Fire and smoke damage in a Philadelphia home

• Over 50 thousand fires occur in our Greater Philadelphia region every year? (In 2011 the fire department of Philadelphia responded to 47,926 fires!)
• More fires occur in the Fall and Winter than any other time of the year?(increased use of candles, space heaters, and cooking are the usual suspects)

And did you also know that for every fire in our region there are a LOT of enterprising business people using police scanners to locate the victims?

These folks are called “fire chasers.”
 

Where will we sleep tonight Mommy?

The businesses using the police scanners to locate victims of fires are hoping to capitalize on the sale by getting the property owners to “sign on” with them when they are at their most vulnerable.

From a sales point of view, this is an extremely effective tactic.

When people have experienced the devastation and loss of a fire in their home or business, they are usually in a state of shock – and at their most needy.
For the “fire chasers,” it’s a great time to get a new customer.

So what’s wrong with “fire chasers?”
The victims of a fire intuitively know they need help. They know it will take time, effort, and money to return their property to pre-loss condition.
And, they just want it to be “all better” – as quickly as possible.

Fire damage to this Philadelphia home gets help from PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services

But, in their panic and shock, with the pressure from the fire chasers, they may make decisions they will regret later. The “it’s now or never” pressure that “fire chasers” put on victims of fire damage often causes the victims to sign contracts before they’re ready.

The pressure exerted to “hurry up” makes it difficult for the property owner to do research and properly vet the company that’s putting them under pressure.

So, what can you do?

Who can you trust?

Vetting fire damage restoration companies

First of all, you need to know that PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services NEVER chases fires! We find that practice unethical, because the pressure to make a decision increases the suffering of the victims at a very difficult time.

We wait to be called in by you, or by your insurance company.

Second, while there is always a sense of urgency after fire in a home or business, there is plenty of time for you to stop, catch your breath, and do some research.

The best research starts with asking questions.
And your insurance agent (not the 800 number!) is the best place to start because your agent is more familiar with local companies who do good work than the anonymous operators at the other end of an 800 number!

Ask your insurance agent who you can trust to do a good job at a fair price – and don’t be surprised if they recommend PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services!

Emergency board up services protect this Philadelphia property from weather damage after a fire

Emergency Board up services save fire damaged properties from weather damage and looting

Our company will help you by:

• securing your home against additional damage from wind, weather or looting with emergency board up services

• drying the property from the water used to put out the fire - before mold can grow

• working with your insurance company adjuster to estimate the cost of the damage

• cleaning the fire, smoke and soot damage so repairs and reconstruction can begin

• packing out, deodorizing, cleaning, and storing household items until the property is ready

• moving the cleaned and stored items back into your property when repairs are completed

And remember, our local American Red Cross is notified every time there is a fire in our region. So if you need help in the form of temporary shelter, food, and clothing, they’re here for you!

So, if you have a fire in your home or business, please don’t make hasty decisions. Let the American Red Cross assist you, and take your time making decisions.

For more information and a guide for what to do after a fire please consult the FEMA guide:

FEMA Guidelines to down load

Click here to download the FEMA Guidelines: After the Fire

Kitchen fires happen – the most common cause of household fires

The fire started in the kitchen when the homeowner went into another room – “just for a second.”

Where the fire went – up and out of the kitchen

The fire was contained to the first floor, and everyone was able to get out safely, so thankfully there were no injuries to the residents of the home.

However, the water damage in the basement left by the fire fighters who put the fire out was extensive – as well as the smoke damage to the contents throughout the home.

Smoke damage from the kitchen fire in the bathroom on the other side of the house

What made things worse were the piles and piles of belongings throughout the home. Every room of the home was filled with clutter!

Smoke damage throughout the house – even in the bedrooms

To add insult to injury, the homeowner had several cats who had decided that the piles of clutter in the basement were fair game to use as a litter box.

Piles of children’s books and papers in the basement now ruined by the water used to put out the fire

So, now, not only was the home damaged with fire, smoke and water, the contents in the basement were infested with fleas and cat feces. . . .

And, you can only imagine the smell!

Before we could even begin to do the smoke and fire remediation, we had to call in an exterminator.

Precious possessions now burned – somewhere in this pile are several Coach® handbags

The saddest part was that the owner of this home had a beautiful collection of Coach® handbags she had received as gifts from friends and family members.

Because the Coach® collection was mixed in with all of her other belongings, many of them were destroyed by the water the fire fighters used to put out the fire, and the smoke that permeated everything in the home.

We were able to help her by getting her home clean, dry and sanitized and we cleaned the undamaged items so they could be moved back into the home.

But, it took several months for all the work to be completed.

And, the homeowner lost many of her cherished belongings – including several of her cherished Coach® handbags.

So here are the top 8 reasons that just might motivate you to do some Fall cleaning and de-clutter your home right now:

1. The first and most important reason to de-clutter your home now: Piles of books, papers, and clothing on the floor are a fire hazard because they make exiting from a burning home safely much harder. Keep your home safe for you and your loved ones and de-clutter now so nobody trips and falls if they need to make a fast exit from your home!

2. Second, the cost of cleaning water and fire damaged homes increases with the amount of “stuff” you have because there’s so much more work to do.

Yes, your homeowner’s insurance policy will cover the cost of damages and restoration after a fire.

But, if you have a fire, it will take a lot longer to get back into your home after the remediation is complete because all the contents have to be cleaned off-site.

What that means is that the contents have to be packed out, each item individually cleaned by hand, then treated for smoke damage, and then re-packed to be moved back into the home after the remediation and repairs have been completed.

Do you really want to wait months for something to be cleaned and de-odorized and moved back into your home when you just don’t care about it anymore?

3. The third reason you want to de-clutter now: As with our Haddonfield, NJ homeowner with the Coach® handbag collection, the loss of precious personal belongings goes way up when there is smoke and water damage to a home that has suffered a fire.

Remember: In a home that suffers a fire, valuable items that are mixed in with items that no longer have any meaning for you might sometimes end up getting discarded.

4. Fourth, basement clutter, more than clutter in any other room, increases the chance that toxic mold will grow because there’s a decrease in the amount of air circulation. Decreased air circulating the in the basement increases the chance that moisture will be trapped in and among the clutter. Stagnant air in your basement will feed mold growth – and that’s even without a significant water damage event like a sewage backup, a sump pump failure or fire water damage.

5. The fifth reason you want to de-clutter now: Insurance Adjusters are only human. When they see a fire and water damaged home that is well maintained – clean and tidy – it’s a sign to them that the owners care about their property and their belongings. If the home is cluttered and dirty, it’s harder for the adjuster to place a value on the contents of the home. And, while there is estimating software that helps adjusters place value on fire and water damaged homes, it’s a much harder judgment call to estimate the damage to the contents. It’s not possible for an insurance adjuster to understand the meaningful or sentimental attachment you might have to some of your belongings if your home contains a lot of other things that no longer matter to you.

6. Sixth, de-cluttering now can save you money. There are some tax advantages (albeit small) to donating your unused belongings – housewares, clothing, toys. All you have to do is save your receipt when you donate and report it on your income tax return. If these items are sitting in your basement, don’t you think they could be put to better use for someone in need?

7. Seventh, if you plan to down-size later in life to a smaller residence, the move will be a lot easier if you “de-junkify” now. Why wait?

8. The eighth reason to de-clutter now: If you have adult children, it will be much easier for them to manage your estate after you pass if they don’t have to sort through items that have no meaning for them. If you love your children, you can save them undue physical and emotional hardship with the simple solution of de-cluttering now.

While we specialize in compassionate and caring treatment of fire and water damaged homes, we also hope that you never have to experience this kind of loss. And,thankfully, the statistics for fires in the homes in our region have been decreasing steadily for the past several years.

But, if you, or someone you love needs help recovering from the loss of a fire, call the fire damage remediation experts at PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services 877-750-7876. We can help you sort out, clean out, and move back in after fire, water and smoke damages your home. That’s why we’ve earned the reputation as The Paramedics of Property Damage ® So give us a call. You’ll be glad you did!

The grease fire that damaged this home in Riverside, NJ was started by a teenager making popcorn

Several years ago we were referred by an insurance agent to help a homeowner in Riverside, New Jersey.

It seems the homeowner’s teenage son was making popcorn on the stove and used too much oil.

The oil burst into flames, consuming the pot in fire.

Panicking and not knowing what to do, the poor kid poured water on the flames.

This teenager was really lucky!

Instantly, the fire turned into an explosive fireball, shot up over the kid’s head and melted the window blinds on the other side of the room.

Thankfully, the kid wasn’t hurt – it was almost as if he was in a protective bubble (or his guardian angels were working overtime!).

But, the kitchen, as well as the rest of the home was now filled with grease and soot.

Greasy Soot from the fire covers the ceiling – and everything else

So here’s a short list of 11 things you DON’T want to do if you have a grease fire in your kitchen:

Not only will the water not extinguish the fire, it will cause the burning oil to explode. Water, being heavier than grease, sinks to the bottom of the fire.
Instantly it becomes superheated and the explosive force of the steam shoots the burning oil up and out.
As in the case of our teenager, inside the small confines of a kitchen, the fireball hit the ceiling shot up over his head and started a fire on the window blinds on the other side of the room.

Turn off the burner – the fire might just get extinguished on it’s own

One cup of either of these can create the explosive force of two sticks of dynamite.
Instead use baking soda – or even better use salt!
Baking soda puts out fires by releasing carbon dioxide and smothering the fire, but if the fire is really violent, the fire creates convection that pulls in enough oxygen to offset the smothering effect. Salt, on the other hand, is a great absorber of heat for its volume. It sucks so much heat out of the grease that it simply can’t support combustion anymore.

The extinguisher you want is a Halon extinguisher or some Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) extinguisher. Check to make sure that the one in your kitchen (or the one you’re likely to use) is the right kind – today – before you have to use it.

And be careful! Standing in front of a pan full of grease and shooting it with a pressurized fire extinguisher will obviously spread it all over the place.
So stand back and remember it will probably take longer than you’d expect.

Trying to carry a pot or pan full of burning oil will just slosh and splash the grease fire.

Only professional fire fighters are trained to know when the fire is really out. It’s not really something you want to doubt!

After the firefighters have left, it may seem like the danger has passed and the home is safe from further destruction. But without professional help to clean the fire, smoke and soot damage, your home will never return to normal.

While the principles behind cleaning up after a grease fire are straightforward, it takes a lot of experience and manpower to do it the right way to protect your home and family. And this means that fire damage restoration shouldn’t be attempted by a homeowner on his or her own.

PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services is an IICRC Clean Trust Certified Firm!

But what you shouldn’t do before calling us if you’ve had a grease fire:

Homeowners who try to clean these surfaces only cause the odor, soot, and smoke to set permanently.

Smoke and soot can contain carcinogenic materials so special cleaning processes must be used to make them safe again.

Appliances need to be examined – and cleaned – by a licensed and trained repair technician.

Smoke and soot damage must be cleaned with a special process in order to remove carcinogens that may have been generated by the fire.

Time is of the essence! Within hours after the fire is out, smoke and soot start to degrade metal, plastic, carpet and even glass. The longer smoke and soot remain on these surfaces in the home, the more damage they can do and the more expensive it is to fix. Call PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services at 877-750-7876 as soon as the firemen leave and certify that the home is safe. We can begin the process of fire damage restoration so you can be sure it’s done right.

NFPA Fire Prevention Week

I love the Fall – cooler weather means it’s more comfortable to cook and enjoy the fruits of the harvest. Roasted chicken, squash, potatoes and pies all seem to fit better into the scheme of things in the Fall. But, as more people return to their kitchens at this time of the year, there’s an increased risk of kitchen fires. That’s why this year’s NFPA theme is “Prevent Kitchen Fires”. And their site is replete with common sense tips to avoid tragedy.

But, as I read through the tips, I realized that as much as I like cooking, I think I’ve been busted on almost all the tips.

Ever put water on for a cup of tea and get distracted?

• Have you ever used the timer function on your oven to start cooking the meal before you got home from work so the meal would be hot and ready when you got there? . . . busted!
• Have you ever put water on to boil for a cup of tea, then walked out of the room to quickly perform some other task and gotten distracted so the water boiled away leaving a yucky mess in the bottom of the kettle? . . . busted!
• Have you ever had a greasy meal boil over on the stove that started a grease fire when you weren’t looking? . . .busted!
• Have you ever put eggs on to boil and forgotten them – only to be reminded minutes later with an awful smell of burnt sulfur that they’re more than done? . . . busted!
• Have you ever had your clothes catch on fire because you leaned over the gas stove with a loose fitting shirt? . . . busted!

I think the only one I haven’t been busted on is the one about kids and turning the handles of pots and pans to the back of the stove.

I guess that’s why we all need the NFPA reminders spelled out in detail in my previous post. . . all common sense, but reading through them reminds me that I’m an idiot sometimes . . .

I know these rules – I’ve been cooking since I was 8.
And, thankfully none of my idiot moves ended up in fire damage to my person, my kitchen or my home. And thank goodness my multitasking in the kitchen never caused my kids to get burned. The smoke damage and the smell from these mini fires, now that’s a different matter. Good thing I know what to do about that too. One could say it’s given me good practice in successful smoke damage remediation . . .

But, the point is, even when we like to cook, even when we’re good at it, the temptation is so strong to put something on the stove and walk away while we wait. There are distractions everywhere, but the biggest one is in our heads.

And, what’s really interesting is a search on “multitasking” and “fire” brings up all sorts of links discussing the Kindle Fire and the multitasking feature on that device. So, we’re being conditioned to be idiots by our technology! And, there are multiple research articles available that discuss how multitasking is bad for our brains and bodies. But, we still do it . . .

So the biggest message from this year’s NFPA campaign is slow down! When you’re cooking, it takes time. So accept it, stay with it, enjoy it . . . and avoid being a sometime idiot like me!

NFPA Fire Prevention Week

October 6-12, 2013 has been designated by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) as Fire Prevention Week, and this year’s theme is ‘Prevent Kitchen Fires.’ During this year’s fire safety campaign, we’re helping to spread the word to the communities in Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey area about the dangers of kitchen fires – most of which are caused by unattended cooking.

This kitchen fire resulted in a total loss of the home

According to the latest NFPA research, cooking is the leading cause of home fires: Two out of every five home fires begin in the kitchen – more than any other place in the home – and they’re also the leading cause of home fire-related injuries.

Often when the fire department is called to a fire that started in the kitchen, the residents say that they only left the kitchen for a few minutes. Sadly, that’s all it takes for a fire to start. Below are safety tips that the NFPA would like everyone to remember and implement.

• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, broiling, or boiling food. If you must leave the room, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove. When you’re baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, stay in the home, and use a timer to remind you when it’s done.
• When it comes to grease fires on the stove, always just put a lid on it and turn off the heat – and have a box of baking soda nearby to quench the flames outside the pan.

This used to be a refrigerator before the kitchen fire . . .

• If you have young children, use the stove’s back burners whenever possible – and keep the handles of pots and pans on the stove turned away from the front. Anyone who’s had children knows they’re always curious – and toddlers have a tendency to reach up and pull pots down onto themselves. So, the goal is to keep children and pets at least three (3) feet away from the stove whenever possible.
• When you cook, wear clothing with tight-fitting sleeves – and, if you have long hair make sure you keep it pulled back.
• Keep potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper and plastic bags, towels, and anything else that can burn, away from your stove top.
• Know where your fire extinguisher is and make sure everyone in the family knows how to use it.

Most of these tips are common sense. And thankfully most of the time, people remember them so the incidence of fires has actually decreased over the last 50 years in our area.

What happens when a kitchen grease fire gets out of hand

But, everyone gets distracted sometimes.
In our current age of the multitasking epidemic, these tips are easily forgotten, so fires continue to be a problem – and the need for professional fire damage restoration.
And that’s where PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services comes in! We’ve helped dozens of families in our Greater Philadelphia area recover after devastating fires in their homes with successful fire, water and smoke damage restoration. With our understanding, compassion and professionalism, we can help families suffering from the shock of a kitchen fire recover their sense of home and safety by mitigating the damage.

So if you, or someone you know needs help cleaning up after fire damage – no matter what the source – give us a call at 877-750-7876 as soon as possible so we can help you get back to normal as quickly as possible.

Memorial Day, May 27, 2013           

For all those who made the ultimate sacrifice . . .
We remember

 In remembering our heroes, we honor the great sacrifices made for the dreams of every American. 

May we never forget their strength, courage, and profound willingness to stand up and defend our way of life.

We hope this important holiday finds you and your family well and inspires you to reach for your dreams.

  Remember PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services for all your property damage restoration needs:

fire, flood, water, storm damage, sewage, mold, smoke, crime scene or unattended death scene clean-up – we’re there for you!

We never take a vacation and we promise a 2 hour response time – even on holiday weekends!

And, for every job referred to us this weekend,

we’re donating $20 to the American Red Cross disaster relief efforts in Oklahoma to help  the victims of the tornadoes.  

For Emergency Services this holiday weekend call 877-750-7876

Smoke damage from fires causes corrosion of faucets and tubs

If you do have a fire at your property, whether it’s a home or business, here’s a quick check list of do’s and don’ts:
1. DO: Contact your insurance company and agent immediately

Professional smoke damage mitigation at it’s best!

1. DON’T: clean or paint walls – cleaning can cause the soot and smoke to set permanently.
2. DON’T: clean carpets or upholstery as these items may contain carcinogenic materials from the fire. A special process must be used to return these items to a safe condition.
3. DON’T: clean or repair electrical appliances – they need to be examined by a licensed and trained repair technician.
4. DON’T: launder or dry clean clothing. Smoke damage must be cleaned with a special process in order to remove carcinogens that may have been generated by the fire.
5. DON’T: turn on ceiling fixtures or electrical lights until a licensed electrician has been able to inspect the property.
6. DON’T: enter rooms where ceilings may be sagging due to a build-up of water.

By taking these steps after fire and smoke damage to your property, you can begin the process of recovery!

Recently our company was called out to do fire damage restoration services at a home in Philadelphia.

When we arrived, the fire department was just leaving, after having satisfied themselves that the building was no longer at risk for burning.

What we found inside was daunting.

Every room in this small home was filled with “stuff.” But, when I say filled, I mean from the floor to the ceiling in every room, including the bathroom.
Piles and piles and stacks of stuff – discards from daily living: Pizza boxes, soda bottles, opened cans food, books, papers, magazines, and clothing. All of this mixed in with pet toys, pet excrement, and pet odor. . . . So much “stuff” that there was no place to walk except through narrow 18 inch pathways to and from each room.

We had been called out to the home of a hoarder.

We did what we do best: assisting the homeowner with caring and compassion.

We took the time to educate them about the process of the cleanup and the steps we were going to take to bring the property back to habitable conditions:
trash out, debris removal, heavy duty cleaning, deodorizing, and sanitizing.

Unfortunately, our work is only the first step.

Rehabilitating the home by completely clearing the debris and cleaning, deodorizing, sanitizing and repairing the structure will only return it to use by the homeowner.

After the crisis of clean up, a new life can begin, but only if the residents will seek rehabilitation as well so that the hoarding problem doesn’t come home with them when they move back in.

Because hoarding has become such a problem in our region, and because of our commitment to being part of the solution for the problem of hoarding, PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services has listed organizations and treatment professionals in the Greater Philadelphia area who specialize in assisting hoarders and their families.

BB’s Clutter Solutions, LLC
Barbara Berman
www.bb-clutter-solutions.com
856-912-0077