Should You Clean Electronics After a Fire?

2/5/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Peoria/West Glendale have specialized equipment for handling damaged electronics

Homeowners who have recently experienced a fire may be anxious to know whether electronics still work. Do not attempt to turn on any appliances or devices. Exposure to extreme heat and smoke can result in an elevated risk of overheating, short-circuiting and electrical fire. Here are a few fire cleanup recommendations for electronics.

Assess the Extent of Damage

A homeowner may be able to get a sense of the extent of damage without turning on or opening an appliance or device. Look for the following signs of smoke or fire damage:

• A soot coating
  
• Melting
  
• Warping
  

Electronics that have only suffered smoke damage are better suited for restoration or data recovery than items exposed to intense heat. Keep in mind that temperatures rise rapidly throughout a house during a fire. Even appliances or devices some distance away from a blaze may still sustain heat damage.

Rely on Trained Professionals

Fire cleanup professionals have specialized equipment for handling damaged electronics. These experts will remove these contents to an off-site location and check for several signs of damage:

• A black film over internal components
  
• Corrosion
  
• Exposure to excessive heat
  
  

The first two types of damage may be cleaned. If heat has distorted or destroyed circuits, chips or wiring, it may not be possible to restore an appliance or device.

Restore or Replace

Restoration experts can advise homeowners about the best options for electronics. Some items may be capable of being cleaned, while other may need to be replaced. In some cases, replacement may be more cost-effective than a cleaning attempt. Ask about data recovery for hard drives and storage mediums in mobile devices.

Homeowners should turn over damaged electronics to trained restoration professionals. It is important to attempt fire cleanup and testing in an environment with the proper equipment to reduce the risk of another fire at a residence in Grand Manor, AZ.