Limiting Fire Damage

Although kitchen fires generally begin on the stove, the damage can affect the entire kitchen, from the walls to the ceilings and the air ducts to the appliances. Once the fire is out, you may be overwhelmed or devastated by the smoke and soot damage.

First, contact your local SERVPRO (Heyo! 803-755-9774) Franchise Professional. Then, follow these steps to help prevent further damage:

• Limit movement to prevent further damage.


• Place clean towels or old linens on carpeted traffic areas to prevent additional soiling.


• It electricity is off, empty freezer and refrigerator and prop doors open.


• Clean and protect chrome on kitchen and bathroom faucets and appliances with a light coating of petroleum jelly.

Here at SERVPRO, we are trained in the cleanup and care of your customers' homes and personal belongings following a fire incident. Before you attempt to clean up the fire damage yourself, give us a call.

Sandy Hayden

Photo Credit: http://blog.tvfr.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Kearney-Kitchen-Fire-300x225.jpg

The Big 3.

When it comes to fire, smoke, and soot restoration... we've got some all star services. I like to call them The Big 3.

1. Structural Cleaning -- After a smoke or fire damage, ceilings, walls, woodwork, carpeting and floors will often need a thorough cleaning. Your experienced local SERVPRO Professional will pretest to determine the extent of damage, and then use the specific equipment and cleaning products required to clean and protect the different types of surfaces found in your structure. Depending on the amount of soot, we may even be able to reduce the cost of recovery by cleaning lighter soot deposits found on some surfaces, eliminating the expense incurred with repainting or refinishing. In other cases, we will clean to "prepare for painting." This process deodorizes and ensures the new paint will adhere properly to the surface.

2. Contents Cleaning -- All of the restorable contents in affected areas will be profesionally cleaned and deodorized. This includes area rugs, furniture, draperies and upholstery. We begin by carefully inspecting and testing all fabrics in the structure to determine which cleaning methods are most appropriate. We can provide wet or dry cleaning services. Additionally, all the other restorable contents will be cleaned and deodorized to preloss condition. This includes electronics, art, wood furniture, kitchen items, clothing, bedding, bric-a-brac and much more. Finally, we can provide an inventory list of all "to be claimed" items if requested.

3. Deodorization -- We provide specialized services that rid your home or place of business of offensive odors left by fire or smoke damage. We do not merely cover up lingering odors with a fragrance, rather we seek out the sources of the odor and remove them. Ask us to explain the various deodorization methods available and which will work best for you!

Sandy Hayden