most have no idea what type of smoke detectors they have. Do you know what type of smoke alarms are present on your property? 

According to the National Fire Protection Association, over 354,000 household fires occur each year, resulting in an average of 2,600 casualties and over 11,000 injuries. The majority of these fire-related deaths happen in the middle of the night while people are asleep. 

It's easy to see how important well-placed & high-quality smoke detectors are.

There are two major types of smoke detectors - photoelectric and ionization. Each has a sensor that senses smoke and fire in various ways based on where the fire started. 

Understanding and recognizing the differences between the two types of smoke detectors will help you make the right decision in choosing the smoke alarms protecting your property.

Photoelectric vs. Ionization smoke detectors

When looking for the best smoke detector for your property, you'll probably come across a face-off between ionization and photoelectric smoke detectors. Both happen to have valuable features for property owners concerned about the danger of fire and smoke. When you look closely, though, you'll find that the devices function in quite different ways.

So, which alarm should you choose? Although both types of smoke detectors are designed to detect any type of fire, regardless of the cause, each has benefits and can provide an earlier warning than the other, based on the fire source. Let's see how these devices work.

Both photoelectric and ionization smoke detectors protect against fire damage, but which is better?

To understand this, let's look at the differences between the two:

• Photoelectric smoke detectors respond much quicker (15 to 50 mins faster) to smoldering fires that move slowly but create the most smoke - the element of household fires most responsible for casualties.
• Ionization smoke detectors respond to fast flame fires (fires with rapidly spreading flames) slightly quicker (30-90 seconds) than photoelectric alarms.

In all fire scenarios, regardless of material or type, a well-designed photoelectric alarm would typically outperform ionization alarms, according to the NFPA.

Key Difference:

When it comes to identifying small smoke particles, ionization smoke detectors are usually more sensitive than photoelectric smoke detectors. Photoelectric detectors are comparatively more sensitive to large smoke particles.

What are Photoelectric Smoke Detectors?

Photoelectric smoke detectors are designed to quickly detect changes caused by smoke in the intensity of light. It consists of a light-sensitive sensor and a light-emitting diode. Smoke enters the chamber and reflects light, triggering the alarm to go off. 

According to the National Fire Protection Association, these detectors are most efficient at sounding when a fire starts from a smoldering source, such as a lit cigarette that falls onto a couch cushion. Before a fire erupts, smoldering flames could fill a house with harmful gases.

Photoelectric smoke alarms are more responsive to smoldering fires.

Examples:

• Fires caused by burning clothes.
• Fires caused by burning furniture.

What are Ionization Smoke Detectors?

The design of ionization smoke detectors is highly sophisticated. They consist of a chamber made up of two electrically charged plates and a small bit of radioactive material, which ionizes the air that travels through them and causes a current. When smoke enters this chamber, The ion flow is interrupted, and the alarm goes off.

As compared to photoelectric smoke detectors, these give an earlier warning when it comes to smoke from flaming fires. 

Ionization smoke alarms are more responsive to flaming fires.

Examples:

• Kitchen grease fires.
• Fire from burning paper.

In certain fire cases, each type of smoke alarm's key feature can be vital to life protection. When it comes to home-fatal fires, be it day or night, a significant number of flaming fires and a large number of smoldering fires occur every year. You can't know what kind of fire you'll get in your house or when it'll happen. To be considered acceptable, smoke detector technology must work well in all forms of fires to provide residents an early fire warning, whether they are sleeping or awake.

The best solution 

Installing a combination of Ionization and Photoelectric smoke detectors will provide the safest possible environment for your family. It's too dangerous to pick one over the other, and there's no way of predicting what kind of fire hazard your home may face. Both ionization and photoelectric technologies are utilized in some smoke detectors. These smoke detectors are referred to as "dual" smoke detectors, and they are commonly available in home improvement shops and online, in a range of price points and from a variety of brands.

As a property owner, you want to do everything to take advantage of the life-saving smoke and fire warning technology available. 

Concluding thoughts

We hope you enjoyed learning about the two different types of fire detectors. Contact us today if you have any questions or need help installing a smoke alarm. SERVPRO of South Cobb specializes in fire mitigation services and is available 24/7. 

The Best Way to Protect a Fireplace Mantel From Too Much Heat Exposure

1/4/2021 (Permalink)

A wood mantel is more prone to smoke and soot damage from a fireplace fire

A fireplace mantel is an aesthetically pleasing piece of furniture. However, it has to be protected from the fire that it frames. 

A fireplace mantel comes with detailed installation instructions that you should study before installing it. The best place to install a mantel will be at least 12 inches away from the top of the fireplace. Depending on your mantle's material type will dictate how prone it is to fire damage and how you clean a damaged mantle. 

If you are considering buying a new mantel, we suggest that you avoid wood materials. Wood mantels are prone to more soot and smoke damage. In this blog post, we will go over fireplace safety tips, the best way to protect your fireplace mantel, and mantle soot cleaning.  

A fireplace fire can cause damage to your mantel

A fireplace fire can cause damage to your mantle. Before we go over the best ways to keep your mantle safe from fire damage, it is essential to go through general tips to prevent your fireplace fire from getting out of control. As professionals in the fire damage restoration field, we have found that the following five tips have saved many homeowners from fire outbreaks:

5 Fireplace Safety Tips 

1. It's essential to install a carbon monoxide and smoke detector in the room with the fireplace and replace batteries regularly.
2. Have a fire extinguisher nearby.
3. The fireplace area should be clear of extra fire food, flammable materials, and paper.
4. A fire should never be left unattended.
5. A screen should be close enough to the flame so that embers and sparks don't leave the fireplace.

Protect your mantel with a protective shield

A mantel protector heat shield will help to protect the fireplace mantels from undergoing too much heat. There are many brands of heat shields. The heat shield you choose should be customized and cut to be the perfect fit for your fireplace. Some heat shields will come with a black oxide finish to protect combustible surfaces from heat stress. A mantel heat shield will be between the bottom of your mantle and the top of your fireplace. Your heat shield will prevent the mantel from discoloration and exposure to too much heat.

DIY Mantel Soot Cleaning 

The fireplace mantel maintenance is essential to preserve its appearance and last for a more extended period. Depending on the material will determine the best method for mantel cleaning. 

For example, when cleaning a stone mantel, you will want to use a soap solution and a soft brush to avoid damaging the surface. Cleaning your stone mantel with a soft brush will remove stains on it caused by smoke and soot.

Unlike stone mantels, you will want to avoid using water-based solvents when cleaning a wood mantel. The best way to clean soot off a wood mantel will be with an oil-based solution and a soft cloth. 

Call the professionals to clean tough soot

Cleaning the fireplace is exceptionally crucial to prevent yourself from hazards. The fireplace and chimney should be cleaned annually and inspected for potential hazards like creosote can cause a fire to get out of control. 

When your property has had a fire on the premises, then smoke damage must be dealt with professionally. Experts will remove and clean the lingering burnt smell that has spread through your property. The unpredictable nature of smoke and soot damage will result in different professional soot cleaning methods to eliminate the smoke smell. 

SERVPRO of South Cobb at (770) 739-2355 is ready to help local homeowners with fire damage. They have the advanced equipment and IICRC certified professionals on call to turn the loss around and make it "Like it never even happened."

5 Reasons Why Firefighters Are Heroes And Deserve Recognition

10/12/2020 (Permalink)

We Are Faster to Any Size Disaster

Firefighters are heroes that do much more than fight fires; they give us the peace of mind that we are safe and protected from fires even when there is no present fire they are fighting. 

History of Firefighting Heroes

Since 1679 firefighters have been saving the lives of Americans. The first publicly funded fire department started in the city of Boston, Massachusetts. Through the years, their techniques have greatly enhanced saving the lives of thousands nationally each year. Americans around the country have massive amounts of respect for firefighters. But what makes a firefighter a hero? In this post, you will learn the five reasons why SERVPRO believes firefighters are heroes. 

The 5 Ways Firefighters Are Heroes? 

1. Firefighters are heroes because they inspire others
2. Firefighters are heroes because they run towards danger 
3. Firefighters are Heroes because they are scientists 
4. Firefighters are heroes because they are tenacious 
5. Firefighters are heroes because they contribute to the community

1. Firefighters Inspire Others

With Halloween right around the corner, it's hard not to think about all the costumes that little boys and girls choose to dress up as. Superheroes are known to be a popular costume amongst children. Outside of Wonder Woman, Spiderman, and Batman, we believe that firefighters are heroes without superpowers. Each year you will see children stop by your home in their plastic red firefighter hats. Why do you think that is? We believe that it is because firefighters have heroic traits that kids highly respect. Firefighters are heroes that are very inspirational. They willingly face new dangers every day. 

There is something to be said about a kid that dreams of becoming a firefighter. Fighting fire takes a special kind of person who is willing to put themselves second to save the life of others. You hear stories all the time about a firefighter running through burning buildings and cutting people out of cars after a car accident. Firefighters are heroes that experience mental and physical fatigue, causing Americans nationally to find them inspiring. 

2. Running Towards the Danger

Firefighters are heroes because they run towards danger. Fires and explosions will shake the nerves of the average individual, but not firefighters. A firefighter will put themselves in harm's way and run towards a fire or explosion. September 11, 2001, was a great example of how firefighters are heroes. 9/11 was a very significant event in American history where 343 firefighters died, saving the lives of others. The firefighters of New York were the first ones to reach the devastating scene on September 11. It is typical for firefighters to be one of the first officials to arrive at a fire or explosion scene. Fighting fire takes raw courage; like the 343 firefighters that died in 9/11, they know that there’s a chance that they might not go home. A famous quote from Marcus Aurelius that we find suiting for our national firefighters, “You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” 

3. Firefighters Are Scientists

Firefighters are heroes because they are scientists. There are different reasons why a fire might start, and not every fire begins the same way. Your local fire marshall will tell you that some home fires start when certain chemicals collide or an electrical wire malfunction. These two causes fall into one of the six known classes of fires.

The six different fire classes:

Class A – solids, such as paper, textiles, wood, plastics, and rubber 

Class B – flammable liquids, such as petrol, oil, and paint

Class C – flammable gases, such as propane, butane, and methane 

Class D – metals, such as aluminum, magnesium, and titanium

Class E – electrically energized equipment

Class F – cooking oils and fats

Each class of fire requires a different approach. Firefighters are heroes because they have to decipher which type of fire they’re dealing with quickly to put out the fire safely.

After the firefighting heroes subdue the hot flames, they will need to find out the fire's cause. Finding the cause of fire takes scientific knowledge of chemistry, physics, and engineering. With the collected information, the firefighter will be able to conclude the fire's origin and determine if the fire was an accident or arson. 

4. Firefighters Are Tenacious

Firefighters are heroes because they are tenacious. The typical firefighter will work a Kelly shift schedule. A Kelly shift schedule is a 9-day cycle where the firefighter works one 24-hour shift, followed by 24 hours off, then will work another 24-hour shift, followed by 24 hours off duty, then a final 24-hour shift occurs, followed by four consecutive days off duty. As you can see, firefighters work long hours and do not get the luxury of getting holidays or their birthdays off. Firefighters' never give up attitude allows us to be with our family during the holiday season safely. During the Coronavirus pandemic, the firefighting heroes were still working to keep us safe. 

5. Firefighters Contribute To The Community

Firefighters are heroes because they contribute to the community. Firefighters work long shifts to save the lives of others. In most cases, saving lives comes from preventing future fires from happening. A firefighter will install fire alarms, create fire regulations, and visit children in school to teach fire safety. 

Outside of preventing and fighting fires, firefighters will help when you’re hurt, stuck in a car after a car accident, or have fallen. Firefighters also have to be EMTs; part of the job description includes giving first aid and CPR to injured or ill people. In recent months firefighters have received many calls to aid sick coronavirus patients.  

Firefighters work tirelessly to ensure that all members of their community are safe, pets included. Your local fire department will receive multiple calls a year to rescue pets stuck in trees or a tight place.  

Thank You From SERVPRO  

SERVPRO of South Cobb wants to thank the firefighters of this nation. We hope you learned more about the history of firefighting and why we think firefighters are heroes. After your local fire department puts out the fire, SERVPRO will send out their fire restoration professionals to make the fire loss "Like it never even happened."

Call us at (770) 739-2355.

Fire Damage Cleaning in your Smyrna Home’s Bathroom

7/6/2020 (Permalink)

We are highly trained professionals ready to handle any size fire disaster.

Our highly trained SERVPRO team is here to help Smyrna residents with fire damage restoration after fires occur in the bathroom.

Smyrna residents rarely have house fires, but when they do, they can be costly. Most of the fire damage calls here at SERVPRO of South Cobb are small and typically contained in the home's distinct rooms. 

As fire damage restoration professionals, our job is to get your home back to a healthy state while removing all unwanted signs of fire damage. Soot damage that has covered the walls and any burning plastic will be difficult to remove. To make our life easier, we have created a tool bag with specialized tools to make the fire clean up easier. 

Fire Damage in Smyrna Bathroom 

When you first suspect that your Smyrna bathroom has suffered from fire damage, make sure to call 911 as quickly as possible. Once the firefighters have put out fire damage, we will come in and assess the damaged bathroom. Most of the time, we find that the walls, ceiling, shower doors, and vanity require the most cleaning after the fire damage. To make the situation more manageable, we will handle all of the damaged contents in the bathroom to prepare for the restoration work.  

Bathroom Restoring 

Restoring a bathroom after a fire occurs will make the homeowner feel safe by leaving your bathroom very clean. If you aren't aware, soot clings to anything that it touches, making it difficult to use the bathroom without getting black residue on your skin. If the soot damage in the bathroom is not taken care of, you will find your daily routines difficult. Every time you shower, it is possible you will have to do your best not to spread the soot onto other parts and contents of your bathroom.   

Before starting the bathroom cleaning, we will remove all of the toiletries and any cosmetic equipment that is present. Then we will begin removing all damaged materials in a double-bagged trash bag to make sure that no other contents in your home don't get damaged from soot. 

In severe damage to the bathroom flooring, we will have to remove all of the flooring materials. Soot is challenging to remove from any carpeting and may cake into vinyl flooring.

After we finish the initial cleaning and removal of all the damaged materials, we will deodorize the bathroom with hydroxyl generators. This process may take over a few hours, depending on how bad the smoke smell has settled. 

Our SERVPRO professionals hold certifications from the IICRC to ensure that your bathroom fire damage is getting the most effective and safe fire clean up methods of getting rid of the soot. We have specialized equipment and top of the line cleaning agents to remove the soot greasiness from all damaged materials entirely. 

If your Smyrna bathroom has recently suffered from fire damage, please contact our office at (770) 739-2355. We are available 24/7 365 days a year for any fire damage services. 

Visit https://www.smyrnaga.gov/ for more information about the city of Smyrna.

Process for Commercial Fire Restoration

6/1/2020 (Permalink)

We are fast responders to any size disaster!

How to prepare for commercial fire damage in Atlanta 

Preparing for a fire is not something that most Atlanta residents plan for. When it comes to commercial fire damage multiple units are likely to be affected. The best way to plan for a fire is to communicate with the property manager on what the best steps are when a fire occurs. SERVPRO offers a free service called an ERP (Emergency ready plan) for all of the Atlanta commercial buildings. It is most likely that your property manager knows who to call and where all the main shut off valves are located. SERVPRO of South Cobb wants to ensure the safety of all residents in a fire. If you hear a fire alarm or smell smoke the best thing to do is to leave the premises as quickly as possible. 

The difference between restoring vs. replacing

 At SERVPRO we know that residents have roughly 48 hours to make a decision on how they can best handle the fire loss situation. We suggest that if a fire happens that you call us as quickly as possible to ensure that your belongings are safe. When we arrive at a fire damage job we will provide smoke and soot removal. As well, we will take your Atlanta apartment contents to restore them back to preloss conditions if possible. Not all contents that are lost in a fire are restorable but we promise to always try our best and remove any smoke and soot from your furniture.

What an Atlanta Resident should expect from us after fire damage occurs 

We always respond quickly

One Hour: Within an hour of contacting SERVPRO you can guarantee that you will receive a call back from one of our highly trained office staff to fully understand how we can best respond to your fire damage. 

Four Hours: Within four hours of loss notification, there will be a crew on-site at your property. We want you to be aware that in larger commercial fire losses there might be other restoration companies looking for work. We are typically the first responder but if you have to question, make sure you ask your property manager who they called. 

Eight Hours: Within eight hours of on-site arrival, certified technicians will be working on both the fire and water damage loss at your property. When there is a fire there is likely always going to be a water loss as well because the Atlanta Fire Department has to put out the fire with water and other agents. We will start to scope out your property and see if any windows need to be boarded or if we can effectively remove anything that is salvageable. 

The following day:  The following day you can expect a project manager to come with a larger crew to ensure that we are removing all of the damaged materials that are not salvageable. During this period we will also start scoping the site in seeing what we will efficiently dry, clean, restore, and deodorize. 

Detailed Explanation: A trained IICRC certified technician will walk you through the job process step-by-step. Our goal is to make sure that all parties that are affected by fire damage have their questions answered. We will be explaining what to expect during the fire restoration process and the anticipated outcome. Fire damage is going to take some time; we will work with your insurance company to make sure that you are properly taken care of. All of our SERVPRO staff has been trained to give highly detailed estimates to ensure the most out of your fire loss.  We then use restoration techniques to put your home back to normal in the told time frame.

Final Walk-through: After the work has been completed, a final walk-through will be conducted with the same team that you met when that initial call occurred. We want our customers to be satisfied with the work that we provide. 

If you have any questions or concerns during or after a fire loss please reach out to a staff member at SERVPRO of South Cobb at (770) 739-2355. We are available 24/7 and stand behind our name with integrity. 

How to Stop a Grease Fire: Three Fire Safety Tips

5/11/2020 (Permalink)

Pour Baking Soda/Salt onto the Flames

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), between 2012 and 2016, cooking fires were the number one cause of home fires in the US at 48% of total home fires; a pretty scary number given there were almost 200,000 home fires reported during this same period. With this number in mind, a grease fire started over half of these cooking-related home fires. It’s essential to understand how to extinguish a grease fire safely properly. When trying to put out a grease fire, the wrong way can result in a severe disaster. 

Grease fires can combust immediately, you can be frying food in a pan, and a bit of smoke may start coming off of the oil, and the next thing you know, the oil has burst into flames. The first thing you should do immediately is turn off the range or heat source that could potentially make things worse. DO NOT try to move or slide the pot or pan with the flaming oil. Splashes of the oil can quickly spread around the kitchen and spread the fire this way. 

Three safe ways to extinguish a grease fire

Use a Fire Extinguisher (Class B)

It’s essential to keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen for scenarios like this, but it’s also important to make sure you have the right type of fire extinguisher to put out a grease fire. You should aim to have a Class B fire extinguisher or a multi-purpose one that includes Class B. This type of extinguisher is designed for flammable liquids and will best extinguish the flame if you have quick access to one. 

Cover Flame with a Metal Pan or Sheet

The key to putting out a fire is to cut off its oxygen source. Covering the flames with a metal baking sheet, lid, pot, or pan can allow the flame to burn out safely. Do not use plastic or glass for this as the heat from a grease fire is hot enough to melt or crack these materials.

Pour Baking Soda/Salt onto the Flames

Another quick way to smother the flames of a grease fire is by pouring a large enough amount of either salt or baking soda onto the fire. These common kitchen ingredients won’t combust and can safely extinguish the flames. Please note to never use flour or baking powder for this; these are combustible if dumped onto the fire and will only make the fire larger or spread it. 

Following all of these three steps can drastically reduce the odds of a grease fire occurring in your home. However, fires aren't always preventable. In the event you have a fire in your kitchen, please give SERVPRO of South Cobb a call anytime at (770) 739-2355. Our IICRC trained professionals are here to help you, 24/7.

How to Prevent Kitchen Fires in Smyrna, Georgia

5/4/2020 (Permalink)

In the event your home has suffered from a kitchen fire, please call (770) 739-2355.

A good number of household fires begin in the kitchen as there are many potential fire hazards present in the average kitchen. Kitchen fires can be hard to deal with, especially in the event of a grease fire, which can very quickly escalate out of control into a large fire, endangering life and property. Luckily, the fire and smoke damage restoration experts here at SERVPRO are specially trained to help repair fire and smoke damage after a fire occurs. While you can’t get rid of every potential fire hazard in your kitchen, there are some pretty easy ways to help prevent a fire from occurring: 

Keeping your kitchen appliances clean and in good working conditions can help prevent a fire from starting up over the combustion of food and grease buildup. Your toaster is a good example of something that many people don’t think to clean often enough. Be sure to dump the bottom tray of your toaster out every now and then to remove the build-up of dry bread crumbs. Over time these may build up and combust during use leading to a kitchen fire. 

Another simple step to preventing a fire is to unplug kitchen appliances that do not need to be plugged in when you’re not using them. Older appliances with faulty wiring may burst into flames leading to smoke and fire damage even if you’re not using them. 

Keeping proper safety equipment ready around your home is another step you can take to help yourself in the event of a small fire. Smoke detectors should be kept relatively close to your kitchen, not too close to be easily set off by cooking smoke, but close enough to detect smoke that could indicate a fire. The batteries should be tested monthly to ensure that everything works as you never know when a fire could happen. Fire extinguishers are also an extremely important item to keep in your kitchen to help put out a fire on the spot before it gets out of control.

While cooking there are some steps you can take to prevent accidental fire, especially a grease fire. Do not overfill pots and pans with oil and grease. While you might not think about it, the buildup of grease and cooking oil on the surface of your stove is extremely flammable and if not cleaned up properly, may lead to a sudden grease fire while cooking. It’s also important while cooking to keep yourself safe by keeping your hair up, sleeves pulled up, and not wearing clothing that is too loose as to possibly catch fire. Keep things like dry rags and paper towels away from the stove while cooking and don’t leave burners on if you aren’t using them. 

The final way to help prevent a kitchen fire is to never leave food unattended while cooking. This might seem like common sense, but leaving anything unattended in the kitchen is a potential disaster waiting to happen. Keep an eye on your food until you’re finished cooking and keep the area around your cooking space clean.

Following all of these steps can drastically reduce the odds of a kitchen fire occurring in your home, however, fires can’t always be prevented. In the event you have a fire in your kitchen, please give SERVPRO of South Cobb a call anytime at (770) 739-2355. Our IICRC trained professionals are here to help you 24/7.

The Chemistry Behind Fire

4/29/2020 (Permalink)

You can reach our experienced emergency response team anytime by calling (770) 739-2355.

In order to understand SERVPRO’s fire damage restoration services, we should understand the process of fire itself. Fire occurring is due to the oxidation of something during the exothermic chemical process. Essentially, that means that when oxygen fuels, combustion, heat, and light are produced, which is what you see and feel as a result. While most of us aren’t chemists and haven’t been in a chemistry class in years, we can recall some knowledge of elements and compounds to understand fire better. The flame itself occurs during the ignition point, which is a part of the combustion reaction. The flame, however, is only the visible part of the fire itself. The flames are a combination of not only oxygen but also nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. A variety of temperatures and colors of the flames are produced depending on the circumstances. Different materials can burn hotter, and some can create flames that may be blue in color. 

Fire damage is a hazard to life, once the reaction creates spreadable flames. Of course, we understand that it burns and spreads. However, there are other dangerous aspects of fire itself. For one, it can create pollution because certain things, when burned, can put chemicals into the air. Plastic, for example, isn’t something that can be burned safely. Forest fires can threaten the nutrition in the soil, which can prevent a forest from growing back easily. Fires cause permanent damage.

Though fires are helpful, used to benefit the growth of society since the beginning of time, there are a lot of boundaries between it being helpful and destructive. For light and warmth, we use it in many ways, but the moment we lose control of it, it threatens the well-being of our homes and belongings and lives.

Fire damage is important to take seriously since the lingering effects of fire can harm our bodies, homes, and material possessions. In case of fire damage, immediately contact a restoration company such as SERVPRO of South Cobb at (770) 739-2355  to limit damaging after-effects of the chemical process that we just learned about. Our IICRC trained professionals are ready to restore your property “Like it never even happened.”

The Lingering Effects of Fire Damage in Your Smyrna Home

4/29/2020 (Permalink)

With even smaller fires, smoke and soot damages are a typical lingering effect.

SERVPRO Works Quickly to Return Your Home to its Pre-Loss Condition

Your Smyrna home might not be devastated by the recent fire, but there are still going to be lingering symptoms that make it difficult to live comfortably. With so many things that could hinder your family from moving on from the panic and trauma of the event, professional restoration services become the most expedient and efficient method for resolving the damage quickly and thoroughly. 

When SERVPRO claims to be “Faster to any size disaster,” that is not just a catchphrase used to draw attention. It is a commitment to your Smyrna Homes fire damage and any other need for restorative services that you might have. Our team can walk you through the damage and each step of the total restoration process until every affected aspect of your home gets successfully returned to preloss conditions. 

With even smaller fires, smoke and soot damages are a typical lingering effect. While this might often affect the walls, floors, and ceilings of the rooms that experienced the blaze, correcting this problem is often more involved than simple cleaning measures can achieve. Depending on the severity of the present soot and smoke damages, our SERVPRO professionals have the equipment to scrub affected surfaces with a wet solution and without one. This penetrating scrubber can often successfully remove the soot and restore the damage, but more severely damaged areas might only be readied for priming and painting to complete. The same equipment gets used for the contents of your home that have gotten impacted by the smoke and soot as well, such as furniture, carpeting, drapery, and more. 

When people think of fires they might have experienced in their homes in the past, the one thing that people tend to remember is the lingering scent. The noxious odor can make it difficult to stay in your home at all, let alone pass through affected areas. Foggers can be used by our SERVPRO team to alter foul odor molecules and neutralize them on contact chemically. The process leaves no scent in the air after completion and is also effective for fabrics and contents in your home. 

Even a small fire in your home is a big deal to you and your family. Trust our SERVPRO of South Cobb team to help you restore the fire damage and live comfortably in your house once again. You can reach our experienced emergency response team anytime by calling (770) 739-2355.

Visit https://www.smyrnaga.gov/ for more information about the city of Smyrna.

Home Fire Evacuation Plan: What to do Before and After the Fire

2/24/2020 (Permalink)

Do not forget your pets!!

An important part of fire safety is knowing what to do when a fire happens. For this reason, a home fire evacuation plan is a great thing to have. In the event of a sudden fire, an evacuation needs to happen quickly and efficiently while leaving as few important things behind as possible and knowing where to go. Once you are able to escape home or business that is in flames and alert authorities, your next step should be to contact a fire damage restoration company like SERVPRO of South Cobb so that our professional technicians can begin the fire damage restoration process. 

Here’s what you need to do before, during, and after the fire. 

Before Evacuating

It is important to prepare properly in order to evacuate effectively. A few things you can do to prepare for a fire evacuation is to create a disaster relief kit or a go-bag. This will contain any essentials that you would need in case you had to up and leave in case of an emergency. Good things to also put in this bag would be extra cash, clothing, emergency health information, and some plastic bags to keep sensitive items safe. Having a go-bag ready to go in case of emergency can make keeping a level head in an emergent situation much easier while helping keep you safe. 

It is important that everyone in the household is also on the same page in the event of fire damage. Everyone should have the same meetup location such as a neighbors house in case everyone has to leave in a hurry. In the event that a fire is large enough to affect multiple homes or a large area, it is good to also have a meeting location in several directions. 

During an Evacuation 

It is important to already know what to do in the event of a fire so that you can make decisions to best keep you and your loved ones safe. It is important you maintain clear communication with everyone in your home in the event of a fire; power lines may be down or phones may not be working in some situations or others may not be able to get to you. It’s important to listen to important updates from the news and authorities that are keeping up with the situation. 

Do not forget your pets and try to keep them in a place they’re accessible so that you can easily retrieve them should you need to evacuate your property.

After an Evacuation

It’s important to wait to inspect your property after a fire until after you are permitted to do so by authorities. Once you are allowed back within the distance of your home or business, your next step should be to contact a professional fire damage restoration company. SERVPRO of South Cobb is ready and available for fire damage restoration and will immediately lend aid to the recovery process. Experiencing this kind of scenario can be extremely frightening and overwhelming. Leave it to the professionals here at SERVPRO to help you restore your home from smoke and fire damage at (770)-739-2355

How Does Smoke Affect the Body?

2/10/2020 (Permalink)

Smoke inhalation irritates the respiratory tract lining which can result in the collapse of the airway.

Inside smoke from a fire their are several chemical irritants, such as chlorine, ammonia, hydrogen chloride, and sulfur dioxide. Smoke inhalation irritates the respiratory tract lining which can result in the collapse of the airway. Some people are more prone to bodily damage from smoke. Older adults may have weaker internal organs which can be harmed quicker from smoke inhalation. Because children and teenagers’ bodies are still developing, smoke can affect them more intensely than a fully developed adult. Anyone with heart or lung disease or diabetes can have their conditions be triggered by smoke damage, resulting in a stroke or heart attack. Pregnant women are at danger themselves due to the changes in their bodies, but the fetus can also be heavily affected, preventing normal development stages from occurring.

Smoke first affects anyone inhaling it by burning the eyes, making the nose runny, inducing coughing and wheezing. If chest pain or fatigue occurs there might be more severe damage being experienced, and people with such symptoms need to be removed from the room or building as quickly as possible to prevent fainting or cardiac arrest.

Even a strong, fully developed adult can be at risk for severe damage due to the chemicals in the air as mentioned before. This is why firefighters wear masks when entering a burning building, and why it is not recommended to attempt to save anyone without the proper gear. Carbon monoxide poisoning first causes the person to faint and then continues to enter the body until it has shut down the function of the major organs, killing them after they’ve gone unconscious.

This is important information to know in case of a fire in your home. While your natural instinct may be to save other people within the home, staying any longer within a burning building can cause unseen damage. Immediately call the fire department and exit the building. They have the gear to enter and exit in a safe manner while keeping everyone affected by a fire safe.

While the most important consideration following a fire is the safety of the family when it is time to repair the damage, hire your local SERVPRO. Firefighters respond to a fire currently in progress, and SERVPRO of South Cobb responds to everything that follows.

Putting Out Small Interior Fires

1/27/2020 (Permalink)

Things we use on a daily basis could lead to disaster.

The source of each individual fire changes the way the fire must be dealt with. Small fires, which are usually started by cooking or electrical outlets, can usually be put out by an individual. In case you experience a small fire within your home, office, or building, here is the way to deal with each type of fire.

Electrical fires occur due to dysfunctional or misused electrical outlets, cords, and appliances. If the fire is due to a broken cord, pour baking soda on the cord. Fires caused by outlets or appliances can be put out with a Class C fire extinguisher. It’s important that you never use water on an electrical fire due to the possibility of being shocked as a result.

Fireplace fires are not dangerous since they’re in a contained area, but if you no longer need the fire to be going you should put it out before leaving or going to sleep. In order to put out a fireplace fire, poke at the wood and cover the coals in order to take away the fuel for the fire. In addition, you may use baking soda to put it out by sprinkling some on the fire.

Cooking or gas fires can be stopped by placing a lid over the pot to stop oxygen from reaching the fire. Turn off the gas supply to stop it from spreading. Fire blankets work well for these situations.

If a small fire occurs in your home, office, or building, call your local  SERVPRO of South Cobb at (770) 739-2355. SERVPRO of South Cobb has professionals who know how to remove smoke damage and make the area affected by the fire look “Like it never even happened.”

Learn How to Prevent House Fires with These 5 Tips

11/4/2019 (Permalink)

Firefighters attempt to put out a blazing fire.

Your home is a safe and sacred place for you and your family to spend time together and build memories to last a lifetime. With such an important role in your life and the lives of your loved ones, it’s hard to imagine losing your home. Unfortunately, many families lose their homes to fires every year. Even worse, in many cases, house fires are entirely preventable when the proper protective steps are taken. Thankfully, for those wondering how to prevent house fires, getting equipped with the right fire safety information and by following helpful fire prevention tips, there are quick and easy steps to take. Use the following fire safety facts to keep making unforgettable memories in your home.

Fire Prevention Tip #1: Test Smoke Alarms

Likely not a big surprise to anyone wondering how to prevent house fires, one of the most important fire prevention tips to follow is to regularly test all smoke alarms in the home. Smoke alarms are crucial in the event of a fire, as they immediately alert everyone in the house that a fire is imminent or already underway by emitting a loud alarm once smoke is detected. A functioning smoke alarm not only allows you and your loved ones to get to safety, but they may also give you a greater chance of saving your home from irreparable damage by alerting you right away of the presence of a fire. Testing a smoke alarm is quick and easy, as every alarm features a small button that can be pressed to test if new batteries are needed. Be sure to read the full fire safety information that comes with the smoke alarms you purchase to ensure they are installed and used correctly.

Fire Prevention Tip #2: Don’t Leave Open Flames Unattended

House fires can occur in a matter of seconds and when you least expect it. Many house fires start quickly and without warning because of an unattended flame in the kitchen, living room, or bedroom. Those managing busy households in the evenings know that it’s easy to get distracted when being pulled in multiple directions. Helping kids with homework and straightening up messes all while also preparing dinner for the family can be incredibly dangerous. Taking your eyes off of cooking food even for a moment can have serious consequences in the form of a house fire. One of the most crucial fire prevention tips, be sure to always stay in the kitchen while preparing food and avoid any and all distractions. If you need to leave the kitchen even for just a minute, immediately turn off burners that are in use. Or, ask another member of the family to watch over the food until you return.

Another cause of many house fires are fireplaces. Among the fire safety facts to keep in mind is that it is easy for burning embers or sparks to escape a fireplace and land on flammable surfaces like the carpet or nearby furniture. When using the fireplace, make sure someone is always in the room watching over the fire. When putting out the fire, be sure that all ashes are completely cool before disposing of them.

Finally, another of the most important fire prevention tips to keep in mind is that candles should only be used with strict supervision. A best practice for how to prevent house fires, keep candles far away from anything that could potentially catch, such as curtains and blankets. If you’re using candles at night, be sure not to fall asleep before extinguishing the flame. If leaving the room for any length of time, blow the candle out.

Fire Prevention Tip #3: Regularly Clean Ovens and Stoves

Another of the most important fire prevention tips is to regularly clean ovens and stoves. An often overlooked piece of fire safety information, ovens and stoves pose a serious risk to safety when they are not properly tended to. Though likely on the family list of least favorite chores, cleaning ovens and stoves can help to prevent a potentially life-threatening house fire. Fires caused by ovens or stoves most often happen when food particles that have fallen off of dishes and cook wear get too hot and catch. After each use of your oven or stove, make sure to clean up any visible or particularly large pieces of food that have fallen while cooking. Follow this up with a deeper clean on a regular basis that involves reaching small spaces in and around burners, the surfaces on oven racks, and the oven floor where food often gathers.

Fire Prevention Tip #4: Check Your Dryer

Another of the more common sources of house fires to keep in mind when reviewing how to prevent house fires are clothes dryers. Fires can occur with dryers when lint and other debris collects in vents, gets too hot during the drying process, and subsequently catches on fire. To prevent house fires caused by dryers there are two important steps to take. First, follow the instructions and fire safety information provided during purchase of the dryer to be sure all vents are installed properly. Second, clean out the lint filter after each use. Following these fire prevention tips that only take a few seconds can save you and your family from experiencing a house fire.

Fire Prevention Tip #5: Maintain Cords

With an increasing dependence on electronics for many of our daily tasks, it’s not uncommon to always have something plugged into an outlet. Fire safety facts include the reality that the cords used to charge our electronics pose another risk for house fires. Among your list of fire prevention tips, be sure to include regularly checking the condition of cords, looking for damage such as exposed wires or frays. If any damage is noticed, stop using the cord right away and replace it immediately.

Fire Damage Repair and Restoration from SERVPRO

Even when paying close attention to fire safety facts and following fire prevention tips for your home, house fires still occur. In the event of a house fire, you want to enlist the help of professionals to help remove signs of fire damage and restore your home in like-new condition. SERVPRO of South Cobb is a nationally accredited and recognized brand with professionals highly experienced in fire damage repair and restoration. Our services can’t be beat, and we guarantee complete satisfaction. Contact us today to discuss what sets SERVPRO of South Cobb as a leader in the restoration industry.

Cleaning Is Key When Attending To Fire Damage Events In Atlanta

3/27/2018 (Permalink)

Remediation services are mandatory after a fire damage incident if you want to salvage your items and prevent further damage.

Attending To Fire Damage

Remediation services are mandatory after a fire damage incident if you want to salvage your items and prevent further damage. Cleaning is part of the restoration process, and the goal is to break the bond that binds the dirt to the surfaces. Chemical action, mechanical action, lubrication, suspension, and dispersion are the significant cleaning actions which can help you dislodge different smoke particles when you face these challenges in Atlanta.

Our SERVPRO technicians usually use mechanical actions before carrying out other cleaning actions when attending to fire damage incidents in Atlanta. The procedure can dislodge non-greasy particles from surfaces before using solvent-based cleaning agents. If we want to make areas slippery during cleaning, then we can opt for lubrication. This procedure weakens the bond between the surface and the smoke residues.

In a few cases, it might be necessary to chemically alter the dirt adhering to surfaces through chemical actions when cleaning. For instance, we might use such procedures when removing oxidized stains from woolen fabrics. Dispersion and suspension are also useful cleaning procedures when cleaning areas with soil particles.

Another essential procedure that our SERVPRO technicians carry out is deodorization. The goal of this method is to remove odors from the building. The most significant challenge with the smells is that they do not come from the same source. We start by removing the materials causing the odor before we can spray the deodorants. After that, we can use detergents that have antimicrobial abilities to clean surfaces with odor-causing particles. Deodorants also sterilize surfaces and prevent the possibility of mold growth.

If move-outs are necessary to make the restoration process more efficient, our SERVPRO team is ready to do the work. Sometimes, move-outs can help in protecting your contents from potential damage during the remediation process. For instance, some materials may absorb moisture if there is high humidity in the area, so we move them out until dehumidification is complete.

At SERVPRO of Southwest Cobb / Cascade, We're Faster To Any Size Disaster whether fire, mold, storm or water-related. Call us at (770) 739-2355 industry proven services that you deserve.

Click here for more about the city of Atlanta.

Restoring Your Fire Damaged Atlanta Home

2/5/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO technicians have the experience and certified training to properly restore your home after fire damage.

Rely on SERVPRO to Fully Restore Your Home after Fire Damage “Like it Never Even Happened”

While your Atlanta home might still be standing after a fire, there are plenty of things that remain to make it difficult to live in the house. After a traumatic event like a blaze in your house, it can be difficult to know where to begin regarding putting everything back in order and restoring the damage. Fortunately, this is not a situation that you have to deal with on your own, and there are experienced and professional technicians waiting to help you through the entire process.

Fire damage to your Atlanta home is painful to witness, but it is even more difficult to recover from on your own. Appreciating your need for professional restoration services is the first step towards reclaiming your damaged home, and our SERVPRO experienced technicians have the expertise and equipment to restore your home to preloss conditions quickly.

When we arrive, an assessment must be done to determine the areas of damage that require the most immediate attention. In many cases, structural concerns like holes and broken windows must be boarded up or tarped over to prevent further elemental exposure through the restoration process. Keeping communication with you, our SERVPRO team can determine the lingering symptoms of the recent fire that affect you and your family the most.

In many cases of house fires, extinguishing efforts from local fire departments leave significant water damage that compounds on top of the present effects of the fire. To prevent more serious conditions like mold growth or weakening of load bearing components, water extraction and restoration is a priority for our technicians on site.

Smoke and soot damage are common symptoms to significant (and even minuscule) blazes, and cleaning your walls, ceilings, floors, and contents is an involved process that our professionals take very seriously. Depending on the severity of the soot and smoke damage, we use either wet cleaning scrubbers or dry scrubbers. Ideally, this process should either entirely restore the affected surfaces or prepare them for priming and painting.

Fire damage to your home is not something you have to face alone. Our SERVPRO of Southwest Cobb / Cascade emergency response team can handle any level of disaster. You can give our experienced restoration specialists a call 24/7 at (770) 739-2355.

Click here for more information regarding the city of Atlanta.

What To Expect From Our Atlanta Fire Damage Restoration Firm

12/18/2017 (Permalink)

Flames and Smoke Damage Homes In Atlanta--Call SERVPRO for Restoration and Cleanup

SERVPRO Provides Profession Fire & Smoke Abatement to Atlanta Properties

A house fire is a tragedy no one anticipates, so if you experience a blaze in your Atlanta home, you likely have little idea what the next steps are. Contacting a reputable fire damage restoration company immediately after the firefighters leave is the only course of action. We have the trained technicians, latest equipment, and years of experience in the business.
 
Phase one is a general safety check. Fire damage to your Atlanta home can destabilize floors, ceiling, steps, and walls, among other building structures. Chemicals and water used to knock down the flames leave areas slippery. Combustion of some materials like insulation and lead paints or asbestos on older walls, pipes, and siding may release volatile fumes or particulates that require the use of personal protective gear to work in the area safely. Our crew leaders have extensive experience in evaluating the risks a burned house present to both restorers and residents and develop a restoration plan with safety as a prime consideration.
 
Removing water and drying the structure is phase two. Water disintegrates materials made of cellulose, including wood, drywall, insulation, and many other building staples. Metal oxidizes, and secondary damage such as mold growth follows within 48 hours if water damage is not mitigated. Extraction of standing water and then drying with air movers and dehumidifiers starts before the soot and smoke cleanup begins. SERVPRO crews measure and monitor moisture levels as this step progresses.
 
The third phase is fire debris containment and cleanup. HVAC systems should be disabled to prevent further spread of ash and soot; SERVPRO may clean that system as one of the final steps if it shows contamination. Our crews assess the type of residues present and use the proper strategies, products, and tools to remove them. Light, friable ash and soot vacuum and dust off surfaces, while stickier coatings from electrical or cooking fires may need abrasive cleansers, scrubbers, and even solvents to loosen and remove.
 
Finally, after all surfaces, structures, and belongings are clean, restored, and repaired, SERVPRO’s deodorization experts employ different methods to eliminate the smoky, burned smell. We start by removing odoriferous items and cleaning surfaces. If needed, we seal porous surfaces to prevent residual odor particles from vaporizing. As last resorts, we employ technologies like thermal fogging and hydroxyl generation to create odor neutralization particles that seek out and chemically change the odor-bearing particulates in the air, on surfaces, and within crevices.
 
The team SERVPRO of Southwest Cobb / Cascade is fully equipped, experienced, and trained to restore your fire-damaged home. Call us at (770) 739-2355 as soon as the authorities permit inspection for restoration.

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