Carrara Companies Cleaning & Restoration Services Blog

Electronic Restoration & Data Restoration Made Simple

After a disaster, either from fire or water, many items can be restored. The key to proper recovery is a quick response. The longer the equipment remains wet or covered in soot, increases the potential for the damage to amplify. Once the damage has occurred, only a qualified restoration company should handle the equipment.

Equipment affected from water damage is at risk from rust and corrosion. The type of corrosion depends on how the equipment is handled after the damage. For instance, if the equipment is powered on before it has been properly restored; there is the potential for electrolytic corrosion. This happens when electricity passes through wet circuit boards, and will damage the equipment. The equipment must be disassembled, cleaned, and completely dried in a baking oven at 110 degrees for up to eight to ten hours.

Equipment affected from fire or smoke damage may be handled similarly, however soot settling on the equipment causes additional hazards. Since soot is naturally acidic, this acid will eat way the metal finishes and erode the connectors, ultimately causing the electronics to fail. Another consideration of damage from a fire is if the equipment was affected by direct heat. This could cause smaller components of the equipment to melt.

Once the equipment is has been properly restored, ensure the company doing the restoration tests it to ensure it is working. Even before the restoration company has restored the equipment, there is still a chance it was rendered inoperable before the restoration began.

Make sure you also know your insurance policy, and if any electronics are not covered. Many times people purchase an expensive electronic and not adjusting their insurance policy to ensure it is covered. Also be sure to let both your insurance company and the restoration company know before the process begins if any equipment is under warranty.

Kitchen Fire Safety 101

Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires in the United States, causing more than 480 deaths per year and causing more than 900 million in property damage. Grease fires are the main culprits of home fires and if left alone your entire kitchen could go up in a matter of minutes.

In a case of an emergency, would you know how to handle a grease fire?

Here are the do's and don'ts

Do:

• Do use a dry chemical extinguisher (class ABC fires) which is design to put out a grease fire in seconds
• Do keep fire extinguisher readily accessible
• Do focus on putting the fire out at the base of the fire
• Do carefully put baking soda on the flames
• Do place a lid on the pan and turn off the heat
• Do leave the lid on, trying to remove the lid while still hot could restart the fire. 

Don't

• Don't leave food cooking on an unattended stove
• Don't disable a smoke alarm while cooking
• Don't use water to put out the flames, water could cause the flames to double in size instantly
• Don't throw on a wet towel.  This could cause grease to splatter causing more wide spread flames
• Don't use a water base extinguisher this will only intensify the flames

Other key points:

• Trying to remove the pan from the heat could result in bodily harm
• Studies show that 42 percent of people who have died in cooking fires were asleep.
• Remember, if the fire has already spread beyond the cooking pan, leave immediately and call 911 from a neighbor's house.

Eliminate Fire Damage Restoration by Cooking Outdoors Safely

Cookouts are a summer time favorite among Americans and one of the most popular ways to cook food! During the many cookout festivities people forget about how dangerous a grill can be if precautions are not taken.  Approximately 7,900 house fires occur each year due to a grilling accident, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in fire damage restoration. We would like you to enjoy your summer with multiple cookouts, please remember these safety tips:

• Grilling is for outdoors!! Keep your propane and charcoal BBQ grills outside.
• Keep your grill well away from the home, deck railings, and out from under the eaves and overhanging tree branches.
• Keep children and pets away from the grill area.
• Never leave the grill unattended while you are cooking.
• Keep your grill clean from excess buildup grease and fat in the trays.

For charcoal grills:

• Never mix charcoal lighter fluid with any other flammable liquids.
• When finished grilling let the coals completely cool before dispensing into a metal container.

For propane grills:

• Check the hoses each year for leaks by using a soapy water mixture. (bubbles indicate a leak)
• If you smell gas while cooking immediately shut off the burners and get away from the grill and call the fire department. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MOVE THE GRILL.

Smoke Odor Removal after a Fire

The remnants of a fire may linger long after the fire department has left. Soot and smoke damage remain, in addition to the damage actually caused by the fire, and it's important to recognize both as separate hazards when restoration is the next step in recovery.

Soot is a visible, oily substance, which stains easily. Smoke is the invisible threat, which intrudes into all portions of the home, and may remain if not properly addressed. Here are some basic things you should be aware of:

• Insurance Coverage: Odds are if you own a home, you have fire insurance coverage. It is a good idea to know exactly what the coverage entails before a fire incident occurs.
• Professional Results: Many websites offer do-it-yourself methods for removing smoke. Most are for cigarette smoke, but little are effective when properly removing smoke after a fire. A company who deals with professional restoration after a fire is usually the best option.
• Reputation: The professional you hire should know what they are doing, and have a reputable record of accomplishment with success. Some companies are highly recommended, while others seem to do only what they must and care little about the result.
• Trapped Odor: Smoke, like sand, seems to get into everything. The negative air space, which is the air trapped within your walls, is the most common hiding spot. Thermal fogging removes the trapped smoke from porous materials, such as wood, and is the most effective. A sealant will be used for air ducts, and there is no way to effectively clean them, and prevent the odor from returning. In the attic, insulation replacement is required as there is no way to remove the odor.
• Carpeting: In most cases, replacing the carpet and padding is best. For some lighter incidents, cleaning the carpet before and after the restoration project removes the odor.
• Clothing & Furniture: Ozone treatment offers the most thorough advantages, with the best results. The deodorization produces an oxidizing agent, which breaks down the smoke at a molecular level. Dry cleaning is recommended for best cleaning, but deodorization needs completed first to ensure the odor is not set into the fabric.
• Not eco-friendly: Unfortunately, there is not a restoration or removal method, which is completely friendly to the environment. Both soot and smoke permeate what they are exposed to, and natural ventilation and the hottest water goes only so far.
• Phantom Smell: Sometimes long after the fire, you trick yourself into thinking the odor remains. Ask someone to verify the odor is actually gone, and allow yourself to heal from the experience.

Properly trained fire restoration professionals have the knowledge and training to effectively remove the smoke damage. Once you contact your insurance agent and get the process started, all parties will work with you to get you back on your feet and back into your home.

Carrara Conducts Major Restoration Services for Cleveland-Area School in Record Time

During the last weekend of March, Carrara Companies was chosen to conduct major restoration services at the Warrensville Heights Middle School, in Warrensville Heights, Ohio. On the morning of March 26, 2009, a fire started in the pantry, which quickly spread to the kitchen, servery, and cafeteria. Approximately 92,000 square feet of the building was covered in soot, and overcome by odor from the fire.

With the assistance and sacrifice of many, Carrara Companies was able to complete the restoration services in a record time of four days. “The amount of time and energy put into a project like this, by all involved, was simply incredible,” says Justin Sucato, Carrara Companies President. “Everyone of our guys sacrificed their time to ensure the kids of this school could return to a healthy and safe learning environment.”

For more information about the project, you can read about it in our quarterly newsletter here. And, sign up for our eClub newsletter for more stories about Carrara Companies.