Tips for Extinguishing House Fires Fast | SERVPRO of Walker & Winston Counties

12/13/2023 (Permalink)

Keep these fire safety tips from SERVPRO of Walker & Winston Counties in mind this holiday season!

We all spend a lot of our days in the kitchen making meals whether you are a gourmet chef or survive on mac and cheese cups. Cooking is an essential part of life, and a lot of that cooking relies on heat in order to be prepared properly.

Because of that, it should be no surprise that most house fires start in the kitchen. They can happen at any point without much warning, so knowing ahead of time how to put out a fire can help you stay in control and avoid serious home damage.

Kitchen Safety  

Once a fire starts in the kitchen, it will grow quickly and start to consume anything in its path. One reliable fire prevention strategy is to limit the number of flammable materials and objects in your kitchen. Keep pot holders, oven mitts and wooden utensils stored in a safe location until you need them, and keep your sleeves rolled up while you work.

Keep a lid nearby when you are cooking that you can easily toss over a growing flame. If a spark flares up or a flame from your burner gets bigger than you intended, popping a lid over the flame can remove the oxygen it needs and the fire will die out. 

Remember, fire and grease do not mix well, so using water should never be an option for kitchen fires. You should always smother a grease fire.

Reacting to a Fire 

If you are cooking away and a fire breaks out, use your lid right away if the fire is small or reach for your fire extinguisher if it quickly grows beyond your pan. Pull the pin and sweep it over the flames. If the fire starts in your oven, keep the door shut and turn off the oven while you wait for the fire to slowly smother itself.  

All of these extinguishing methods should only be used if you feel comfortable staying to fight the fire. If you ever feel unsafe or unwilling to stay, back away and call 911 as you make your way outside. Stay low below any smoke that has started to fill the room and get out the quickest way you are able. 

How SERVPRO® Can Help

Once the fire department arrives and takes control of the situation, the flames may be extinguished but your home may be in ruins. Fire can quickly cause significant structural damage as well as water damage due to the water used to put out the fire. Get us on the phone right away so we can get started on your restoration. 

Our talented team will handle your entire recovery from the initial debris removal to the final structural repairs. We can rebuild rooms or sections of your home with ease while we focus on cleaning, sanitizing and removing stubborn odors. We always have your back when it comes to fire damage recovery.

Call us as soon as your house fire is extinguished. SERVPRO of Walker & Winston Counties is here to help you recover.

Tips to Help Prevent Home Fires

8/17/2022 (Permalink)

We have all seen the pictures; devastation, loss of precious memories, family heirlooms, etc. House fires are, unfortunately, all too common. But there are steps we can take to help lower the rick of fires in our homes. Step one, always install fire and smoke alarms. Preferably with flashing lights, if available. Check them monthly, if you worry that the batteries are weak, install fresh ones as our family is not worth the worry
over a few dollars and a fresh set of batteries. Step two, never smoke in bed. If you enjoy tobacco, enjoy it in a safe place, not in your bed. Step three, keep your grills, and other outdoor cookers at least 5-feet away from the walls of your home and 5-feet away from nearby brush, trees, etc. Step four, have fire
extinguishers stored throughout your home, on all levels. Step five, never, ever, leave a heater on when you leave a room. There are countless, documented stories of floor and portable heaters causing home fires, and in some cases, death. Step six, just as important, never leave candles burning unattended. See step number five. Step seven, if you're cooking in the kitchen, stay with it. Remember, a large percentage of fires originate from the kitchen. Step eight, use child-resistant lighters, matches and keep these items stored securely. Step nine, if an appliance smells strange, call a service tech immediately. Step ten, have a qualified electrician check your house wiring. This can take place annually, or every few
years, but get it done just to be sure. Step eleven, have your chimney services/checked annually, especially if you and your family enjoy cooler weather fires in the house, and while you're at it, have an HVAC technician check your homes heater annually as well. A well tuned heating system is not only more safe, it is more efficient and saves money too.

Fire Safety Tips

7/22/2022 (Permalink)

There are several steps you can take to help ensure the safety of you, your family and your pets, in the case of a fire. First, install fire/smoke alarms on every level and certainly outside of sleeping areas. Second. have a family plan for escape. Review this plan at least twice a year to keep everyone on top of the situation. Keep in mind, as noted, this exercise only takes a few minutes, and in the event of a real fire emergency, in most cases, you only have a few minutes to escape. This is important in the fact that, if a fire occurs, everyone knows exactly what to do, their scape plan and if necessary, the plan to evacuate elderly family members, pets, etc. Third, test your fire/smoke alarms monthly. Batteries do run-down, malfunction, etc. Knowing your fire/smoke alarms are fresh and functional, will give you piece-of-mind and help everyone sleep better knowing they are protected in case an emergency does arise. Lastly, never, ever go back into a burning structure. Get out, stay out and do not risk going back in. Do not re-enter the facility until the site has been cleared. Also, broken glass, damaged furniture can produce sharp wood, plastic, glass edges, flooring can collapse, causing a major slip/fall possibility. There can also be electrical danger present, and this along with the water damage from putting the fire out can pose electrical shock hazards. Call for help immediately, dial 911. Check on your family and those that were in your home. It is important to help and tend to those that might be injured and are in need of medical assistance.  Contact your insurance agent/company. Find a safe place to stay, and also inform family and friends of your situation and tell them you are safe.

Fire, Smoke, and Soot Clean Up

5/31/2022 (Permalink)

Cleaning up after a fire, smoke, or soot damage can be hard to handle and emotionally overwhelming for homeowners. The stress with wondering where to start, what is salvageable, and what steps should be taken sometimes proves to be too much to take on by yourself. 

Here at SERVPRO, our first step is to meet the homeowner on site to do a walkthrough with the homeowner to evaluate the damage to the structure and personal items. We want to ensure that we address any major concerns and develop a game plan for the restoration process. Doing the walkthrough on sit with the customer allows us to be able to narrow down which rooms were affected and helps narrow down the areas which require detailed cleaning.

Once the restoration process begins, demolition of building materials such as sheetrock, flooring, cabinets, and other materials may need to be removed to ensure that all particulate material is removed from the structure during the cleaning process. Fire cleanups do take more time than some other damage cleanups, but that is because of our attention to detail. We want to ensure that we set up our reconstruction with the best possible scenario to restore your structure to preloss condition.

Should fire, smoke, or soot, take over your structure, contact your local SERVPRO to schedule an appointment so we can help restore your home and your peace of mind as soon as possible. 

Air Scrubbers

5/31/2022 (Permalink)

Have you ever wondered why SERVPRO restoration professionals use air scrubbers, or negative air machines during a fire, water, or mold cleanup?  

These machines are used to remove particulates in the air that we breathe inside of a structure. These particulates can float in the air for an extended period of time. You can not see these particulates with the human eye.

These specially designed devices allow us to create a safe working environment for our crews as they work to restore your home or business. They also reduce the risk of secondary damage by removing the particulates, so they do not spread to unaffected areas of the structure. 

Air scrubbers are designed to turn over the air in what we call "Air Exchanges" at a minimum of 4 times an hour. Negative pressure is when set containment around an affected area and exhaust the over-changed air outside of the contained area. Negative pressure keeps affected air from moving outside the affected area. 

The Time is NOW to Make a Plan

12/27/2021 (Permalink)

Statistics show you will likely have less than 2 minutes get out of your home, if a fire breaks out.  Every family should have an escape plan worked out, in advance, to help prevent injury to family members and pets. 

Here are few things to remember when creating your plan:

• All rooms need 2 exit strategies, if possible. 
• Take into account the physical abilities of all family members and pets. 
• Make sure all windows and doors function properly.
• Choose a safe meeting space outside, a safe distance from the home.  
• Never go back into the house once you are out! 
• Make a drawing of your plan, showing all rooms, windows, doors and share with everyone in the home.
• Practice, practice, practice! 

FEMA's website has plenty of information and ideas on how to put your escape plan together.  

Stay safe out there! If you have a fire damage in your home, you take care of getting your family out safely, and we will take care of the aftermath. 

We Can Remove Fire and Smoke Odors

12/22/2021 (Permalink)

After a fire cleanup, home deodorization can be an important next step to making the area livable again. When setting up the cleanup process SERVPRO professionals recommend these three steps for successful odor removal.

1. Identify the Source

Knowing the source of the smoke odor can help determine the best cleanup plan. Odor can come from cigarette smoke, a house fire, or even extended use of a fireplace. In the event of a house fire it may be important to know what type of materials were burned, how long the fire lasted, and how long it’s been since the fire occurred. Smoke odor from cigarettes may also be stronger the longer it has been allowed to settle.

2. Use the Right Tools

When it comes to home deodorization, masking the smoke odor is only a temporary fix. Things may seem fresh for a while but over time the odor will reemerge. This is why it’s important to use the correct tools and cleansers from the start. The method used may depend on the severity of the smoke damage, but in most cases an ozone machine or thermal fogger may be the best tool for the job.

3. When in Doubt Call a Professional

Whether you’re dealing with cigarette smoke or fire cleanup, you may want to consider contacting a professional for your smoke removal needs. Many professional teams already have the tools needed to successfully remove the smoke odor from your home. They also have the knowledge they need to access the odor’s source and determine the best cleaning plan.

The process for home deodorization requires knowing the source of the odor, and which tools are best for the problem. Knowing these thing can help you formulate a plan for smoke odor removal. In many cases it may be best to contact a professional as they already have the tools and cleaning solutions needed for the job. 

Many factors determine the needs of your home following a small fire. Our team's rapid response team has the experienced personnel and industry-leading equipment designed to make restoration as efficient as possible in a traumatic time like this.