How To Remove Smoke Odor After a Fire

7/20/2022 (Permalink)

Our team of restoration professionals at SERVPRO of Scottsdale North is trained to handle any size fire damage event.

How to Get Rid of Smoke Odors After a Fire

A fire can cause quite a bit of damage to your Mesa Grande, AZ, home. While smoke may not seem as obviously damaging as flames, it can still affect your house in a variety of ways. One problem that many homeowners have after a fire is a lingering odor. The smoke cleaning process uses multiple steps to remove any bad smells that might remain.

1. Clean Hard Surfaces

During a fire, smoke and soot travel throughout the building and form a film on walls, floors and other surfaces. Because hard surfaces are not easy to penetrate, cleaning them takes less time and effort. A rag and cleaning solution is often enough to get them back to their previous condition.

2. Clean or Remove Belongings With Smoke Damage

Cloth and other soft materials can easily absorb smoke which causes them to hold onto odors. Anything that cannot be restored through smoke cleaning may need to be thrown out and replaced. For smaller items, a cycle or two through the washing machine could be enough to remove the smell. Larger belongings, like furniture, may need to be dry cleaned.

3. Purify the Air

While cleaning the house and affected items will remove a lot of the smoke odor, this might not be enough to get rid of it entirely. A professional fire damage remediation service has access to equipment like ozone machines and air scrubbers that remove particles in the air that are contributing to the odor.

Cleaning and repairing your home after a fire can be a stressful and frustrating experience, particularly if you are dealing with lingering odors even after repairs. Smoke cleaning is an important step in the restoration process that can help you feel more at home in your house again. If you are unable to remove these smells on your own, there are professionals who can get the job done more easily.

3 Reasons Your Fire Alarm Might Be Beeping

6/8/2022 (Permalink)

The most common reason for a fire alarm to beep is because the battery is running low or not installed correctly.

Three Reasons Why Your Fire Alarm Is Beeping

A chirping smoke alarm in your Scottsdale, AZ, home is an annoyance. However, you never want to ignore the beeping because your alarm either needs some maintenance or something is causing it to malfunction. Here are three reasons your fire alarm might be beeping. 

1. Environmental Conditions
If your alarm continually beeps, despite your efforts to stop the noise, try moving it. Residential alarms aren't made to withstand excessive levels of steam, condensation, or humidity. Place the alarm in an area away from an HVAC register or ceiling fan to keep unnecessary air movement from interfering with the alarm's sensors. Avoid placing the alarm in a room with large temperature fluctuations. Smoke alarms work best when the room is between 40 degrees and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. If the alarm sustained smoke damage from a fire, always replace it instead of reusing it. 

2. Old Fire Alarm
Smoke alarms are rated to last for seven to 10 years. So, if your alarm won't stop beeping, you could need to replace it. Every alarm has a date code stamped on the back that tells you when it was manufactured. It's essential to replace old alarms instead of continuing to use them. After some time, the alarm could stop working without you realizing it, and it wouldn't alert you if a fire happened. You could then face tremendous fire damage and hefty fees from fire restoration specialists. 

3. Battery Problems
The most common reason for a fire alarm to beep is because the battery is running low or not installed correctly. If you've changed the battery and still hear a chirp, verify that you're using the correct type of battery for your alarm and that it is firmly snapped into place. Close the battery door and ensure that you hear a click telling you it is closed completely. 

When you place alarms in the right spots, keep the batteries changed, and replace them as necessary, smoke alarms are always a valuable tool to have on hand.