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Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration

Archived Fire Damage Blog Posts

Grill Fire Safety

6/21/2023 (Permalink)

At home grilling is an activity that almost everyone enjoys and should be conducted safely with a few precautions. If one is not careful, grill fires may break out occasionally causing causalities of the food, surrounding area, and sometimes people. Here are some things you should keep in mind when grilling this summer to prevent grill fires: 

  • Don't leave the grill unattended
  • Clean the grill after use to prevent flare ups
  • Remove flammable items from around the grill
  • Keep your grill in good condition, never operating a faulty grill 
  • Keep a fire extinguisher nearby for necessary situations
  • Insure connections between the gas tank and grill are secure
  • Never cook too close to a building

Home Fires 

A grill fires that grows into a home fire can be a damaging and stressful event. The best way to recover in this situation is by calling professional fire remediation company. These companies have qualified teams prepared to restore any damage caused by smoke, soot, or fire. 

Barbecue Fires
What do you do when your barbecue catches on fire? Remain calm. Check that there is nothing flammable near the grill. It is important that the fire stay contained in order to prevent further damage. If possible, turn off the burners and the line from the gas tank. If necessary, use a fire extinguisher to quench flames, otherwise the fire should decrease naturally and go out on its own. If handled properly, a grill fire may ruin your food but at least your home is spared. 

How To Avoid Fires 100

2/23/2023 (Permalink)

Your home is your safety net, that's why it's so scary to imagine anything happening to it. House fires take an average of 3,000 lives per year and we don't want you to become one of those statistics. Although you can't control everything, here are some tips to prevent house fires.

  1. Test Your Smoke Alarms

Simple enough, yet so many households fail to check their alarms regularly. To test it, just press the little button on it. If the beep is weak, change it! Smoke alarms can be your best friend during sudden house fires. 

  1. Inspect All Heating Sources

Malfunctioning heat sources can spark and cause a fire. Always clean your air filters, and make sure to dust around heat sources often. 

  1. Keep Your Stove and Oven Clean

Keep a look out for towels, cookbooks, or clothing that's too close to your burners. Also, make sure to get all the food and crumbs out from underneath the burners. Those could also cause a sudden stove fire. 

  1. Store Flammable Products Carefully

Keep any type of aerosol away from any heat sources. They could combust if they become too hot. Make sure you keep candles in a proper spot away from blankets and curtains as well. 

  1. Always Have A Fire Extinguisher Handy

Everyone in your household should know where the extinguisher is, as well as know how to use it. 

Things happen, even if you try to prevent it. If a fire has damaged your home, don't forget to give us a call. 

What To Do About Fire And Smoke

11/17/2022 (Permalink)

A fire can destroy your property and cause serious, irreversible damage. The flames move from one item to another, burning everything into ash. The heat created by the flames radiate, causing the surrounding items to crack, melt, and in some cases shatter. After the flames are put out, you have to deal with smoke damage.

If smoke damage is not addressed, it can devastate your home along with everything inside it. Smoke damage can even occur in rooms the fire never reached. For example, during wildfires, businesses and homes have been totally ruined just from the smoke while the building stayed untouched by the flames.

Even a small fire that is put out quickly may still cause smoke damage to the items inside. Also, smoke can impact your home’s structure. That is why cleaning up soot and smoke right away after a fire is so crucial. Smoke acts like an acid and can start to corrode many different materials if left too long.

If fire strikes a structure or home, or if you live near areas that are prone to wildfires, you must act fast to reduce the damage that occurs. Professional smoke damage restoration specialists can quickly assess the damage and create a customized mitigation plan to make sure your home is clear of all fire related damages.

What Can You Salvage?

The answer to this question depends on the extent of the damage and what something is made of. You also need to consider the cost of salvaging some items. You can work with a smoke damage specialist to figure out what items you should clean and which ones you should replace or discard.

How Will Smoke Impact Your Home?

Smoke affects materials in unique ways. Also, the type and temperature of the fire will result in different types of smoke damage through your home. One of the worst ways smoke can cause damage is if it gets into small crevices and cracks, since the particles are so small.

In fact, these issues often go undetected for a long time, leaving that lingering smell of smoke that may last for several months. The best way to remove the smell from your home is by removing or cleaning the affected items and to clean the building materials in the home with agents that are designed to remove the smell. Having this handled as quickly as possible will reduce the potential of cross-contamination.

How Quickly Do You Need to Act?

Time is something that is of the essence when you are talking about smoke damage. The sooner that you act, the more likely you will be to prevent serious damage. For example, there are some materials like porous items and synthetic fires that need intervention within hours of exposure to be saved.

Avoiding A Home Fire

11/11/2022 (Permalink)

Your home is your safety net, that's why it's so scary to imagine anything happening to it. House fires take an average of 3,000 lives per year and we don't want you to become one of those statistics. Although you can't control everything, here are some tips to prevent house fires.

  1. Test Your Smoke Alarms

Simple enough, yet so many households fail to check their alarms regularly. To test it, just press the little button on it. If the beep is weak, change it! Smoke alarms can be your best friend during sudden house fires. 

  1. Inspect All Heating Sources

Malfunctioning heat sources can spark and cause a fire. Always clean your air filters, and make sure to dust around heat sources often. 

  1. Keep Your Stove and Oven Clean

Keep a look out for towels, cookbooks, or clothing that's too close to your burners. Also, make sure to get all the food and crumbs out from underneath the burners. Those could also cause a sudden stove fire. 

  1. Store Flammable Products Carefully

Keep any type of aerosol away from any heat sources. They could combust if they become too hot. Make sure you keep candles in a proper spot away from blankets and curtains as well. 

  1. Always Have A Fire Extinguisher Handy

Everyone in your household should know where the extinguisher is, as well as know how to use it. 

Things happen, even if you try to prevent it. If a fire has damaged your home, don't forget to give us a call. 

Avoid A Cigarette Fire

11/10/2022 (Permalink)

Though there are various reasons residential fires occur, cigarettes are one of the most common causes of home fires in Danville, CA.

Keep Ashtrays Outside

Properly extinguishing and disposing of cigarettes is often a helpful way to prevent a fire. Though many people keep ashtrays in their home, it can be wise to place your ashtray outside of your home if you want to decrease the chance of a fire occurring. If a cigarette isn’t properly extinguished, an ashtray fire can easily start in your home, especially if the ashtray is near flammable materials. Keeping an ashtray outside and away from flammable objects can be a useful way to keep your home safe.

Don’t Smoke When Sleepy

In order to reduce the likelihood of a cigarette fire in your home, it’s usually best not to smoke when you are tired. Many fires from cigarettes occur when a person is smoking on a sofa or bed and then they fall asleep. When asleep, it’s easy to drop a lit cigarette without noticing, and if the cigarette remains lit, mattresses, cushions, and other materials can quickly catch fire. Avoiding smoking when you’re tired is an easy way to decrease the chance of a home fire.

Smoke Outside

When a person smokes inside a home, a fire is often more like to occur. With so many flammable items in homes, setting a lit cigarette down momentarily can result in a fire. Homeowners whose homes have been damaged by fires may find it helpful to contact fire restoration experts. However, smoking outside of your house can help to prevent a home fire, eliminating the need for restoration and fire cleanup.

Instead of restoring your home after a fire, it’s generally easier and less time-consuming to take precautions to prevent a cigarette fire. Keeping ashtrays outside, not smoking when tired and only smoking outside are helpful ways to prevent a cigarette from causing a fire in your home.

Invisible Enemy Smoke

11/2/2022 (Permalink)

No property owner wants to experience a commercial building fire. The fire can be devastating, not only because of the damage the fire does but from the odor and discoloration the smoke leaves behind. Furthermore, while the building is closed, you can lose a great deal of money. However, before you hire a professional service in Danville, CA, to begin smoke cleaning, it can be important to understand exactly how the smoke damage can impact your building, your clients, and you.

Invisible Assailants

Although smoke can often be seen during a fire, the damage causing the lingering smoke odor can often be a result of components that are not always visible. These can include:

  • Invisible and toxic gasses can contaminate the air. These gases can include carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and phosgene. The gases can be a highly foul-smelling contribution to the smoke.
  • Particles of carbon called soot can cover the floors and walls. The fragments can float long distances from the fire and be deposited in unusual areas such as the cracks of bricks or under the heads of nails.
  • Vapors of poisonous smoke can look like mist. The gaseous droplets can be poisonous and can cover items in your building with contaminates.

Cover Particles

Signs of smoke are often evident after a fire. Black stains covering the walls and ceiling of some rooms, soot covered floors, and an unpalatable odor are often visible signs of pollution left behind by the fire. But the acrid smell that lingers for weeks after a fire is often caused by a cloud of invisible particles left over from the flames. That is why smoke cleaning can be a tedious and unpleasant job.

Timely Restoration

Removing the smoke damage that can be seen may be easily done by a fire restoration and smoke cleaning team. On the other hand, removing the often acrid and unpleasant odor left behind can be difficult even when using scientific means. Sadly, the longer the odor lingers, the more difficult it can become to remove it completely.

If you’re dealing with smoke, soot, or fire damage call SERVPRO of Danville at 925-856-8180.

Smoke The Invisible Enemy

10/18/2022 (Permalink)

No property owner wants to experience a commercial building fire. The fire can be devastating, not only because of the damage the fire does but from the odor and discoloration the smoke leaves behind. Furthermore, while the building is closed, you can lose a great deal of money. However, before you hire a professional service in Danville, CA, to begin smoke cleaning, it can be important to understand exactly how the smoke damage can impact your building, your clients, and you.

Invisible Assailants

Although smoke can often be seen during a fire, the damage causing the lingering smoke odor can often be a result of components that are not always visible. These can include:

  • Invisible and toxic gasses can contaminate the air. These gases can include carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and phosgene. The gases can be a highly foul-smelling contribution to the smoke.
  • Particles of carbon called soot can cover the floors and walls. The fragments can float long distances from the fire and be deposited in unusual areas such as the cracks of bricks or under the heads of nails.
  • Vapors of poisonous smoke can look like mist. The gaseous droplets can be poisonous and can cover items in your building with contaminates.

Cover Particles

Signs of smoke are often evident after a fire. Black stains covering the walls and ceiling of some rooms, soot covered floors, and an unpalatable odor are often visible signs of pollution left behind by the fire. But the acrid smell that lingers for weeks after a fire is often caused by a cloud of invisible particles left over from the flames. That is why smoke cleaning can be a tedious and unpleasant job.

Timely Restoration

Removing the smoke damage that can be seen may be easily done by a fire restoration and smoke cleaning team. On the other hand, removing the often acrid and unpleasant odor left behind can be difficult even when using scientific means. Sadly, the longer the odor lingers, the more difficult it can become to remove it completely.

If you’re dealing with smoke, soot, or fire damage call SERVPRO of Danville at 925-856-8180.

Creating Fire Safety Awareness

8/30/2022 (Permalink)

  1. Test Your Alarms

Though your smoke alarms should inform you when they’re low on batteries, it doesn’t hurt to check them periodically. Test them once a month, and to err on the side of caution, replace their batteries at least once a year.

  1. Plan an Evacuation Route

This should be at the top of your fire preparation list. Identify all possible exits for each room in the home and make sure that each family member is aware of where those exits are. Designate a family meeting spot outside.

  1. Teach Your Children

If you have young children, show them what the fire alarm sounds like and advise them on what to do if they hear one. Inform them of evacuation routes as well.

  1. Plan a Way to Communicate

Put together an emergency contact list and make sure that all family members know who to contact if they cannot find one another. Have your young children memorize important phone numbers, beginning with 911.

  1. Practice

The best way to ensure that all family members know what to do in the event of an emergency is to practice. Host a fire drill every couple of months and devise different scenarios. In doing so, you can increase the odds that everyone knows what to do and how to escape in a real life emergency.

SERVPRO of Danville is here to help with any fire damage you may be dealing with! We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 925-856-8180.

What Is A Fire Summer? How Can You Prevent It

8/30/2022 (Permalink)

Each summer, families and friends across the country enjoy the summer months with barbecues, camping trips, or by cooling off in a pool or lake. In order to enjoy these occasions, it is important to keep safety top of mind to ensure you have fun in the sun.

According to the United States Fire administration, just under 8,600 Americans are injured by fireworks and almost 5,000 are injured by charcoal/wood burning and propane grill fires, annually. A barbecue grill should always be supervised when in use. Keep children and pets a safe distance from the grilling area to prevent accidental burns or tipping off the grill.

If you enjoy lounging by the pool or going for a boat ride to cool off from the summer sun, make sure you exercise caution, especially when children are present. Only swim in approved areas and supervise children at all times when near the water.

Summertime should be a time to make memories and enjoy the great outdoors. The following tips, provided by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), will help keep you safe all summer long.

  • When using a charcoal grill, only use starter fluid designed for barbecue grills; do not add fluid after coals have been lit.
  • When using a gas grill, ensure the hose connection is tight; check hoses for leaks. Applying soapy water to the hoses will easily and safely reveal any leaks.
  • Always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved PFD (personal floatation device) when boating, jet-skiing, tubing or water-skiing. Air-filled swimming aids, like water wings or inner tubes, are not substitutes for approved PFDs. An adult should always supervise children using these devices.
  • Be sure to extinguish all smoking materials and shut down motors and heating devices before fueling a boat. In case of a spill, wipe up fuel and check for fuel leakage and odors.
  • When camping, always use a flame retardant tent and setup camp far away from the campfire. Only use flashlights or battery-powered lanterns inside the tent, not liquid-filled heaters or lanterns.
  • Always build a campfire down wind from the tent area. Clear vegetation and dig a pit before building your campfire. Always extinguish the fire before going to sleep or leaving the campsite. To extinguish, cover with dirt or pour water over the fire.
  • Store liquid fire starter (not gasoline) away from your tent and campfire and only use dry kindling to freshen a campfire.
  • Consider leaving firework use to trained professionals. Stay back at least 500 feet from professional fireworks displays.

Tackling Smoke Invaders

7/26/2022 (Permalink)

Invisible Assailants

Although smoke can often be seen during a fire, the damage causing the lingering smoke odor can often be a result of components that are not always visible. These can include:

  • Invisible and toxic gasses can contaminate the air. These gases can include carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and phosgene. The gases can be a highly foul-smelling contribution to the smoke.
  • Particles of carbon called soot can cover the floors and walls. The fragments can float long distances from the fire and be deposited in unusual areas such as the cracks of bricks or under the heads of nails.
  • Vapors of poisonous smoke can look like mist. The gaseous droplets can be poisonous and can cover items in your building with contaminates.

Cover Particles

Signs of smoke are often evident after a fire. Black stains covering the walls and ceiling of some rooms, soot covered floors, and an unpalatable odor are often visible signs of pollution left behind by the fire. But the acrid smell that lingers for weeks after a fire is often caused by a cloud of invisible particles left over from the flames. That is why smoke cleaning can be a tedious and unpleasant job.

Timely Restoration

Removing the smoke damage that can be seen may be easily done by a fire restoration and smoke cleaning team. On the other hand, removing the often acrid and unpleasant odor left behind can be difficult even when using scientific means. Sadly, the longer the odor lingers, the more difficult it can become to remove it completely.

If you’re dealing with smoke, soot, or fire damage call SERVPRO of Danville at 925-856-8180.

Avoiding Cigarette Smoke and Odor

7/14/2022 (Permalink)

Though there are various reasons residential fires occur, cigarettes are one of the most common causes of home fires in Danville, CA.

Keep Ashtrays Outside

Properly extinguishing and disposing of cigarettes is often a helpful way to prevent a fire. Though many people keep ashtrays in their home, it can be wise to place your ashtray outside of your home if you want to decrease the chance of a fire occurring. If a cigarette isn’t properly extinguished, an ashtray fire can easily start in your home, especially if the ashtray is near flammable materials. Keeping an ashtray outside and away from flammable objects can be a useful way to keep your home safe.

Don’t Smoke When Sleepy

In order to reduce the likelihood of a cigarette fire in your home, it’s usually best not to smoke when you are tired. Many fires from cigarettes occur when a person is smoking on a sofa or bed and then they fall asleep. When asleep, it’s easy to drop a lit cigarette without noticing, and if the cigarette remains lit, mattresses, cushions, and other materials can quickly catch fire. Avoiding smoking when you’re tired is an easy way to decrease the chance of a home fire.

Smoke Outside

When a person smokes inside a home, a fire is often more like to occur. With so many flammable items in homes, setting a lit cigarette down momentarily can result in a fire. Homeowners whose homes have been damaged by fires may find it helpful to contact fire restoration experts. However, smoking outside of your house can help to prevent a home fire, eliminating the need for restoration and fire cleanup.

Instead of restoring your home after a fire, it’s generally easier and less time-consuming to take precautions to prevent a cigarette fire. Keeping ashtrays outside, not smoking when tired and only smoking outside are helpful ways to prevent a cigarette from causing a fire in your home.

Make Fire Prevention

7/1/2022 (Permalink)

A fire can destroy your property and cause serious, irreversible damage. The flames move from one item to another, burning everything into ash. The heat created by the flames radiate, causing the surrounding items to crack, melt, and in some cases shatter. After the flames are put out, you have to deal with smoke damage.

If smoke damage is not addressed, it can devastate your home along with everything inside it. Smoke damage can even occur in rooms the fire never reached. For example, during wildfires, businesses and homes have been totally ruined just from the smoke while the building stayed untouched by the flames.

Even a small fire that is put out quickly may still cause smoke damage to the items inside. Also, smoke can impact your home’s structure. That is why cleaning up soot and smoke right away after a fire is so crucial. Smoke acts like an acid and can start to corrode many different materials if left too long.

If fire strikes a structure or home, or if you live near areas that are prone to wildfires, you must act fast to reduce the damage that occurs. Professional smoke damage restoration specialists can quickly assess the damage and create a customized mitigation plan to make sure your home is clear of all fire related damages.

What Can You Salvage?

The answer to this question depends on the extent of the damage and what something is made of. You also need to consider the cost of salvaging some items. You can work with a smoke damage specialist to figure out what items you should clean and which ones you should replace or discard.

How Will Smoke Impact Your Home?

Smoke affects materials in unique ways. Also, the type and temperature of the fire will result in different types of smoke damage through your home. One of the worst ways smoke can cause damage is if it gets into small crevices and cracks, since the particles are so small.

In fact, these issues often go undetected for a long time, leaving that lingering smell of smoke that may last for several months. The best way to remove the smell from your home is by removing or cleaning the affected items and to clean the building materials in the home with agents that are designed to remove the smell. Having this handled as quickly as possible will reduce the potential of cross-contamination.

How Quickly Do You Need to Act?

Time is something that is of the essence when you are talking about smoke damage. The sooner that you act, the more likely you will be to prevent serious damage. For example, there are some materials like porous items and synthetic fires that need intervention within hours of exposure to be saved.

Summer time prep against fires

6/29/2022 (Permalink)

Each summer, families and friends across the country enjoy the summer months with barbecues, camping trips, or by cooling off in a pool or lake. In order to enjoy these occasions, it is important to keep safety top of mind to ensure you have fun in the sun.

According to the United States Fire administration, just under 8,600 Americans are injured by fireworks and almost 5,000 are injured by charcoal/wood burning and propane grill fires, annually. A barbecue grill should always be supervised when in use. Keep children and pets a safe distance from the grilling area to prevent accidental burns or tipping off the grill.

If you enjoy lounging by the pool or going for a boat ride to cool off from the summer sun, make sure you exercise caution, especially when children are present. Only swim in approved areas and supervise children at all times when near the water.

Summertime should be a time to make memories and enjoy the great outdoors. The following tips, provided by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), will help keep you safe all summer long.

  • When using a charcoal grill, only use starter fluid designed for barbecue grills; do not add fluid after coals have been lit.
  • When using a gas grill, ensure the hose connection is tight; check hoses for leaks. Applying soapy water to the hoses will easily and safely reveal any leaks.
  • Always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved PFD (personal floatation device) when boating, jet-skiing, tubing or water-skiing. Air-filled swimming aids, like water wings or inner tubes, are not substitutes for approved PFDs. An adult should always supervise children using these devices.
  • Be sure to extinguish all smoking materials and shut down motors and heating devices before fueling a boat. In case of a spill, wipe up fuel and check for fuel leakage and odors.
  • When camping, always use a flame retardant tent and setup camp far away from the campfire. Only use flashlights or battery-powered lanterns inside the tent, not liquid-filled heaters or lanterns.
  • Always build a campfire down wind from the tent area. Clear vegetation and dig a pit before building your campfire. Always extinguish the fire before going to sleep or leaving the campsite. To extinguish, cover with dirt or pour water over the fire.
  • Store liquid fire starter (not gasoline) away from your tent and campfire and only use dry kindling to freshen a campfire.
  • Consider leaving firework use to trained professionals. Stay back at least 500 feet from professional fireworks displays.

Fire Preparation Prevention

5/31/2022 (Permalink)

Test Your Alarms

Though your smoke alarms should inform you when they’re low on batteries, it doesn’t hurt to check them periodically. Test them once a month, and to err on the side of caution, replace their batteries at least once a year.

Plan an Evacuation Route

This should be at the top of your fire preparation list. Identify all possible exits for each room in the home and make sure that each family member is aware of where those exits are. Designate a family meeting spot outside.

Teach Your Children

If you have young children, show them what the fire alarm sounds like and advise them on what to do if they hear one. Inform them of evacuation routes as well.

Plan a Way to Communicate

Put together an emergency contact list and make sure that all family members know who to contact if they cannot find one another. Have your young children memorize important phone numbers, beginning with 911.

Practice

The best way to ensure that all family members know what to do in the event of an emergency is to practice. Host a fire drill every couple of months and devise different scenarios. In doing so, you can increase the odds that everyone knows what to do and how to escape in a real life emergency.

SERVPRO of Danville is here to help with any fire damage you may be dealing with! We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 925-856-8180.

Cigarette Prevention In The Home Is Important

4/20/2022 (Permalink)

Though there are various reasons residential fires occur, cigarettes are one of the most common causes of home fires in Danville, CA.

Keep Ashtrays Outside

Properly extinguishing and disposing of cigarettes is often a helpful way to prevent a fire. Though many people keep ashtrays in their home, it can be wise to place your ashtray outside of your home if you want to decrease the chance of a fire occurring. If a cigarette isn’t properly extinguished, an ashtray fire can easily start in your home, especially if the ashtray is near flammable materials. Keeping an ashtray outside and away from flammable objects can be a useful way to keep your home safe.

Don’t Smoke When Sleepy

In order to reduce the likelihood of a cigarette fire in your home, it’s usually best not to smoke when you are tired. Many fires from cigarettes occur when a person is smoking on a sofa or bed and then they fall asleep. When asleep, it’s easy to drop a lit cigarette without noticing, and if the cigarette remains lit, mattresses, cushions, and other materials can quickly catch fire. Avoiding smoking when you’re tired is an easy way to decrease the chance of a home fire.

Smoke Outside

When a person smokes inside a home, a fire is often more like to occur. With so many flammable items in homes, setting a lit cigarette down momentarily can result in a fire. Homeowners whose homes have been damaged by fires may find it helpful to contact fire restoration experts. However, smoking outside of your house can help to prevent a home fire, eliminating the need for restoration and fire cleanup.

Instead of restoring your home after a fire, it’s generally easier and less time-consuming to take precautions to prevent a cigarette fire. Keeping ashtrays outside, not smoking when tired and only smoking outside are helpful ways to prevent a cigarette from causing a fire in your home.

Avoiding Residential Fire 101

2/28/2022 (Permalink)

Your home is your safety net, that's why it's so scary to imagine anything happening to it. House fires take an average of 3,000 lives per year and we don't want you to become one of those statistics. Although you can't control everything, here are some tips to prevent house fires.

  1. Test Your Smoke Alarms

Simple enough, yet so many households fail to check their alarms regularly. To test it, just press the little button on it. If the beep is weak, change it! Smoke alarms can be your best friend during sudden house fires. 

  1. Inspect All Heating Sources

Malfunctioning heat sources can spark and cause a fire. Always clean your air filters, and make sure to dust around heat sources often. 

  1. Keep Your Stove and Oven Clean

Keep a look out for towels, cookbooks, or clothing that's too close to your burners. Also, make sure to get all the food and crumbs out from underneath the burners. Those could also cause a sudden stove fire. 

  1. Store Flammable Products Carefully

Keep any type of aerosol away from any heat sources. They could combust if they become too hot. Make sure you keep candles in a proper spot away from blankets and curtains as well. 

  1. Always Have A Fire Extinguisher Handy

Everyone in your household should know where the extinguisher is, as well as know how to use it. 

Things happen, even if you try to prevent it. If a fire has damaged your home, don't forget to give us a call. 

The Invisible Intruder Awaiting You

11/8/2021 (Permalink)

No property owner wants to experience a commercial building fire. The fire can be devastating, not only because of the damage the fire does but from the odor and discoloration the smoke leaves behind. Furthermore, while the building is closed, you can lose a great deal of money. However, before you hire a professional service in Danville, CA, to begin smoke cleaning, it can be important to understand exactly how the smoke damage can impact your building, your clients, and you.

Invisible Assailants

Although smoke can often be seen during a fire, the damage causing the lingering smoke odor can often be a result of components that are not always visible. These can include:

  • Invisible and toxic gasses can contaminate the air. These gases can include carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and phosgene. The gases can be a highly foul-smelling contribution to the smoke.
  • Particles of carbon called soot can cover the floors and walls. The fragments can float long distances from the fire and be deposited in unusual areas such as the cracks of bricks or under the heads of nails.
  • Vapors of poisonous smoke can look like mist. The gaseous droplets can be poisonous and can cover items in your building with contaminates.

Cover Particles

Signs of smoke are often evident after a fire. Black stains covering the walls and ceiling of some rooms, soot covered floors, and an unpalatable odor are often visible signs of pollution left behind by the fire. But the acrid smell that lingers for weeks after a fire is often caused by a cloud of invisible particles left over from the flames. That is why smoke cleaning can be a tedious and unpleasant job.

Timely Restoration

Removing the smoke damage that can be seen may be easily done by a fire restoration and smoke cleaning team. On the other hand, removing the often acrid and unpleasant odor left behind can be difficult even when using scientific means. Sadly, the longer the odor lingers, the more difficult it can become to remove it completely.

If you’re dealing with smoke, soot, or fire damage call SERVPRO of Danville at 925-856-8180.

Fire Safety For Children

10/19/2021 (Permalink)

A home fire is a devastating event, and one that you never count on happening. Your children are most at risk when this disaster occurs. In fact, children under five are twice as likely as other people to die in a home fire. Tragically, many home fires are started by children playing with dangerous household items – especially lighters and matches. Taking sensible cautions in your home and teaching your child how to escape from a fire can help your family avoid this type of heartbreak.            

Prevent Your Child from Starting Fires

The U.S. Fire Administration estimates that 300 people are killed and $280 million in property is destroyed each year as the result of children playing with fire.

  • Keep matches, lighters and other ignitable substances in a secured location out of your child’s reach. Only use lighters with child-resistant features.
  • Invest in flameless candles. These candles contain a light bulb rather than an open flame, and take the danger out of your child knocking over a candle.

Help Your Child Survive a Fire

  • Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. 
  • Once a month check whether each alarm in the home is working properly by pushing the test button. 
  • Replace batteries in smoke alarms at least once a year. Immediately install a new battery if an alarm chirps, warning the battery is low.
  • Teach your children what smoke alarms sound like and what to do when they hear one.
  • Ensure that all household members know two ways to escape from every room of your home, and where to meet up outside..
  • Practice your fire escape plan at least twice a year and at different times of the day. Practice waking up to smoke alarms, low crawling and meeting outside. Make sure everyone knows how to call 9-1-1.
  • Emphasize “get out, stay out.” Only professional firefighters should enter a building that is on fire—even if other family members, pets or prized possessions are inside.
  • Use quick-release devices on barred windows and doors. Security bars without release devices can trap you in a deadly fire. If you have security bars on your windows, be sure one window in each sleeping room has a release device.
  • Consider getting escape ladders for sleeping areas on the second or third floor. Learn how to use them, and store them near the windows. 
  • Teach household members to STOP, DROP and ROLL if their clothes should catch on fire.

The Power Of Invisible Smoke Damage

10/18/2021 (Permalink)

No property owner wants to experience a commercial building fire. The fire can be devastating, not only because of the damage the fire does but from the odor and discoloration the smoke leaves behind. Furthermore, while the building is closed, you can lose a great deal of money. However, before you hire a professional service in Danville, CA, to begin smoke cleaning, it can be important to understand exactly how the smoke damage can impact your building, your clients, and you.

Invisible Assailants

Although smoke can often be seen during a fire, the damage causing the lingering smoke odor can often be a result of components that are not always visible. These can include:

  • Invisible and toxic gasses can contaminate the air. These gases can include carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and phosgene. The gases can be a highly foul-smelling contribution to the smoke.
  • Particles of carbon called soot can cover the floors and walls. The fragments can float long distances from the fire and be deposited in unusual areas such as the cracks of bricks or under the heads of nails.
  • Vapors of poisonous smoke can look like mist. The gaseous droplets can be poisonous and can cover items in your building with contaminates.

Cover Particles

Signs of smoke are often evident after a fire. Black stains covering the walls and ceiling of some rooms, soot covered floors, and an unpalatable odor are often visible signs of pollution left behind by the fire. But the acrid smell that lingers for weeks after a fire is often caused by a cloud of invisible particles left over from the flames. That is why smoke cleaning can be a tedious and unpleasant job.

Timely Restoration

Removing the smoke damage that can be seen may be easily done by a fire restoration and smoke cleaning team. On the other hand, removing the often acrid and unpleasant odor left behind can be difficult even when using scientific means. Sadly, the longer the odor lingers, the more difficult it can become to remove it completely.

If you’re dealing with smoke, soot, or fire damage call SERVPRO of Danville at 925-856-8180.

Avoiding Those Fires

10/18/2021 (Permalink)

Your home is your safety net, that's why it's so scary to imagine anything happening to it. House fires take an average of 3,000 lives per year and we don't want you to become one of those statistics. Although you can't control everything, here are some tips to prevent house fires.

  1. Test Your Smoke Alarms

Simple enough, yet so many households fail to check their alarms regularly. To test it, just press the little button on it. If the beep is weak, change it! Smoke alarms can be your best friend during sudden house fires. 

  1. Inspect All Heating Sources

Malfunctioning heat sources can spark and cause a fire. Always clean your air filters, and make sure to dust around heat sources often. 

  1. Keep Your Stove and Oven Clean

Keep a look out for towels, cookbooks, or clothing that's too close to your burners. Also, make sure to get all the food and crumbs out from underneath the burners. Those could also cause a sudden stove fire. 

  1. Store Flammable Products Carefully

Keep any type of aerosol away from any heat sources. They could combust if they become too hot. Make sure you keep candles in a proper spot away from blankets and curtains as well. 

  1. Always Have A Fire Extinguisher Handy

Everyone in your household should know where the extinguisher is, as well as know how to use it. 

Things happen, even if you try to prevent it. If a fire has damaged your home, don't forget to give us a call. 

Types of damages after a fire to cleanup?

10/5/2021 (Permalink)

When dealing with fire damage, there is more to be cleaned up than just what is affected by the flames.

Long after the flames are extinguished, soot and smoke left behind can continue damaging property and can give rise to other issues such as mold and rust as well. If left untreated, this damage can compound over time, becoming more difficult and costly to remediate.

If you’ve been affected by a fire, it is important to call your restoration team right away to prevent giving rise to other issues such as:

Mold Damage: After a fire, affected areas are often left without any artificial or natural lighting. If the fire was doused with water or set off a sprinkler system, this creates mold’s ideal environment to thrive. Mold can quickly begin growth on almost any surface, leading to discoloration and damages to items and structures.

Corrosion and Rust Damage: Rust and corrosion might not be the first thing you think of when you consider fire damage, but water left untreated on small electronics can cause it to develop and greatly increase the risk for short-circuits or electrical shock.

Soot Damage: Soot is the most common form of carbon byproduct that materials produce when they burn. Most home and commercial fires consist of multiple burned materials, leading to soot that is highly acidic. This acid can cause damage to nearly any surface it comes into contact with, with porous or textured surfaces being the most at-risk. Any soot allowed to remain in the affected area can lead to the damage of carpets, walls and unburnt portions of the house. The longer the soot is allowed to sit, the more unlikely the damage can be reversed.

Questions to Help You Find a Fire Restoration Company

Finding a fire restoration company that you can trust to restore your home to pre-damaged conditions is difficult if you are unsure what to look for. These questions are worth taking the time to ask as you shop around:

  • Will they fully clean and sanitize the area to prevent mold growth?
  • Do they use industrial-grade air scrubbers to remove odors?
  • Do they have a Master Fire Restorer on staff?
  • Can they do all levels of restoration, from cosmetic to construction?

Contact us today to learn how we’re able to make it “Like it never even happened.” (925) 856-8180.

5 Ways To Prepare for a fire

8/18/2021 (Permalink)

Test Your Alarms

Though your smoke alarms should inform you when they’re low on batteries, it doesn’t hurt to check them periodically. Test them once a month, and to err on the side of caution, replace their batteries at least once a year.

Plan an Evacuation Route

This should be at the top of your fire preparation list. Identify all possible exits for each room in the home and make sure that each family member is aware of where those exits are. Designate a family meeting spot outside.

Teach Your Children

If you have young children, show them what the fire alarm sounds like and advise them on what to do if they hear one. Inform them of evacuation routes as well.

Plan a Way to Communicate

Put together an emergency contact list and make sure that all family members know who to contact if they cannot find one another. Have your young children memorize important phone numbers, beginning with 911.

Practice

The best way to ensure that all family members know what to do in the event of an emergency is to practice. Host a fire drill every couple of months and devise different scenarios. In doing so, you can increase the odds that everyone knows what to do and how to escape in a real life emergency.

SERVPRO of Danville is here to help with any fire damage you may be dealing with! We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 925-856-8180.

Smoke The Invisible Intruder

8/9/2021 (Permalink)

No property owner wants to experience a commercial building fire. The fire can be devastating, not only because of the damage the fire does but from the odor and discoloration the smoke leaves behind. Furthermore, while the building is closed, you can lose a great deal of money. However, before you hire a professional service in Danville, CA, to begin smoke cleaning, it can be important to understand exactly how the smoke damage can impact your building, your clients, and you.

Invisible Assailants

Although smoke can often be seen during a fire, the damage causing the lingering smoke odor can often be a result of components that are not always visible. These can include:

  • Invisible and toxic gasses can contaminate the air. These gases can include carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and phosgene. The gases can be a highly foul-smelling contribution to the smoke.
  • Particles of carbon called soot can cover the floors and walls. The fragments can float long distances from the fire and be deposited in unusual areas such as the cracks of bricks or under the heads of nails.
  • Vapors of poisonous smoke can look like mist. The gaseous droplets can be poisonous and can cover items in your building with contaminates.

Cover Particles

Signs of smoke are often evident after a fire. Black stains covering the walls and ceiling of some rooms, soot covered floors, and an unpalatable odor are often visible signs of pollution left behind by the fire. But the acrid smell that lingers for weeks after a fire is often caused by a cloud of invisible particles left over from the flames. That is why smoke cleaning can be a tedious and unpleasant job.

Timely Restoration

Removing the smoke damage that can be seen may be easily done by a fire restoration and smoke cleaning team. On the other hand, removing the often acrid and unpleasant odor left behind can be difficult even when using scientific means. Sadly, the longer the odor lingers, the more difficult it can become to remove it completely.

If you’re dealing with smoke, soot, or fire damage call SERVPRO of Danville at 925-856-8180.

Staying Safe in the Summer

7/22/2021 (Permalink)

Each summer, families and friends across the country enjoy the summer months with barbecues, camping trips, or by cooling off in a pool or lake. In order to enjoy these occasions, it is important to keep safety top of mind to ensure you have fun in the sun.

According to the United States Fire administration, just under 8,600 Americans are injured by fireworks and almost 5,000 are injured by charcoal/wood burning and propane grill fires, annually. A barbecue grill should always be supervised when in use. Keep children and pets a safe distance from the grilling area to prevent accidental burns or tipping off the grill.

If you enjoy lounging by the pool or going for a boat ride to cool off from the summer sun, make sure you exercise caution, especially when children are present. Only swim in approved areas and supervise children at all times when near the water.

Summertime should be a time to make memories and enjoy the great outdoors. The following tips, provided by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), will help keep you safe all summer long.

  • When using a charcoal grill, only use starter fluid designed for barbecue grills; do not add fluid after coals have been lit.
  • When using a gas grill, ensure the hose connection is tight; check hoses for leaks. Applying soapy water to the hoses will easily and safely reveal any leaks.
  • Always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved PFD (personal floatation device) when boating, jet-skiing, tubing or water-skiing. Air-filled swimming aids, like water wings or inner tubes, are not substitutes for approved PFDs. An adult should always supervise children using these devices.
  • Be sure to extinguish all smoking materials and shut down motors and heating devices before fueling a boat. In case of a spill, wipe up fuel and check for fuel leakage and odors.
  • When camping, always use a flame retardant tent and setup camp far away from the campfire. Only use flashlights or battery-powered lanterns inside the tent, not liquid-filled heaters or lanterns.
  • Always build a campfire down wind from the tent area. Clear vegetation and dig a pit before building your campfire. Always extinguish the fire before going to sleep or leaving the campsite. To extinguish, cover with dirt or pour water over the fire.
  • Store liquid fire starter (not gasoline) away from your tent and campfire and only use dry kindling to freshen a campfire.
  • Consider leaving firework use to trained professionals. Stay back at least 500 feet from professional fireworks displays.

3 Cooking Tips to Reduce Fire Hazards

7/12/2021 (Permalink)

It is not difficult to prevent kitchen fires, but awareness and attention are necessary. Here are three fire damage prevention tips to avoid a kitchen fire.

  1. Organize the Kitchen

A kitchen should be organized with basic fire safety in mind. Avoid storing cooking utensils, oven mitts, or pot holders anywhere near the stove. It is also a good idea not to hang curtains or leave towels or other combustible textiles close to heating elements.

  1. Monitor Cooking Food

A key safety tip is to remain in the kitchen to monitor food while it is cooking. This will ensure that you see and smell smoke and can suppress a fire as soon as it starts. If you do need to leave the room, set a timer that will remind you to check on food and prevent it from getting burned or starting a fire.

  1. Use Grease Safely

Grease fires are very hot and can cause extensive damage in a kitchen. Heat any cooking oil or grease slowly to a safe temperature and exercise caution when adding food. Remove as much moisture from food as possible before cooking in fat, and never cook frozen food in hot grease. Keep a Class K extinguisher between the kitchen and the nearest exit. Baking soda and salt can cause a chemical reaction that can put out grease fires, or you may be able to smother a fire with a cookie sheet or metal pot lid.

These tips can significantly reduce the risk that a grease fire will start in the kitchen of your home in Danville, CA. If a fire does break out, do everything you can to suppress it without compromising your safety. You may definitely want to call firefighters to ensure that the fire is extinguished and poses no further danger. A residential fire damage mitigation and restoration service can fix any damage to you home. Call SERVPRO of Danville at 925-856-8180.

Help Protect Your Commercial Building From Fire

6/10/2021 (Permalink)

Fires in Commercial Buildings can cause a great amount of damage, but there are three easy things a business can do to prevent the most common commercial building fires. 

  1. Surprisingly, the top cause of commercial building fires is cooking fires. But a fire extinguisher placed near the kitchen area can give employees the power to stop a small cooking fire from spreading.  Be sure to train your employees on how to use the extinguisher and make sure they are still in good working condition.
  2. Fire alarms can save lives and property from damage, yet many are left unchecked and are not properly maintained. Be sure to check the fire alarm in your building or office to make sure that it working correctly.
  3. A commercial fire sprinkler system can put out a potentially deadly fire in a commercial building. Have the one in your commercial building tested annually.

Be sure that your business has what it needs to protect itself from a crippling fire and be proactive in helping prevent damage to your business by following these three easy guidelines.

If you do experience a fire in your commercial building, call the experts at SERVPRO

CONCORD | DANVILLE | EAST BAY | FIRES | WATER DAMAGE | RESTORATION

Make Sure You Have A Fire Extinguisher In Your Commercial Building

6/4/2021 (Permalink)

Fire extinguishers are required in all commercial buildings in California, and there are specific requirements regarding training of your employees in many areas of fire prevention and safety.

Cal OSHA regulations stipulate that fire extinguishers must be placed in areas that the employees can easily access, such as in a cabinet or mounted to a wall.  They should be placed near exits to reduce the risk that people will be trapped by fire inside a building.  OSHA regulations also mandate that all employees must be trained on the basic principles of using fire extinguishers, as well as the hazards that are typically involved with firefighting.  They should also be trained on the process for reporting a fire, how to evaluate the size of a fire, and how to keep an exit route in good condition in your place of work.

Training must be provided to every new employee, for employees assigned to emergency response teams, and to all other employees on an annual basis.  In order to be safe, make sure your company is following all of these guidelines.

In the unfortunate event that your business does experience a fire, call the professionals at SERVPRO

DANVILLE | CONCORD | BAY AREA | FIRE DAMAGE | RESTORATION

Smoke and Soot Cleanup

5/26/2021 (Permalink)

At SERVPRO, we understand that fires can be especially devastating to your home or business. After the fire trucks leave, your property will likely suffer from not only fire and smoke damage, but also widespread water damage and flooding from firefighting efforts.  SERVPRO  professionals have specialized fire and water damage restoration training and experience to quickly clean up and restore your home to its pre-fire condition.  Our technicians are experts in knowing the processes and protocols required to remove the pervasive smoke odor and deep-clean soot from upholstery and carpet.  We strive to leave your home or business "Like it never even happened."

SERVPRO is faster to any size disaster.

Why is this important?  Our professionals are dedicated to responding immediately when you need help with a fire or water damage event. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces cost.  All insurance companies specify that the policyholder (you) have a duty to mitigate any further damage or vandalism to your property.  To do this, you need a professional fire and water cleanup and restoration expert like SERVPRO.

We specialize in fire and water damage restoration, the cornerstone of our business. Our technicians have extensive training and equipment to get your property back to pre-fire condition. 

  • Fire & Smoke Restoration Technician
  • Odor Control Technician
  • Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician
  • Water Damage Restoration Technician

We will clean and restore your property using specialized equipment and cleaning techniques.  Our "restore first" mentality reduces interruption and gets you back to your life.

The Fire Damage Restoration Process

We understand how devastating a fire can be. Fire and water damage can leave your house unsafe and unlivable.  Listed below is the fire damage restoration process which will guide you during this difficult time:

Step 1: Emergency Contact

The restoration process begins when you call SERVPRO. Our staff will ask a series of questions regarding the fire damage event that will help us dispatch our crews with the appropriate equipment and resources.

Step 2: Inspection and Fire Damage Assessment

Our professionals will carefully inspect and test adjoining rooms of your property to determine the extent of the fire, smoke, and soot damage. This step is crucial to developing a plan of action.

Step 3: Immediate Board-Up and Roof-Tarp Service

Fire damage can often compromise windows, walls, and roofs. To maintain security and to protect against further damage, our technicians can board up missing windows and walls and place tarps on damaged roofs.

Step 4: Water Removal and Drying (if water damage is present)

The water removal process begins almost immediately and removes the majority of the water. They will then use dehumidifiers and air movers to remove the remaining water and complete the drying process.

Step 5: Removal of Smoke and Soot from All Surfaces

Our technicians use specialized equipment and techniques to remove smoke and soot from ceilings, walls, and other surfaces.

Step 6: Cleaning and Sanitizing

Our technicians will clean all of the restorable items and structures that were damaged by the fire. They use a variety of cleaning techniques to restore your belongings to pre-fire condition. They’re also trained to remove odors using industrial air scrubbers and fogging equipment.

Step 7: Restoration

Restoration is the final step—getting your home or business to its pre-fire condition. Restoration may involve minor repairs, such as replacing drywall, painting, and installing new carpet; or it may entail major repairs such as the reconstruction of various areas or rooms in a home or business.

Home Fire Safety Tips

3/3/2021 (Permalink)

The rate of home fire accidents has been rising for so many years. There have been many incidents related to Fire Safety Tips that have claimed the lives of so many people. It just goes to show that a lot of families didn’t pay attention to taking preventive measures. And that’s really very worrying. Although it sounds so simple it is really important for every family.

Everyone knows that fires are usually caused by an accident. However, this does not mean that it is inevitable. If you are fully aware of the security measures in your home, you can always prevent this from happening. Remember, fire can be stopped. You just have to know how to do it before it gets worse.

It is important to observe proper preventive measures because it can save lives not only for you but also for your family. Nothing bad can happen in a person’s life without putting your house on fire. So if you are not a victim of this horrific incident, check out the rest of this article for more fire safety advice.

The best way to avoid a fire is to reduce or eliminate the risk of fire in your area. In case of emergency, fire tactics should be done which you should be fully aware of. You should also inform all family members who are with you. That way, they won’t panic whenever an emergency occurs.

It helps to install fire alarms and smoke detectors in your home. These devices can help give you an early warning. There are different types that you can choose from. There are water sprinklers and fire extinguishers. For others, they thought these alarms were only for businesses. This is not entirely true; These can actually be installed in your home.

All electrical devices and applications should be plugged in to secure. Do not leave them in the still mode as they still use a small amount of energy. Check regularly to see if they are still in good condition. There are many times that electrical gadgets are already broken but still used can cause fatal events like fire. So don’t ignore the condition of your tools.

If there are no leaks, always check your gas tank and gas limit. You should monitor when the tank needs to be replaced and the gas controller installed correctly. This can be really dangerous as you can smell the leaking gas which is harmful to your health.

There may be plenty of fire safety tips that every family should consider. But regardless of what these preventive measures are, homeowners should not underestimate the importance of getting to know them. It is very important to learn how to stay away from dangers and how to prevent them from happening. Doing so will not only save your house from burning, but you will also save your family and family.

Smoke Damage to Your Contents

11/4/2020 (Permalink)

A fire can destroy your property and cause serious, irreversible damage. The flames move from one item to another, burning everything into ash. The heat created by the flames radiate, causing the surrounding items to crack, melt, and in some cases shatter. After the flames are put out, you have to deal with smoke damage.

If smoke damage is not addressed, it can devastate your home along with everything inside it. Smoke damage can even occur in rooms the fire never reached. For example, during wildfires, businesses and homes have been totally ruined just from the smoke while the building stayed untouched by the flames.

Even a small fire that is put out quickly may still cause smoke damage to the items inside. Also, smoke can impact your home’s structure. That is why cleaning up soot and smoke right away after a fire is so crucial. Smoke acts like an acid and can start to corrode many different materials if left too long.

If fire strikes a structure or home, or if you live near areas that are prone to wildfires, you must act fast to reduce the damage that occurs. Professional smoke damage restoration specialists can quickly assess the damage and create a customized mitigation plan to make sure your home is clear of all fire related damages.

What Can You Salvage?

The answer to this question depends on the extent of the damage and what something is made of. You also need to consider the cost of salvaging some items. You can work with a smoke damage specialist to figure out what items you should clean and which ones you should replace or discard.

How Will Smoke Impact Your Home?

Smoke affects materials in unique ways. Also, the type and temperature of the fire will result in different types of smoke damage through your home. One of the worst ways smoke can cause damage is if it gets into small crevices and cracks, since the particles are so small.

In fact, these issues often go undetected for a long time, leaving that lingering smell of smoke that may last for several months. The best way to remove the smell from your home is by removing or cleaning the affected items and to clean the building materials in the home with agents that are designed to remove the smell. Having this handled as quickly as possible will reduce the potential of cross-contamination.

How Quickly Do You Need to Act?

Time is something that is of the essence when you are talking about smoke damage. The sooner that you act, the more likely you will be to prevent serious damage. For example, there are some materials like porous items and synthetic fires that need intervention within hours of exposure to be saved.

5 Steps to Prepare Your Home for a Fire

10/28/2020 (Permalink)

  1. Test Your Alarms

Though your smoke alarms should inform you when they’re low on batteries, it doesn’t hurt to check them periodically. Test them once a month, and to err on the side of caution, replace their batteries at least once a year.

  1. Plan an Evacuation Route

This should be at the top of your fire preparation list. Identify all possible exits for each room in the home and make sure that each family member is aware of where those exits are. Designate a family meeting spot outside.

  1. Teach Your Children

If you have young children, show them what the fire alarm sounds like and advise them on what to do if they hear one. Inform them of evacuation routes as well.

  1. Plan a Way to Communicate

Put together an emergency contact list and make sure that all family members know who to contact if they cannot find one another. Have your young children memorize important phone numbers, beginning with 911.

  1. Practice

The best way to ensure that all family members know what to do in the event of an emergency is to practice. Host a fire drill every couple of months and devise different scenarios. In doing so, you can increase the odds that everyone knows what to do and how to escape in a real life emergency.

SERVPRO of Danville is here to help with any fire damage you may be dealing with! We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 925-856-8180.

The Invisible Impact of Smoke Damage

10/28/2020 (Permalink)

No property owner wants to experience a commercial building fire. The fire can be devastating, not only because of the damage the fire does but from the odor and discoloration the smoke leaves behind. Furthermore, while the building is closed, you can lose a great deal of money. However, before you hire a professional service in Danville, CA, to begin smoke cleaning, it can be important to understand exactly how the smoke damage can impact your building, your clients, and you.

Invisible Assailants

Although smoke can often be seen during a fire, the damage causing the lingering smoke odor can often be a result of components that are not always visible. These can include:

  • Invisible and toxic gasses can contaminate the air. These gases can include carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and phosgene. The gases can be a highly foul-smelling contribution to the smoke.
  • Particles of carbon called soot can cover the floors and walls. The fragments can float long distances from the fire and be deposited in unusual areas such as the cracks of bricks or under the heads of nails.
  • Vapors of poisonous smoke can look like mist. The gaseous droplets can be poisonous and can cover items in your building with contaminates.

Cover Particles

Signs of smoke are often evident after a fire. Black stains covering the walls and ceiling of some rooms, soot covered floors, and an unpalatable odor are often visible signs of pollution left behind by the fire. But the acrid smell that lingers for weeks after a fire is often caused by a cloud of invisible particles left over from the flames. That is why smoke cleaning can be a tedious and unpleasant job.

Timely Restoration

Removing the smoke damage that can be seen may be easily done by a fire restoration and smoke cleaning team. On the other hand, removing the often acrid and unpleasant odor left behind can be difficult even when using scientific means. Sadly, the longer the odor lingers, the more difficult it can become to remove it completely.

If you’re dealing with smoke, soot, or fire damage call SERVPRO of Danville at 925-856-8180.

Fire Prevention Month 2020

10/6/2020 (Permalink)

Fire Prevention Month

October is Fire Prevention Month! The goal of Fire Prevention Month (and week October 4th – 10th ) is to raise fire safety awareness, and help ensure your home and family has a plan and is ready for the unexpected. In 1922, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) named the second week of October Fire Prevention Week in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. Today, we celebrate Fire Prevention Week and Month by raising fire safety awareness and educating families, students and communities across the United States. During this month, fire departments provide education to their communities, and encourage parents and loved ones to practice fire safety and whole home safety.

The NFPA's 2020 campaign for Fire Safety Month is "Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen." At First Alert, we are proud to support their mission and this year’s theme to 'Be Ready for the Unexpected', especially while cooking. For Fire Safety Month this year, First Alert is urging families to improve their home’s safety. Be ready at home by installing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, as well as having fire extinguishers at home. First Alert is dedicated to helping protect what matters most because a home emergency can happen at any time, and we want to help you be ready.

Are You Ready at Home?

First Alert has been protecting homes and families since 1958. We urge you to practice whole home safety, so you and your family are ready for the unexpected this Fire Prevention Week and Month . Having functioning alarms installed throughout your home is the first line of defense for fire prevention. They work around the clock to provide your family an early alert in the event of an emergency, providing you time to safely escape. Smoke and CO alarms should be placed on every level of the home, including the basement, as well as inside and outside each bedroom. Fire extinguishers should also be placed on every level of the home, especially in the kitchen and garage.

Fire Safety for Kids

8/25/2020 (Permalink)

Fire safety

A home fire is a devastating event, and one that you never count on happening. Your children are most at risk when this disaster occurs. In fact, children under five are twice as likely as other people to die in a home fire. Tragically, many home fires are started by children playing with dangerous household items – especially lighters and matches. Taking sensible cautions in your home and teaching your child how to escape from a fire can help your family avoid this type of heartbreak.            

Prevent Your Child from Starting Fires

The U.S. Fire Administration estimates that 300 people are killed and $280 million in property is destroyed each year as the result of children playing with fire.

  • Keep matches, lighters and other ignitable substances in a secured location out of your child’s reach. Only use lighters with child-resistant features.
  • Invest in flameless candles. These candles contain a light bulb rather than an open flame, and take the danger out of your child knocking over a candle.
Help Your Child Survive a Fire
  • Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. 
  • Once a month check whether each alarm in the home is working properly by pushing the test button. 
  • Replace batteries in smoke alarms at least once a year. Immediately install a new battery if an alarm chirps, warning the battery is low.
  • Teach your children what smoke alarms sound like and what to do when they hear one.
  • Ensure that all household members know two ways to escape from every room of your home, and where to meet up outside..
  • Practice your fire escape plan at least twice a year and at different times of the day. Practice waking up to smoke alarms, low crawling and meeting outside. Make sure everyone knows how to call 9-1-1.
  • Emphasize “get out, stay out.” Only professional firefighters should enter a building that is on fire—even if other family members, pets or prized possessions are inside.
  • Use quick-release devices on barred windows and doors. Security bars without release devices can trap you in a deadly fire. If you have security bars on your windows, be sure one window in each sleeping room has a release device.
  • Consider getting escape ladders for sleeping areas on the second or third floor. Learn how to use them, and store them near the windows. 
  • Teach household members to STOP, DROP and ROLL if their clothes should catch on fire.

Pet Fire Safety

8/25/2020 (Permalink)

Protect you and your pets

Home fires are the most common disaster that the American Red Cross responds to – and also the most preventable.

  • The best way to protect your pets from the effects of a fire is to include them in your family plan. This includes having their own disaster supplies kit as well as arranging in advance for a safe place for them to stay if you need to leave your home.
  • When you practice your escape plan, practice taking your pets with you. Train them to come to you when you call.
  • In the event of a disaster, if you must evacuate, the most important thing you can do to protect your pets is to evacuate them, too. But remember: never delay escape or endanger yourself or family to rescue a family pet.

Prevent Your Pets from Starting Fires

The National Fire Protection Association estimates that nearly 1,000 home fires each year are accidentally started by the homeowners' pets. The American Kennel Club and ADT Security Services have joined forces to provide the following tips:

  • Extinguish Open Flames - Pets are generally curious and will investigate cooking appliances, candles, or even a fire in your fireplace. Ensure your pet is not left unattended around an open flame and make sure to thoroughly extinguish any open flame before leaving your home.
  • Remove Stove Knobs - Be sure to remove stove knobs or protect them with covers before leaving the house - a stove or cook top is the number one piece of equipment involved in your pet starting a fire.
  • Invest in Flameless Candles - These candles contain a light bulb rather than an open flame, and take the danger out of your pet knocking over a candle. Cats are notorious for starting fires when their tails turn over lit candles.
  • Secure Young Pets - keep them confined away from potential fire-starting hazards when you are away from home such as in crates or behind baby gates in secure areas.

Help Firefighters Help Your Pets

  • Keep pets near entrances when away from home. Keep collars on pets and leashes at the ready in case firefighters need to rescue your pet. When leaving pets home alone, keep them in areas or rooms near entrances where firefighters can easily find them.
  • Affix a pet alert window cling and write down the number of pets inside your house and attach the static cling to a front window. This critical information saves rescuers time when locating your pets. Make sure to keep the number of pets listed on them updated.

Avoiding House Fires 101

7/14/2020 (Permalink)

Your home is your safety net, that's why it's so scary to imagine anything happening to it. House fires take an average of 3,000 lives per year and we don't want you to become one of those statistics. Although you can't control everything, here are some tips to prevent house fires.

1. Test Your Smoke Alarms

Simple enough, yet so many households fail to check their alarms regularly. To test it, just press the little button on it. If the beep is weak, change it! Smoke alarms can be your best friend during sudden house fires. 

2. Inspect All Heating Sources

Malfunctioning heat sources can spark and cause a fire. Always clean your air filters, and make sure to dust around heat sources often. 

3. Keep Your Stove and Oven Clean

Keep a look out for towels, cookbooks, or clothing that's too close to your burners. Also, make sure to get all the food and crumbs out from underneath the burners. Those could also cause a sudden stove fire. 

4. Store Flammable Products Carefully

Keep any type of aerosol away from any heat sources. They could combust if they become too hot. Make sure you keep candles in a proper spot away from blankets and curtains as well. 

5. Always Have A Fire Extinguisher Handy

Everyone in your household should know where the extinguisher is, as well as know how to use it. 

Things happen, even if you try to prevent it. If a fire has damaged your home, don't forget to give us a call. 

How to Avoid a Cigarette Fire in Your Home

10/16/2019 (Permalink)

Though there are various reasons residential fires occur, cigarettes are one of the most common causes of home fires in Danville, CA.

Keep Ashtrays Outside

Properly extinguishing and disposing of cigarettes is often a helpful way to prevent a fire. Though many people keep ashtrays in their home, it can be wise to place your ashtray outside of your home if you want to decrease the chance of a fire occurring. If a cigarette isn’t properly extinguished, an ashtray fire can easily start in your home, especially if the ashtray is near flammable materials. Keeping an ashtray outside and away from flammable objects can be a useful way to keep your home safe.

Don’t Smoke When Sleepy

In order to reduce the likelihood of a cigarette fire in your home, it’s usually best not to smoke when you are tired. Many fires from cigarettes occur when a person is smoking on a sofa or bed and then they fall asleep. When asleep, it’s easy to drop a lit cigarette without noticing, and if the cigarette remains lit, mattresses, cushions, and other materials can quickly catch fire. Avoiding smoking when you’re tired is an easy way to decrease the chance of a home fire.

Smoke Outside

When a person smokes inside a home, a fire is often more like to occur. With so many flammable items in homes, setting a lit cigarette down momentarily can result in a fire. Homeowners whose homes have been damaged by fires may find it helpful to contact fire restoration experts. However, smoking outside of your house can help to prevent a home fire, eliminating the need for restoration and fire cleanup.

Instead of restoring your home after a fire, it’s generally easier and less time-consuming to take precautions to prevent a cigarette fire. Keeping ashtrays outside, not smoking when tired and only smoking outside are helpful ways to prevent a cigarette from causing a fire in your home.

Creating a Fire Evacuation Plan

10/16/2019 (Permalink)

Planning for a fire may not be something you want to think about, but for the safety of you and your family it is crucial to have a plan. If a fire does happen the pre-planning can make a huge difference in swiftly getting you and your family to safety.

Creating a Fire Evacuation Plan: 

  • Include everyone in planning: be sure to assign someone to help kids, pets, and elderly to safety if a fire occurs. If that assigned person is out of town assign a backup person.
  • Check smoke alarms: Be sure that smoke alarms are working and are properly placed in key areas. NFPA suggest that a smoke detector is placed in all sleeping rooms, outside each sleeping room and on every level of the home.
  • Keep Important Documents Safe: be sure to keep copies of identification cars and insurance cards in a fireproof safe, or have them uploaded to the cloud.

When creating a Fire Emergency Plan it is crucial to pre-plan what you will do to restore your property if there is damage. SERVPRO of Danville can help you in your planning efforts by outlining all of our services. No one plans for a disaster, but you can prepare! 

If you need help in restoring your property after a fire, our SERVPRO of Danville team will arrive and get to work restoring your home to preloss condition. We're available 24/7, 365 days a year, including holidays. (925) 856-8180. 

The Invisible Impact of Smoke Damage

10/15/2019 (Permalink)

No property owner wants to experience a commercial building fire. The fire can be devastating, not only because of the damage the fire does but from the odor and discoloration the smoke leaves behind. Furthermore, while the building is closed, you can lose a great deal of money. However, before you hire a professional service in Danville, CA, to begin smoke cleaning, it can be important to understand exactly how the smoke damage can impact your building, your clients, and you.

Invisible Assailants

Although smoke can often be seen during a fire, the damage causing the lingering smoke odor can often be a result of components that are not always visible. These can include:

  • Invisible and toxic gasses can contaminate the air. These gases can include carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and phosgene. The gases can be a highly foul-smelling contribution to the smoke.
  • Particles of carbon called soot can cover the floors and walls. The fragments can float long distances from the fire and be deposited in unusual areas such as the cracks of bricks or under the heads of nails.
  • Vapors of poisonous smoke can look like mist. The gaseous droplets can be poisonous and can cover items in your building with contaminates.

Cover Particles

Signs of smoke are often evident after a fire. Black stains covering the walls and ceiling of some rooms, soot covered floors, and an unpalatable odor are often visible signs of pollution left behind by the fire. But the acrid smell that lingers for weeks after a fire is often caused by a cloud of invisible particles left over from the flames. That is why smoke cleaning can be a tedious and unpleasant job.

Timely Restoration

Removing the smoke damage that can be seen may be easily done by a fire restoration and smoke cleaning team. On the other hand, removing the often acrid and unpleasant odor left behind can be difficult even when using scientific means. Sadly, the longer the odor lingers, the more difficult it can become to remove it completely.

If you’re dealing with smoke, soot, or fire damage call SERVPRO of Danville at 925-856-8180.

5 Steps to Prepare Your Home for a Fire

10/15/2019 (Permalink)

Test Your Alarms

Though your smoke alarms should inform you when they’re low on batteries, it doesn’t hurt to check them periodically. Test them once a month, and to err on the side of caution, replace their batteries at least once a year.

Plan an Evacuation Route

This should be at the top of your fire preparation list. Identify all possible exits for each room in the home and make sure that each family member is aware of where those exits are. Designate a family meeting spot outside.

Teach Your Children

If you have young children, show them what the fire alarm sounds like and advise them on what to do if they hear one. Inform them of evacuation routes as well.

Plan a Way to Communicate

Put together an emergency contact list and make sure that all family members know who to contact if they cannot find one another. Have your young children memorize important phone numbers, beginning with 911.

Practice

The best way to ensure that all family members know what to do in the event of an emergency is to practice. Host a fire drill every couple of months and devise different scenarios. In doing so, you can increase the odds that everyone knows what to do and how to escape in a real life emergency.

SERVPRO of Danville is here to help with any fire damage you may be dealing with! We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 925-856-8180.

Fires and the Residual Damage They Can Cause

10/14/2019 (Permalink)

When dealing with fire damage, there is more to be cleaned up than just what is affected by the flames.

Long after the flames are extinguished, soot and smoke left behind can continue damaging property and can give rise to other issues such as mold and rust as well. If left untreated, this damage can compound over time, becoming more difficult and costly to remediate.

If you’ve been affected by a fire, it is important to call your restoration team right away to prevent giving rise to other issues such as:

Mold Damage: After a fire, affected areas are often left without any artificial or natural lighting. If the fire was doused with water or set off a sprinkler system, this creates mold’s ideal environment to thrive. Mold can quickly begin growth on almost any surface, leading to discoloration and damages to items and structures.

Corrosion and Rust Damage: Rust and corrosion might not be the first thing you think of when you consider fire damage, but water left untreated on small electronics can cause it to develop and greatly increase the risk for short-circuits or electrical shock.

Soot Damage: Soot is the most common form of carbon byproduct that materials produce when they burn. Most home and commercial fires consist of multiple burned materials, leading to soot that is highly acidic. This acid can cause damage to nearly any surface it comes into contact with, with porous or textured surfaces being the most at-risk. Any soot allowed to remain in the affected area can lead to the damage of carpets, walls and unburnt portions of the house. The longer the soot is allowed to sit, the more unlikely the damage can be reversed.

Questions to Help You Find a Fire Restoration Company

Finding a fire restoration company that you can trust to restore your home to pre-damaged conditions is difficult if you are unsure what to look for. These questions are worth taking the time to ask as you shop around:

  • Will they fully clean and sanitize the area to prevent mold growth?
  • Do they use industrial-grade air scrubbers to remove odors?
  • Do they have a Master Fire Restorer on staff?
  • Can they do all levels of restoration, from cosmetic to construction?

If you’ve been affected by a fire, know that SERVPRO of Danville hits all the above qualifications and more. Contact us today to learn how we’re able to make it “Like it never even happened.” (925) 856-8180.

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