Archived Fire Damage Blog Posts

Skilled Fire Damage Help for Glastonbury Residents

Name: SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
Telephone: (860) 633-8791

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

When smoke, soot, and fire harm your Glastonbury home, call SERVPRO to make it "Like it never even happened."

SERVPRO® Offers Fire Damage Cleanup in Glastonbury 24/7

Disruption in your home or business is added stress nobody wants. However, these emotions and stress levels multiply when a fire is involved. Never act hastily by attempting DIY cleanup of fire-damaged homes, as this can worsen matters. Instead, calling skilled fire and smoke restoration technicians (FSRT) from SERVPRO gets fast, effective results. All our technicians are trained and certified to address fire damage situations, providing the attention to detail that all Glastonbury property owners deserve. Once we finish the project, it will be “Like it never even happened.”

Urgency is Vital with All Fire-Related Restorations

Once you contact us for help with fire damage in Glastonbury, it sets a chain of events in motion. With your call to our customer care team, we gather all the necessary information about the fire that took place and your property and determine if there is any unique need that must get addressed. We are ready to go for all commercial and residential calls within hours of your call. Our rapid response and entry as soon as emergency crews clear your building help us get the results you deserve.

Structural Safety and Fire and Smoke Mitigation

Part of beginning any project means determining the best course of action. With this, we must also ensure that your building is safe for the team to get to work. Our crew chief considers several factors when planning your project, including:

Possible hazards – We consider structural safety, including charred joists, damaged floors, overhead hazards, and all supporting materials.
Power – During cleanup and restoration, power usually gets turned off to avoid electrical dangers. We bring backup power units to run our equipment as needed.
Toxins/chemicals – If your fire zone includes any cleaning agents and other chemicals (usually at a commercial facility or residential garage), we take the proper precautions.

How are Smoke and Soot Handled?

All surfaces must get assessed and carefully addressed, even if the project gets cleaned up after a small kitchen fire. Soot and smoke residue can vary depending on burned materials, accelerants, air currents, etc. We take a look at all impacted materials and the soot residue present.

Fast-burning fires will often generate powdery soot.
Slow-burning fires sometimes put out sticky, wet smoke residue.

SERVPRO technicians have various wet or dry cleaning options to generate quality results. We always work to repair versus replace whenever possible to salvage unburnt wood, textiles, carpeting, and other materials.

It is important to note that all smoke residue that does not get adequately cleaned can bring on continued/secondary damage. These are some things that our IICRC-certified technicians keep in mind when selecting cleaning and deodorization measures:

Rapid action allows us to keep pungent smoke odors from lingering and further permeating porous materials.
Typical by-products of fire, soot, and smoke lead to corrosion and discoloration of building materials and contents.
We must address smoke particles that can lead to material damage, but there are also possible health effects.

Our crew wears personal protective equipment (PPE) during remediation and reconstruction. Our PPE generally includes coveralls, boots, gloves, respirators, and gloves. Foot coverings also limit the number of soils tracked from one building area to the next.

What if There is Moisture in My Home After the Fire?

SERVPRO knows that water removal services and fire restoration often go hand-in-hand. We promptly address any standing water or chemicals left by first responders putting out the fire. We then use moisture detection tools to ensure nothing gets left behind during the restoration project that could turn into further damage or mold growth.

When you require fire damage restoration assistance, SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield is here to help®. Call us at (860) 633-8791 or request help online.

We are here to help®!

When You Need a Fire Damage Restoration Team in East Glastonbury

8/22/2022 (Permalink)

Let your local SERVPRO of Glastonbury / Wethersfield professionals resolve your fire damage problems.

How Fire Damage Restoration Protects Your Family

Disasters like house fires happen continually, but preparing for them is difficult. Protecting your family from the long-lasting effects means having a qualified fire damage restoration team near your East Glastonbury house. SERVPRO® fits that description, and we have the skilled individuals to carry out the tasks.

When smoke and soot residues, a charred interior, and possibly unsafe flooring exist in your East Glastonbury home, our fire damage restoration experts work together to undo the damage. We want your family to feel safe again. Our training and experience ensure we know how to use our equipment to its maximum potential, providing your family with the most cost-effective response possible.

Fire damage restoration resolves several problems, including:

Soiling of surfaces with soot and other by-products from the fire,
Highly bothersome odors, and
Compromised structural components within your home.

Our employees work in various teams and crews. While our reconstruction crew removes damaged and unsalvageable materials so they can rebuild specific areas, another group is stripping otherwise undamaged surfaces of layers of soot. Others are ensuring that our air scrubbers pull smoke particles out of the air while replacing the dirty air with fresh air from outside.

Many of the smelly odors that come with fire get removed as we remove those layers of soot. Hidden soot remains hidden in enclosed areas that we cannot physically reach. Our thermal foggers force heated vapors into the same places that hot smoke traveled, allowing our chemical treatments to block odors even further. We often need to do other treatments after a fire, especially one caused by grease or other food.

Any home rebuilding should happen with certified professionals, as this keeps your home in compliance with building codes. SERVPRO can perform this for you, making the entire restoration process more streamlined and at a lower cost.

Contact SERVPRO of Glastonbury / Wethersfield at (860) 633-8791 for all your restoration and rebuilding needs after any disaster. We know how to make your residence safe again.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

SERVPRO Offers Premier Fire Damage Restoration in Glastonbury

7/26/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Glastonbury provides the highest quality fire damage restoration services in your area. Call now!

Cleaning Smoke and Soot After Fire Damage in Glastonbury Homes

Smoke and soot residues deposited on various surfaces after fire damage to your Glastonbury home can cause aesthetic and structural damage. SERVPRO® techs prioritize removing the deposited soils during the restoration process.

SERVPRO techs use several cleaning strategies and methods after fire damage to your Glastonbury homes, depending on the type of soot and the surface involved. Techs predominantly use two types of cleaning methods-

Dry cleaning methods, and
Wet cleaning methods

While the dry cleaning methods are effective in cleaning light to moderate non-greasy soot, restorers use wet cleaning methods for sticky and grimy soot.

Surface Techniques to Clean Soot in Fire Damaged Homes

Surface techniques that SERVPRO techs to clean soot after fire damage in your Glastonbury home prevent the material from being saturated with the cleaning product. The goal is to avoid over-wetting and allow the surface to dry quickly. The following two surface techniques are quite popular-

Spray and wipe: As the name suggests, the techs spray the cleaning solution directly on the soiled surfaces and wipe off the residue. The technique works best on hard non-porous surfaces like wood and metal.
Foam cleaning: The method is suitable for surfaces that could be damaged by excessive moisture. The restorers use foam generated by a cleaning agent rather than the cleaning liquid. It allows the techs to control the amount of water. SERVPRO techs sometimes use a pump-up sprayer to generate a drier foam for cleaning moisture-sensitive surfaces.

Both these surface cleaning methods prevent the material from getting saturated with liquid and avoid any secondary damage due to excess moisture.

Our expert restorers are here to help you whenever you need us; just call SERVPRO of Glastonbury / Wethersfield at (860) 633-8791.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

Summer Fire Safety

6/17/2022 (Permalink)

We wish you a safe and fun summer!

We love summer for its vacations, parties and celebrations, but summertime also carries the risk of fires and injuries from fireworks and outdoor cooking.

Know how to prevent a burn while you enjoy cooking and other outdoor activities this summer:

Wear short sleeves or roll them up when cooking on the grill
Use long-handled barbecue tools
Keep a 3-foot safety zone around grills, fire pits and campfires
Keep a bucket of water near your grill, fire pit or campfire

Firework Safety

The best way to protect your family is to not use fireworks at home. A study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission shows that more than 200 people on average go to the emergency room every day with fireworks-related injuries in the month around the July Fourth holiday. Leave the lighting of fireworks to the professionals and attend public displays.

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860-633-8791

We’re Here to Help !!

If you suffer a fire disaster, the team at SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield has specialized fire restoration training and experience to quickly clean up and restore your home to pre-fire condition.

Other Helpful Blog Posts from SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield publishes educational articles on how Glastonbury and Wethersfield residents can protect their homes and businesses from disasters and how to deal with mold, fire, water, sewage, storm and other damage.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
We serve East Glastonbury, Glastonbury, Marlborough, Portland, Rocky Hill, South Glastonbury and Wethersfield, Connecticut.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

The One Tricky Thing About Smoke Detectors

5/20/2022 (Permalink)

Smoke Detectors alert you to danger in your home - when properly maintained.

As essential as they are, smoke detectors aren’t foolproof. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), dead batteries are responsible for one-quarter of all the U.S. home fires in America in which smoke detectors fail—and missing or unplugged batteries account for half. It is so important that you properly choose, install and maintain the smoke alarms in your house.

Choose and Buy

To give your family the best chance of escaping a fire, start by purchasing the right kind of smoke detector.

Smoke detectors are powered either by a battery or are hardwired into your house’s electrical system (typically with battery backup). According to the NFPA, all of the smoke alarms throughout your house should be interconnected through hardwiring or a wireless signal, so that when one alarm sounds, they all sound. (New homes are required to include hardwired, interconnected smoke alarms with backup batteries.) If your home is not already hardwired, you can buy detectors that interconnect wirelessly.
If your smoke alarm isn’t a dual model with a built-in CO detector (which alerts you to dangerous levels of this deadly gas), you’ll also need to purchase a separate CO alarm. Install CO alarms outside all sleeping areas and on every level of the home.
Smoke detectors use two kinds of sensors: ionization and photoelectric. Ionization sensors are better at detecting flaming fires, while photoelectric sensors are better at detecting smoldering fires. Ideally, you should purchase a dual-sensor model, which uses both technologies. Otherwise, purchase and install both ionization and photoelectric alarms in your home.

Hang ’Em High

The NFPA recommends placing a smoke detector inside every bedroom, outside every sleeping area and on every level of your home, including the basement.
Place the alarms high on the wall, leaving no more than 12 inches from the top of the alarm to the ceiling.
To avoid false alarms, position units at least 10 feet from cooking appliances and 3 feet from bathrooms that have a shower or tub (because steam can trigger alarms).

Don’t Let Them Die

Replace your smoke detector’s batteries every year.
If you hear chirps from your battery-powered or battery-backup smoke detector, replace the batteries right away. Never unplug it to mute the sound.
Test your smoke alarms each month. Press the test button to be sure the alarm sounds, and if it doesn’t, replace the battery. If the detector still doesn’t work, replace the whole unit.
Smoke detectors have a lifespan of ten years, while those with built-in CO detectors last five to seven years. Replace them at least that often.

Face it: smoke detectors are the ultimate low-investment/high-impact device: buy them, install them and tend to them once in a while—and, if a fire breaks out in your home, they may very well save your life and a fire damaged property!

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860-633-8791

We’re Here to Help

After a fire, the team at SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield uses specialized fire restoration training and experience to quickly clean up and restore your home to pre-fire condition. Call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield (860.633.8791) any time.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

Don’t Get Trapped by a Fire

11/8/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield recommends that you create a plan to escape a house fire and practice it to keep your family safe!

When it comes to emergencies in your home, there’s not much more terrifying than a house fire. The danger is great and the time you have to escape may be short. That’s why the fire experts at the National Fire Prevention Association and SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield strongly recommend that you have a plan in place for you and your family to escape your home in less than two minutes.

Create a Plan

Your priority is getting out fast and the key to that is communication and practice. So, start by gathering your family and drawing a diagram of your house, marking windows and doors. Decide on two ways to escape from each room.

Choose a meeting place outside your home, where you will call 911 and wait for help. Emphasize that no one goes back into the house.

Practice Your Plan

Two times a year, run a fire drill to practice escaping. Can everyone can get out in less than two minutes? Repeat the drill until you reach that goal.

Run one of the drills at night, since that’s when most fires break out—and it’s essential that everyone be able to escape in the dark.

Remind everyone that the safest air to breathe in a fire will be less than two feet above the floor. Everyone should practice crawling during the drills. And, make sure your children understand that they should never hide in a closet or under the bed in a fire, no matter how scared they are.

Smoke Alarms

Being able to escape a home fire depends on knowing there’s a fire in the first place, and that’s why it’s essential that you have working smoke alarms.

Your alarms should be mounted high on the wall, with at least one on each floor of the home and one outside each sleeping area. Test them every month and don’t forget to put in fresh batteries every year. Replace your smoke alarms every five years.

Ladders

Consider purchasing escape ladders if people sleep on the second floor of your home. Children age five and over can learn to use them; you’ll have to carry younger children down the ladder.

Practice using escape ladders in your fire drills.

Windows

Make sure the windows included in your escape plan open easily and can be quickly unlocked.

We’re Here for You

The team at SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield has specialized training and experience in fire restoration services, natural disaster and storm damage cleanup, water damage remediation and chemical cleanup. Call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield (860.633.8791) any time.

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

Other Helpful Blog Posts

SERVPRO® publishes educational articles on how to protect your home or business from disasters and how to deal with mold, fire, water, sewage, storm and other damage.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

Prevent a Dryer Fire in Your Portland Home

10/28/2021 (Permalink)

Follow our safety tips for using and maintaining clothes dryers and other home appliances to prevent a house fire in your Portland home.

One out of every ten fatal fires in America each year is caused by an electrical malfunction. And most of these 35,000 electrical fires starts in an appliance that is dirty or not working correctly. Drill down a little further, and you’ll learn that one of the most common sources of home appliance fires is clothes dryers—and most of these fires are preventable, with just a few good habits and a little maintenance.

Typically, a dryer fire is kindled by an accumulation of lint, which is quite flammable. Lint builds up in the lint trap, obviously, but it can also accumulate inside the dryer cabinet and the exhaust hose, as well. The trouble begins if the dryer’s heating element or burner comes into contact with that dry ready-to-burn lint.

How to Reduce the Risk of a Fire in Your Clothes Dryer

Follow these everyday practices that can prevent a dryer fire:

Clean out the lint trap after every single load of laundry
Air-dry clothing that has combustible stains, such as gasoline or furniture polish
If your dryer is near your furnace, keep the area clear of clothing and dryer lint
Replace vinyl hoses with metal ones

At least annually, clean out your dryer, hose and exhaust, ideally using a dryer vent cleaning kit:

Take out the lint screen and clean out the trap with a snorkel brush (or use a shop vac with a crevice tool)
Pull the dryer away from the wall and disconnect the hose from both the dryer and the outside vent. Clean lint from the hose with a round brush
Clean the exterior vent with the round brush, first from the inside, then from the outside of the house
Clean lint and debris from the outside vent hood, then reattach the hose

Reduce Fire Risk in Your Other Appliances, Too

By following some additional common-sense practices having to do with regular maintenance and cleaning, you can help prevent a fire in your home’s other gas, heat or electric appliances.

Don’t run appliances when you’re away from home or asleep
Purchase and use only appliances certified by Underwriters Laboratory or another reputable testing lab
On at least an annual basis, clean, inspect and do any necessary maintenance on your appliances—especially if the appliance is 15 years or older

We’re Here for You

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

Other Helpful Blog Posts

SERVPRO® publishes educational articles on how to protect your home or business from disasters and how to deal with mold, fire, water, sewage, storm and other damage.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

SERVPRO Earns Trust with Fire Damage Restoration Services

8/13/2021 (Permalink)

A house fire is a traumatic experience. SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield restores homes and property with respect—and the highest standards.

Having a fire break out in your home can be life-changing. Even if the damage is relatively minor, many homeowners are shaken to their cores by the experience. SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield can’t stop the flames from breaking out, but we can help you put your home and your life back together.

In addition to possessing technical expertise, extensive training and top-notch equipment, SERVPRO® prides itself on employing people who are sensitive to the trauma a family may have experienced as a result of a house fire. That’s why every crew member works to make sure your damage restoration job is completed thoroughly and respectfully.

“SERVPRO helped me through a difficult time with their hard work and compassion, and I wanted to thank them. When I called them to help me when my home had water and smoke damage after a fire, they were reassuring and knowledgeable, and did a high-quality restoration job. The kind way in which they treated me and reassured me made such a big difference to my mental health during that nightmare of a situation. Thank you so, so much.”—Lillian in Glastonbury

“Best service crew and admin ever! I’m extremely pleased with how they resolved the fire damage emergency in my home. SERVPRO made communication easy with us, the fire department and the insurance company. Their work exceeded our expectations. Hopefully this never happens to us again, but if it did, we’d absolutely call them again. We’d also definitely recommend them to anyone else in need.”—Natasha in Portland

“SERVPRO serviced my house in Newington, Connecticut. They were very responsive, professional and courteous. I will refer them to anyone I know for fire damage or water damage."—Tony in Newington

“My wife and I are grateful for all you did for us when restoring our home after it caught fire. The team at SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield provided the highest quality service in our time of need, through their hard work, positive attitudes, great manners and reliability. We put our trust in them, and they did not disappoint. The team and project manager deserve credit for their outstanding work.”—Erik S. in Wethersfield

We’re Here for You

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

Other Helpful Blog Posts

SERVPRO publishes educational articles on how to protect your home or business from disasters and how to deal with mold, fire, water, sewage, storm and other damage.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

SERVPRO® Offers Fire, Smoke and Soot Restoration Services in Rocky Hill

7/20/2021 (Permalink)

If your Rocky Hill home suffers fire, smoke and soot damage, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield for start-to-finish cleanup.

A fire in your Rocky Hill home has caused a lot of damage and maybe even made your house inhabitable. You’re grateful that everyone got out safely, but you’re also really shook up and feeling overwhelmed by the challenge of getting all that fire damage cleaned up.

Who can you turn to? Who can you trust to restore your home and possessions quickly and completely? In Rocky Hill and central Connecticut, the answer is SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield, the local fire damage remediation company with the resources, experience and equipment to fully restore your home. We’ll get there fast, assess the damage, clean your possessions and structure, and remove the lingering smoke smell.

Here are three ways we provide complete fire, smoke and soot restoration services after you’ve had a house fire.

Cleaning Your Structure

After a house fire, your walls, ceilings, trim and floors will need to be completely cleaned. When you call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield, our crew will evaluate the damage, then determine the appropriate equipment and products to clean and protect the different surfaces in your structure. We may be able to reduce your costs by cleaning lighter soot deposits so that you don’t have to repaint. Otherwise, we will clean to prepare for painting, which removes the soot, deodorizes and ensures that paint will adhere properly to the surface.

Cleaning Your Possessions

SERVPRO® will examine the contents of your home to determine what is restorable, including area rugs, furniture, draperies and upholstery. We test fabrics and surfaces to determine which cleaning methods are most appropriate for each item; it may be a wet or dry cleaning method. Other items may include electronics, art, kitchen items, clothing, bedding, books and documents. SERVPRO uses the appropriate unique cleaning methods and products for every type of object.

SERVPRO also makes fire damage restoration easier by providing a digital inventory of all your damaged items, making it simple to track everything through the cleaning process and to document your insurance claim.

Deodorizing Everything

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield completes the fire damage restoration job by clearing your home of odors left by fire or smoke damage. We do not merely cover up lingering odors with a fragrance; we seek out the sources of the odor and remove them with advanced equipment, such as foggers that penetrate all the crevices in your home and furnishings.

We’re Here for You

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

Other Helpful Blog Posts

SERVPRO publishes educational articles on how to protect your home or business from disasters and how to deal with mold, fire, water, sewage, storm and other damage.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

Use the Right Smoke Detectors in the Right Locations

6/24/2021 (Permalink)

Buy the right kind of smoke and CO detectors and install them in the right locations to protect your home and family from fires.

You already know that you need to have working smoke detectors in your home. These little devices buy you precious time if a fire breaks out in your house, allowing anyone inside to escape before injury occurs. But protecting your home and family is not as simple as slapping some detectors up here and there. You need to first choose the right kind of detectors, then you need to place them appropriately in your home. Here’s how.

What Kind of Detectors?

Smoke Detectors

Some fires burn intensely with lots of flames, while some smolder. There are three types of smoke detectors, but only one is effective in detecting both types of fires.

Ionization detectors are best at detecting fast-burning flaming fires, while photoelectric detectors are good for detecting smoky, smoldering fires. You can use a mixture of both types to cover all the fire hazards in your home.

Dual-sensor smoke detectors are the best of both worlds. They use both ionization and photoelectric technology to detect flaming and smoldering fires.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Carbon monoxide detectors work by using sensors to detect CO in the air.

Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Combination detectors protect against both fire and carbon monoxide, typically using ionization or photoelectric technologies plus carbon monoxide detection.

Bonus: Smart Detectors

Smart detectors are connected to the internet and usually have additional features that you can access through a smartphone app, such as a low battery alert, alerts for smoke or CO detection and the ability to silence an alarm when you’re not home.

Where to Place Your Detectors?

Every home should be equipped with smoke detectors, and if your home has fuel-burning appliances (furnace, water heater, range, cooktop or a grill), carbon monoxide detectors, too. Here’s where to install those life-saving devices.

Place smoke detectors (we recommend dual-sensor models) high on the wall in these locations:

Inside each bedroom
Outside each sleeping area
At least one on each floor (including finished attics and basements)

You should install carbon monoxide detectors in these locations:

Outside each sleeping area
In the basement
At least one on each floor
Near but not inside attached garages

If you do have a fire in your home, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield for complete fire damage cleanup services. We’ll get there fast, assess the damage, restore your possessions and structure, even remove the lingering smoke smell.

We’re Here for You

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

Other Helpful Blog Posts

SERVPRO® publishes educational articles on how to protect your home or business from disasters and how to deal with mold, fire, water, sewage, storm and other damage.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

Enjoy Your Fire Pit Safely

5/21/2021 (Permalink)

Fire pits are great fun! Keep it that way and avoid fire damage by following these fire safety tips from SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield.

Who doesn’t love sitting with family and friends around a crackling fire in a backyard fire pit as the evening grows dark and a happy gathering goes on? There’s something magical about the good company, the dancing flames, the smoke that gets in your eyes … oh, wait, where were we?

We at SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield love a good time around the fire pit as much as anyone, but because we’re in the fire damage remediation business, we also know how easily a seemingly harmless fire pit can cause a dangerous fire—resulting in damage to your house and property.

We recommend following these simple but important tips to protect your home—and more importantly, your family, pets, friends and yourself—from a sudden fire.

Give It Room

Do you know how far a fire pit should be from any structures or flammable objects, such as trees and bushes? The answer is 10 feet. Make sure you don’t put the pit on grass or a wood deck. And obviously, the fire pit must be located outside, not in a porch.

Use the Right Fuel

For a wood-burning fire pit, always burn dry, seasoned (at least six months old) wood. Choose logs that are no longer than three-quarters of the pit’s diameter—that will keep sparks from flying. Don’t overload the fire pit, either—you don’t want burning wood to fall out!

If you have a gas fire pit, keep the vents clear to prevent smoky flare-ups.

Use matches or an automatic lighter to get the fire started. Lighter fluid, gasoline and kerosene have no place near a fire pit.

Extinguish a Fire Quickly

If the flames get out of control, you can use water, sand or a fire extinguisher to quickly put out the fire. (If you have a gas or propane fire pit, shut off the fuel supply before trying to extinguish the flames.)

One of the easiest ways of putting the fire out is to use a garden hose to send a gentle spray of water onto the fire pit. (Make sure your metal or ceramic fire pit can withstand getting wet without cracking.)

Another safe way to extinguish the fire is to spread dry sand on the flames to smother them.

If you’re using a fire extinguisher, make sure it’s a Class B, C or multipurpose dry-chemical device. (Note that most portable fire extinguishers only reach 6 to 10 feet and last for 8 to 10 seconds.)

Use the PASS procedure:

Pull the pin
Aim at the base of the fire
Squeeze the trigger slowly
Sweep the nozzle from side to side

When to Call for Help

If fire spreads escapes the fire pit or the flames surge higher than your head (or six feet), or you can’t reach the propane tank or natural-gas valve, it’s time to evacuate the area and call 911.

We’re Here for You

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

Other Helpful Blog Posts

SERVPRO® publishes educational articles on how to protect your home or business from disasters and how to deal with mold, fire, water, sewage, storm and other damage.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

Fire Damage Remediation in Wethersfield, Connecticut

4/16/2021 (Permalink)

A house damaged by fire with a collapsed roof

If you, like these Wethersfield homeowners, experience a house fire, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield for start-to-finish fire damage cleanup.

When residents of Wethersfield, Connecticut experienced a major house fire, they reached out to SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield for fire damage remediation. The situation was urgent.

The fire had destroyed a large section of the roof and the finished attic room below it. Large portions of the home were now open to the elements after the fire and subsequent firefighting efforts. Roof debris and charred materials were all over the house's top floor, damaging items that hadn't been initially destroyed in the fire itself.

When faced with a fire emergency in your home, it can be difficult to know what to do first to protect your home and family. If your house has burned, your home and its contents may have suffered extensive fire damage, including smoke, heat and water damage. Fire may have traveled inside walls and floors, spreading hidden damage throughout the home. And anything that was sprayed by a fire hose can grow mold within 48 hours. Your house could even be at risk of collapse.

SERVPRO® To the Rescue

The Wethersfield homeowners were facing fire, smoke and soot damage and weren’t sure where to turn next. They did a search for "quick fire damage renovation in Wethersfield" and contacted SERVPRO.

The team from SERVPRO arrived onsite quickly and did a structural assessment of the interior and exterior. We removed the damaged portions of the roof, ceiling, walls and floors, then sealed the roof to protect the house against exposure. Next, we dried the water-damaged areas using drying fans, then did an extensive cleaning and deodorizing of the home, its furnishings and the homeowners’ possessions to remove smoke and soot. We finished by rebuilding and renovating the damaged attic room area so that it looks "Like it never even happened."

After SERVPRO finished the work, the homeowner could not believe the results. "When you see your home in such a bad state, it's hard to think about life ever getting back to normal again. The team at SERVPRO took charge in my time of need and made sure every last detail of their fire remediation services were to my satisfaction. I give them a 5-star rating for not only their professionalism but their thoughtfulness and kindness during a tough time."

SERVPRO Can Help After a House Fire

Recovering from a house fire in central Connecticut is a big job. SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield can fully restore your home and all its contents. SERVPRO’s experienced crew will arrive promptly to handle the restoration job from start to finish:

We start by evaluating the damage.
We clear out property that’s destroyed beyond repair.
We remove, inventory and store your property in our secure warehouse.
We use a range of techniques to clean your possessions of smoke, soot and water damage.
We perform construction to rebuild your home.
We coordinate with your insurer to move your claim along promptly.
Finally, we return your possessions, leaving your home in pre-fire condition.

We’re Here for You

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

Other Helpful Blog Posts

SERVPRO publishes educational articles on how to protect your home or business from disasters and how to deal with mold, fire, water, sewage, storm and other damage.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

9 Factors to Consider Before Choosing a Fire Restoration Contractor in Glastonbury

11/7/2020 (Permalink)

Do you have Fire Damage? How to Hire a Fire Restoration Contractor in Glastonbury.

Fire disasters at home or business premises can cause both property and emotional damage. It causes panic, messes up your life, and leaves your home severely destroyed. But it’s not only fire that will damage your property, the water used to put it off causes destruction as well.

Even after such a disaster, you need a good fire restoration contractor to cover your back at these trying times. A restoration company should offer services like cleaning, refurbishment, construction, and coordination. It’s not time to dwell on the damages anymore but work on restoration.

Selecting any contractor out there isn’t going to help you. You need someone to give you the best restoration services and handle your situation with compassion.

Choosing a good contractor isn’t a walk in the park as there are many considerations to put in mind. This article outlines some of the factors you should consider to make your search easier.

1. Work With Fire Restoration Contractor Within Your Local Area

There is no better way to find a fire restoration company than to consider those within your locality. In the spirit of supporting local businesses, you’ll also find reliable contractors. A local contractor knows how to deal with issues affecting the locals.

Besides, those within your locality are easier to access in case of an urgent problem. If you live in Glastonbury, you need to work with a contractor in the surrounding area. In case you need emergency services, they should be able to reach your home as soon as possible.

Local contractors are established and known in your area. They have worked in that specific place for long enough and built a reputation. They have all the valuable knowledge regarding the city hence will do a better job than a contractor from a different area.

Make sure you sample several fire restoration companies from your city. Go through their websites and learn about their services. Don’t hesitate to ask around from people who’ve worked with the company before. Their former clients will never lie about the kind of services they received from the company.

If you don’t get any recommendations from your friends and family, you can find connections online. You can search for companies via the International Cleaning and Restoration Association’s website. They connect homeowners to the best local restoration contractors that offer reliable services.

2. Check the Company Credentials

Working with licensed and certified fire damage restoration contractors will give you peace of mind. For a restoration company to get licensed, they need to meet requirements that certify them to perform specific tasks. Licensing also means that the company is reputable with no client complaints against it.

A certified company works with a fully trained and experienced team. They care about their customers and always want to deliver the best services.

Check if the company takes its team through regular training. Continuous training is necessary to improve their skills and knowledge about the latest industry standards.

Working with a company that it’s not certified puts your property at risk. This means that the company is not licensed to do the restoration work.

You won’t manage to file a complaint if the fire damage restoration isn’t satisfactory. You’re never guaranteed quality restoration work if you work with an uncertified company.

Another credential to check is fire and water restoration contractors’ insurance. The insurance works as a shield between the contractor and the property owner. In case of accidents or property destruction, you won’t be held liable for anything.

The general liability insurance covers the technicians and the homeowner against any injuries and damages during the restoration process. You will not undergo any further losses due to damages or injuries because the insurance has got your back.

3. Check the Referrals of Your Fire Restoration Contractor

Friends and family are the first people you should go for when looking for referrals about a restoration company. Think of a friend who experienced fire damage before. It could be a neighbor to your friend or a colleague.

They probably worked with a restoration company before. Ask them about the company they worked with. What was their experience with the company and the cost of restoration?

Were they pleased with the results? Were they responsive to your queries? Can the friend comfortably recommend the company?

The secondhand reference comes from online reviews. There are several places to get references online, including social media, websites, and forums. These places have plenty of information from past customers, including those satisfied and those disappointed with the services.

If you check sites such as Facebook, you will find reliable leads to good restoration service providers. They’ll tell you what you should expect from their services and the amount to pay. They can also provide ratings and reviews from previous customers so that you know what you’re getting into.

4. Your Fire Restoration Contractor Should Use Modern Equipment

A good restoration company should employ state-of-the-art equipment and the best techniques. There is a lot involved in fire damage restoration, including cleaning, clearing debris, construction, smoke odor removal, among other services. They shouldn’t hesitate to invest in the best equipment that will offer value.

Good equipment speeds up the process and provides quality work. They ensure everything within your premises, including documents and artwork, are taken good care of. The equipment used should make the work easy for both of you.

Professional companies are equipped with the right type of equipment to handle specific tasks. They go out of their way to specialized kinds of inventories specialized in home fire safety and restoration. They’ll come fully equipped to deal with the damage in the best way possible and ensure nothing but satisfactory results.

5. Works With Experienced and Well-Trained Team

It doesn’t matter how many years the company has been in operation. What is it that keeps changing employees all the years it’s been in operation? The team that the company works with, their expertise, and experience are what matters most.

The company is not going to do the restoration work but its employees. Everyone in the company should be up to the task starting from the customer care personnel to restoration technicians.

Consider the team’s expertise and their level of training. Check the qualifications of their restoration specialists. Make sure the people contracted to work on your premises have completed their training and certification.

The company should work with a wide range of professionals who have expertise in different areas. They should be in a position to handle even the most complicated tasks with ease. They should stay updated with the latest fire damage restoration standards and unique techniques.

6. Consider the Kind of Services the Contractor Offers

The kind of services your fire damage restoration company provides is very crucial when hiring. Check the services they’re willing to offer at a specific price and make sure they’re all that you need. They should give you a complete list of all services they offer, their requirements, and costs.

Some of the fire damage restoration services include emergency contact smoke, shoot removal, cleaning, restoration, repairs, etc. It’s advisable to work with a company that offers full-service for convenience.

7. The Company Availability and Response Time

Disasters such as appliance fire can happen unexpectedly, causing a lot of destruction. No one is ever prepared for this, but your company should be ready all the time. The faster they take to respond to the problem, the sooner you’ll restore your home.

It’s essential to reach your company whenever you need their help. They should take the shortest time to reach your home in case of an emergency. Your company should respond to calls 24/7. They should start cleaning immediately and prevent your home from getting exposed to additional damages.

This means your restoration company should also serve as emergency response teams. You should have your contractor’s contacts on your fingertips so you can call them any time and get them to help you with your emergency.

They should be available for the services and respond to your promptly whenever you have questions or concerns. A responsive company is easy to work with and keep its customers’ desires first. Make sure their customer service team is available 24/7 and willing to attend to all your needs.

8. They Should Offer a Quote

While most of the time, quality of service matters more than price, it’s still important to consider the price. You should not go for cheap companies because this will mean getting poor quality services. Also, be careful not to get overcharged because you can still get the best services at affordable rates.

An experienced company should have years of experience in their work; hence can easily work out the cost involved in your work. They can comfortably approximate the cost of your fire damage restoration. They’ll then provide you a complete quotation that gives you a clear picture of everything involved, so you prepare.

Your restoration company should also tell you if there are other additional costs to expect after the initial. There are some hidden damages in your property that need additional expenses, and you should never get surprised when unexpected costs show up.

If the prices seem out of your budget, you should consider negotiating for better charges. Who knows, your restoration company could be more than willing to give you a discount. They should also recommend alternative restoration techniques that can reduce fire damage costs.

Don’t be afraid to ask for quotes from different companies and compare them before settling with one. The restoration company bids should breakdown all the expenses, including labor costs, material, and other miscellaneous expenses.

Understand what every contractor includes in their bids and make sure the fees are reasonable. Once you find a good deal with all the services you need, don’t hesitate to hire.

9. A Good Restoration Company Should Inspect the Property First

No reputable company can start working on your premises without inspecting the magnitude of the damage. In fact, they should do the initial inspection before even providing you with a quotation. Accessing the situation and knowing everything the work will entail helps make the entire process easier.

While the first inspection might be accurate, they are not final numbers for the complete restoration service. They’ll comfortably say what they need for the restoration, the complete quotation, and the duration after the final inspection.

You should never trust a company that starts working right away after you contact them. When they don’t do a thorough inspection, they might send the wrong team or work with the wrong equipment for the restoration. An initial assessment will minimize damages and ensure quality work.

After doing the inspection, your company should come up with a detailed plan for the entire project. The plan will help the company restore your property to its normal shape after massive destruction.

They should not only offer you an accurate assessment of the property damage but also a plan they need to have in place for the restoration. They must make the right decisions regarding the project and how they intend to proceed with the restoration work.

You’re Responsible for Choosing a Good Contractor

Getting your home damaged by disasters such as fire can expose you to a stressful situation. But having a good fire restoration contractor should reduce this stress and give you peace of mind. It also ensures your property will be safe and comfortable to live in even after the disaster.

If you’re in Glastonbury, you don’t have to look any further than SERVPRO of Glastonbury and Wethersfield. Contact us today and let us help get your property back to its initial state or even better than before the fire damage.

Make Your Glastonbury House Fire-Safe

10/29/2020 (Permalink)

A dining chair sits in front of a wall of flames

Follow these three steps to help make your home fire-safe ... or make it easier to survive a house fire if one occurs.

Did you know that during your house’s lifetime, it has a one in four chance of catching on fire? That in the United States, a home fire is reported at least every 90 seconds? That 30% of all fires in the U.S. occur in residences? That fires kill more people in America than all natural disasters put together? And, are you aware that the single most likely day for a fire to start in your home is Thanksgiving, with 1,600 fires starting on that day each year?

These are sobering statistics, but there is so much you can do to reduce the chances of having a house fire and increase the odds of your family surviving a fire if you do have one.

It’s a fact that today’s house fires are more deadly and destructive than those of a few decades ago. That’s because your home today is filled with furnishings, like couches, chairs and carpets, that are made of synthetic materials. These synthetics are faster to ignite, burn hotter and create more poisonous chemicals when burned. Twenty or thirty years ago, a homeowner had around 15 minutes to escape a house fire, but now that timeframe is down to only 3 to 4 minutes.

Fire Risks in Your House

With these hotter, faster and more dangerous fires, you can no longer assume that you’ll be able to get out of a burning house. You have to make sure, and that means prevention and preparation. Let’s start with a look at some of the major fire hazards in your home.

The Kitchen

Forty-four percent of all home fires start in the kitchen, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). A fire in a kitchen can easily result in more than $50,000 in property damage.

Here are some guidelines for safe cooking:

Remain alert, sober and focused when cooking.
Keep your stovetop, vents, oven interior and countertops clean of grease and clutter.
Clear the stovetop and nearby area of flammable items like potholders, oven mitts and dish towels.
Keep a pan lid nearby in case you have to quickly cover a stovetop fire to extinguish it.
Remain in the kitchen if you’re frying, boiling, grilling or broiling. If you have to leave briefly, turn the stove off.
Stay close to the kitchen and check your food frequently if you’re simmering, baking or roasting.
Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the stove to prevent both burns and fires.
Turn pot handles to the back of the stove to avoid bumping them and spilling contents.
Never store items in the oven.
Have a fire extinguisher within easy reach of your cooking area.

The Garage

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, each year in our country there are approximately 6,600 home garage fires that cause more than $457 million in property losses. Garage fires grow larger and spread further than fires that originate in other areas of the home, typically because many people keep electrical equipment and fuel in their garages. If that’s you, consider installing a smoke alarm in your garage—even better, one that is interconnected to a hardwired alarm system.

Fireplace and Heating

One in five residential fire deaths stem from fires that start in the fireplace or heating equipment.

For fireplaces, the greatest cause of fires is an uncleaned chimney. Hire a professional chimney cleaner every year to remove built-up creosote and to inspect the masonry.
Use a fire screen to keep hot ashes and cinders inside the fireplace.
Thoroughly extinguish your fire and properly dispose of the ashes in a tightly-closed metal container that you place outside your house away from any structures.
If using a wood-burning or other stove to heat, be sure the stove itself is in good working order, with no cracks or other damage.
Keep all items, children and pets three feet away from the stove or heater.
For space heaters, only use ones that are approved by UL or another national testing laboratory. Ideally, it should have an automatic shut-off switch.
Turn space heaters off when you leave the room or go to sleep.

Wiring

Faulty or worn wiring causes 2,600 electrical fires each year in America, leading to $1.1 billion in damage. The next section lists best practices to follow to make sure your wiring is less likely to cause a fire.

Step 1: Make Your House Fire-Safe

Obviously, the easiest way to survive a fire in your Glastonbury home is not to have one in the first place. Read on for the many things you can and should do to eliminate common fire hazards.

You can start with an inspection by your local fire department. They’ll review potential fire hazards, such as your electrical system, and show you ways to be safer. They’ll also check your smoke detectors to make sure they’re in good working order.

Look for fraying or other indications of wear on your lamps’ and appliances’ electrical cords. Repair or replace the appliance or the cord. Never run cords under a rug.
Evaluate your extension cords, too. You should never have multiple extension cords plugged into the same outlet or strung together in a chain.
Make sure your outlets are all covered by switch plates and have no exposed wiring.
If any light switches make a buzzing sound, spark or throw heat, have the switch replaced by an electrician.
If any of your lights flicker, call an electrician to check your wiring.
Check your lamps’ wattage to make sure your bulbs are the correct wattage.
Clean out the lint after every use of your clothes dryer and clean the dryer duct periodically, too. Hire a technician each year to inspect and clean the dryer.
Make sure that your windows open easily and your doors open from the inside without a key.
Install a visible house number on your home, so that your fire department can find your home quickly, even at night.
Purge your home of clutter that can easily ignite, such as papers, magazines and piles of clothing. Each sleeping area and its path to escape should be clear of debris.

Step 2: Invest in Fire Safety Equipment

Fire safety equipment alerts your family to a fire and gives you time to escape. Get the right equipment, keep it in good working order and know how to use it—and it could save your life.

Having working smoke alarms in your home cuts your risk of dying in a house fire in half. You should have at least one alarm for every 1200 SF in your home.

Install at least one alarm on each floor of your house and one near each bedroom or sleeping area.
Test your alarms each month, replace the batteries each year, and replace your alarms every five years.
Only use alarms that are approved by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or another independent testing laboratory.
Don’t paint your smoke alarms.
You can gently clean your alarm of dust or dirt with a vacuum cleaner attachment.

There are several different types of smoke alarms:

Battery-powered alarms that you can easily install. Don’t place them too close to doors, windows, vents or ceiling fans.
Interconnected hard-wired smoke alarms with battery backup; you’ll need an electrician to install these.
Consider combination smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to place outside every sleeping area and near the fireplace, garage, furnace, water heater and clothes dryer.

With a fire extinguisher you’ll have a chance to put out a fire before it grows out of control. Studies show that a home fire can be extinguished in less than two minutes 94% of the time.

Multi-purpose Class ABC extinguishers are light enough to handle and large enough to put out a small house fire.
Learn how to operate the fire extinguishers so that you can use them in an emergency.
Every year, get your extinguishers serviced and, if needed, recharged.
When using an extinguisher, think P-A-S-S:
—Pull the pin to unlock.
—Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire.
—Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.
—Sweep the nozzle from side to side.
Install fire extinguishers near doors. When using the extinguisher, stand with your back to the door so you can escape if the fire goes out of control. If the room fills with smoke, you and your family must evacuate.

For even more protection, you could install a home fire sprinkler system, which can automatically douse a small house fire before it spreads. These systems are most cost-effective to install when you are building or remodeling your home.

Step 3: Have and Practice a Plan to Escape a Fire

Seventy-one percent of American homeowners have a plan to escape their home in the event of a fire, but only 47% of those practice the plan.

First, create an escape plan:

Draw a diagram of your house with windows and doors marked.
Choose two ways to escape from each room, generally through a door and window.
Identify a place to meet a safe distance from your house. That’s where you’ll call 911 from a cell phone or neighbor’s house.

If you have children, review these safety facts regularly:

No matter how scared they are, they should never hide in a closet or under a bed during a fire.
Don’t try to take any items or possessions.
Don’t re-enter the house for any reason.
Don’t try to search for and rescue pets.
Before opening a door, touch the knob with the back of your hand. If hot, leave the door shut and exit the room a different way.

Because you’ll only have a few short minutes, you and your family must be familiar with the escape plan:

Practice the plan at least twice a year. One of the drills should be at night, when most house fires start.
You may need to stay low and below the smoke in an actual fire, so practice crawling out of bedrooms and the house.
Time the drill and rerun it if your family doesn’t get out fast enough.
If you have bedrooms on the second floor, you may want to invest in escape ladders. Practice installing and using them.

SERVPRO® Can Help After a House Fire

If your house has burned, your home and its contents may have suffered extensive fire damage, including smoke, heat and water damage. Expect furniture, curtains and other furnishings—including your clothes—to be soot-covered and smell like smoke. Appliances that don’t look damaged may have components melted by heat. Anything that was sprayed by a fire hose can grow mold within 48 hours. Your house may even be at risk of collapse.

Recovering from a house fire is a big job. SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield can fully restore your home and all its contents. SERVPRO’s experienced crew will arrive promptly to handle the restoration job from start to finish:

We start by evaluating the damage.
We clear out property that’s destroyed beyond repair.
We remove, inventory and store your property in our secure warehouse.
We use a range of techniques to clean your possessions of smoke, soot and water damage.
We perform construction to rebuild your home.
We coordinate with your insurer to move your claim along promptly.
Finally, we return your possessions, leaving you a home in pre-fire condition.

We’re Here for You

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

Other Helpful Blog Posts

SERVPRO publishes educational articles on how to protect your home or business from disasters and how to deal with mold, fire, water, sewage, storm and other damage.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

Your Gas Grill: Keeping It Safe

8/13/2020 (Permalink)

Don't let a gas grill fire ruin your cookout … or destroy your home! Our three easy tips will help prevent a fire disaster.

There’s nothing like a meal cooked outside on a convenient gas grill! Many people use their gas grill year-round, but summer, of course, is prime grilling time. That also means that summer is the season to be especially careful about gas grill safety and maintenance.

Each year, about 9,000 fires are caused by grilling, and more than 80% of these originate with gas grills. Take these three basic steps when grilling to help prevent a fire tragedy from happening to you.

Keep It Clean

Much of the food cooked on a grill is greasy, such as burgers or steaks. As the food cooks, the grease drips into the grease trap beneath the grill top and builds up. Soon enough, this trap gets filled up and becomes a source of fuel. Because the temperature inside a closed gas grill can reach more than 500°F, that accumulated grease can easily and unexpectedly ignite. The resulting flames can spread to your deck, nearby furniture and even your home.

Insects, such as spiders, often build nests inside the burner tubes of grills, which can block the flow of gas and cause the fuel to back up. When you try to ignite the grill, it may light but that backed-up gas may also ignite, resulting in flames shooting out around the control panel. That’s called a flashback fire.

To prevent either of these situations, you need to regularly clean your grill. Focus on the areas where grease typically builds up, such as the grease trap beneath the grill, and under and around the burners. Also clean the flame tamers, which are flat pieces of steel that distribute heat as you’re cooking (usually found above the burners). As a part of your regular cleaning, check the burner tubes and clean them out with a narrow bottle brush or pipe cleaner.

Some other tips for safe cooking:

Trim fat off your meat
Use a lower heat setting
Pay attention to the flames on your burners—uneven or yellow flames may indicate a blockage

Keep Your Distance

The heat thrown off by a gas grill is hot enough to set nearby objects on fire, melt your siding or even catch your house on fire. And remember that a flare-up or grease fire can send flames shooting out three or more feet from the grill.

So no matter the weather—and it’s tempting to move the grill to a porch or closer to your home if it’s raining—keep your grill away from structures (such as deck railings) and objects (such as branches). Check your grill manufacturer for the guidelines for your model. Place your gas grill on a level, sturdy and non-combustible surface that has been cleared of leaves and other debris.

Keep Watch

In spite of the social role that cooking out plays in gatherings of family and friends, you need to maintain vigilance when you are operating a gas grill. The heat of the grill can easily burn a child, adult or animal that contacts the side of it. And a flare-up or grease fire, if not stopped quickly, can turn into a major fire disaster.

Stay at or near your gas grill whenever it is turned on so that you can quickly react to a fire emergency—or stop one from happening.

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

We’re Here to Help

After a fire, the team at SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield uses specialized fire restoration training and experience to quickly clean up and restore your home to pre-fire condition.

Other Helpful Blog Posts

SERVPRO® publishes educational articles on how to protect your home or business from disasters and how to deal with mold, fire, water, sewage, storm and other damage.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

Many Ways to Avoid an Appliance Fire in Your Home

7/17/2020 (Permalink)

Firemen and a women stand near a burned clothes dryer

Read these tips for the many things you can do to prevent an electrical appliance fire from starting in your home.

Every year in America, firefighters respond to around 370,000 home fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and those household fires are responsible for billions of dollars in property damages. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that about 85% of fire deaths happen in the home.

Of these house fires, approximately 34,000 or about 9% involve electrical equipment—and electrical fires in the home account for approximately 10% of annual fire deaths.

Taking a closer look, it’s our electrical appliances, such as clothes dryers and water heaters, that cause 7% of home fires and 4% of deaths. The biggest culprits in appliance fires are lint in dryers and combustible materials near gas water heaters.

Home appliances make all of our lives easier, but the fact is they are also potential fire hazards. By following safety tips and staying on top of regular maintenance and cleaning, homeowners can operate their appliances safely.

Your Home’s Electrical Infrastructure

Since electrical appliances are connected to the home’s electrical system, preventing an appliance-related fire disaster begins with making sure the home’s wiring and electrical infrastructure is operating safely. Overloaded extension cords, hidden electrical shorts, bad connections and oversized bulbs and fixtures can melt wire insulation and ignite nearby flammable items and materials, potentially burning down your house.

Let’s look first at signs of impending danger, then at the parts of the home’s electrical system that can malfunction and cause a fire—and what to do to keep your home safe.

Beware These Signs

Shorts, overloaded circuits and bad connections generate heat that can ignite combustibles such as wood framing, rugs or the insulation around a cord or wire. These are some of the signs of dangerous concealed wiring hazards:

Electrical cords that are warm to the touch can signal overloading.
Charred or plastic burning odors may indicate oversized bulbs and light fixtures.
Warm switches or receptacle plate covers may mean a poor electrical connection.
Frequently tripping circuit breakers may be caused by a defective breaker or a short in the cables buried in walls or ceilings.

When to Call a Qualified Electrician

When you see these signs of electrical trouble, hire an expert to make the necessary changes that will prevent a fire.

Warm-to-the-touch wall outlets or switches.
Fuses that regularly blow or circuits that often trip.
Appliances that smell rubbery or as if they are burning.
Lights that dim, flicker, are unusually bright or have bulbs that regularly burn out prematurely.
Appliances that spark.

Other Safety Tips

Never place anything that can burn—such as towels or scarves—over a lamp or heat-producing appliance.
Make sure bulb wattages don’t exceed the fixture’s recommended maximum. Prevent overheating by checking all the light bulbs in your home and changing them if necessary.

Outlets

If you plug in an appliance and the cord slips out of the electrical outlet, it may mean that the blades inside the outlet have loosened. Unfortunately, loose blades can generate intense heat that can lead to fires. You’ll need to replace electrical outlets as soon as you notice that plugs don't fit snugly in them.

Homes built before 1965 typically have ungrounded two-pronged outlets, while newer houses usually have three-pronged outlets. If your home is older, consider upgrading wiring to accept three-pronged outlets, particularly if you are replacing older outlets that may be cracked, damaged or covered in paint.

Follow these good practices when plugging in appliances to minimize fire risk:

Turn off appliances before unplugging them to avoid creating an arc inside that could create a fire hazard.
Plug only one high-wattage appliance into a receptacle outlet at a time.
Plug only one heat-producing appliance, such as a toaster or coffee maker, into a receptacle outlet at a single time.

Call an electrician to make your outlets as safe as they can be:

Install tamper-resistant (TR) receptacles in outlets near where children will be present. These outlets contain an internal spring-loaded shield that requires even pressure on both sides of the outlet to access the electrical contacts.
Help prevent shocks by installing ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, basement, garages, outdoor areas and other places where electrical equipment is near water or can get wet. (A GFCI can either be installed in your electrical system or built into a power cord.)
To help prevent fires, have a qualified electrician install arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs), which can help protect against arcing and sparking.

Power Cords and Extension Cords

Damaged power cords pose a great fire risk, so check the cords in your home:

Make sure electrical cords are not trapped against walls or under carpets where heat can build.
Never use electronics with frayed or exposed wires. A short circuit can result in a spark, which can cause a house fire.

Extension cords are intended for temporary use but are often used more permanently. Consider having a qualified electrician add more circuits or outlets so you do not have to use extension cords.

Stay within the electrical limits of extension cords and power strips. Each are rated for heavy, medium or light duty use, and exceeding the recommended power rating can be dangerous. Replace undersized cords with larger-gauged ones.
Don’t use an extension cord with major appliances. Plug them directly into outlets.
Don’t run extension cords under carpets.
Replace extension cords that are undersized or frayed.

Use Electrical Appliances Safely

In general, when using any electric, gas or heat appliances:

Regularly clean, inspect and maintain appliances, especially those 15 years or older.
Only run appliances when you're at home.
Look for appliances with a UL mark, proving that Underwriters Laboratories has vouched for the item's safety.

A Note on Vintage Appliances

Old-fashioned plug-in appliances—a decades-old fan or vintage coffeemaker—may still run, but they were made according to outdated safety codes and may have frayed or damaged wires. If you are determined to use an antiquated electronic appliance, have it rewired by an electrician.

Bathroom Appliances

Don’t overload outlets. Use GFCI outlets in the bathroom.
Don’t use hairdryers or other electrical appliances near the sink, bathtub or shower.
Keep curling irons, hairdryers, straighteners and other hot equipment away from combustible materials.
Unplug electrical appliances, such as curling irons and hairdryers, when not in use.

Kitchen Appliances

Cooking fires cause 23% of home fires and 9% of home-fire deaths. Every year, an average of one out of every eight homes will have a kitchen cooking fire. Cooking fires mostly occur on the cooktop, usually in the first 15 minutes of cooking.

But not all kitchen fires start because of cooking hazards. Non-cooking related fires commonly involve refrigerators, freezers or dishwashers. Follow these guidelines to help prevent non-cooking related fires from starting in your kitchen.

Plug all kitchen appliances, including microwaves, toasters and coffee makers, directly into a wall outlet. Never use an extension cord.
Use the appropriate outlet for each appliance. For larger appliances, such as ovens and refrigerators, be sure to only use properly grounded outlets with circuits that match the rating plate on the appliance.
If you have older two-prong outlets in your kitchen, have a qualified electrician replace them with properly grounded three-prong outlets. Do not use an adapter.
When moving kitchen appliances, be careful not to roll over or pinch power cords.
Unplug small appliances when not in use.
Check and clean stove hoods, filters and vents.
Never use a gas or propane oven to heat your home.

Oven/Stovetop

One common way a kitchen cooking fire starts is when a pot or pan is left unattended on a hot burner. Oil, grease and butter are highly flammable, so if a fire does start on your stovetop, turn off the burner and place a lid over the flame (throwing water on a grease fire may cause it to spread and intensify). If the lid does not stop the fire, use a fire extinguisher.

Follow these guidelines for safe cooking:

Keep a three-foot zone between flammable material, such as oven mitts, paper towels and napkins, and the stove. Keep fabric (such as dishcloths) away from heat and flame.
Clean your oven and range thoroughly at least once a month. Built-up food splatter or grease can ignite when the stove or oven is turned on for cooking.
Never leave food cooking on a stovetop unattended.
Don’t hang dishtowels on the oven door.
Keep aerosols far away from flames.
Cook on back burners and turn pot handles inward to prevent spills and burns.
Turn gas stovetop flames off before reaching above the stove.
Dress appropriately when cooking; avoid blousy clothing and keep sleeves rolled up.
Keep an operating fire extinguisher in the kitchen.
If you own a gas stove, periodically check its pilot lights. A pilot light that is unlit for an extended amount of time can leak gas into your home, eventually causing a fire disaster.

Microwave

Use only microwave-safe containers.
Don’t heat food or materials that are flammable, such as aluminum foil, Styrofoam or some plastic containers.

Toaster/Toaster Oven

Clean the appliance regularly. Accumulated crumbs can build up on the bottom of the toaster and catch fire.
Never use these appliances unsupervised, because the heating elements can become faulty over time and may not turn off.

Water Heater

Since water heaters are often in the same room as the laundry, clothes can get piled up against the water heater near the flame.

Keep paint and other flammable liquids in their original, labeled containers with lids and store them away from heat sources.
Don’t keep anything flammable near a furnace or water heater, such as debris, combustible materials and rags. Mark a “combustible-free” zone three feet away from your water heater with masking tape.
Keep burner/element access doors on the water heater closed.
Keep protective water heater combustion chamber covers are in place.

Clothes Dryer

Even if you empty your lint tray every time you dry clothes, the lint still builds up inside the dryer cabinet, which holds its heating element. A blaze can start if the burner or heating element comes into contact with this accumulated lint. Especially dangerous are dryers that are vented with flexible vinyl hoses, which can easily catch on fire.

Keep vents and filters clean by removing lint after each use.
At least once a year, clean the lint from the exhaust hose at the back of the dryer, from the dryer cabinet, from around the drum and from the vent line.
Don’t place items stained with combustible fluids like gasoline or furniture polish in the dryer.
If your furnace is close to the laundry room, don’t hang clothing or drop dryer lint near it.
Replace vinyl vent lines with smooth-walled metal ducts.

To minimize the risk, hire a professional to clean the cabinet every two years. Or follow these steps to avoid lint build-up in your clothes dryer.

Lint trap: Pull out the lint screen and push a snorkel brush straight down into the trap. Twirl the brush to clean out any lint at the bottom of the trap. (A long crevice tool on a shop vac also works.) Shine a flashlight down the trap to make sure it's clean.
Ductwork: Disconnect the duct from the dryer exhaust and the exterior vent. If the duct is plastic or ribbed metal, replace it with a smooth metal one. Take the duct outside and clean all the parts with a round dryer-vent brush.
Outside vent: Working from inside, spin the vent brush a few inches into the duct, then pull it back and clean off the bristles. Repeat until the bristles reach as far as the exhaust hood on the outside wall. Then go outside, check the vent hood and clean it if necessary.
Reassemble the metal ductwork and seal the joints with aluminum tape. (Don't connect the sections with screws, which snag lint.)

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

We’re Here to Help®

After a fire, the team at SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield uses specialized fire restoration training and experience to quickly clean up and restore your home to pre-fire condition.

Other Helpful Blog Posts

SERVPRO® publishes educational articles on how to protect your home or business from disasters and how to deal with mold, fire, water, sewage, storm and other damage.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

Make Your Garage Fire-Safe

6/24/2020 (Permalink)

A garage is a common place for a fire to start. Take these precautions to prevent one at your home.

The second most common location of house fires (after the kitchen) is the garage. Why do these structures pose such a fire hazard? Mostly it’s because of what people store in garages, such as gas, oil and oily rags—as well as cars, trucks, mowers and other gas- and oil-powered vehicles. And there’s more:

Water heaters, boilers and car batteries, which can create sparks that may ignite fumes or fluids.
Oil and gasoline that has dripped from cars, which may eventually ignite or spread a fire.
Flammable liquids, such as gasoline, motor oil, brake fluid, paint, varnish, paint thinner and lighter fluid.
Flammable clutter, such as newspapers, cardboard boxes and paper waste.

You can reduce the risk of garage fire damage by taking these steps:

Store flammable liquids in small amounts and far away from sources of heat, like a space heater.
Store flammable materials, such as fuels, fluids or cleaners, away from other flammables and in clearly labeled, self-closing containers.
Clear out clutter, including loose papers, matches, oily rags and other potentially flammable items.
Store propane tanks outside, not in your garage.
Don’t overload the circuit box when using drills and other electrical devices in your garage. Unplug every electrical device after use. Tape down all cords and wires so they are not twisted or accidentally yanked.
Use light bulbs with the proper wattage, and do not overload electrical outlets.
Keep a working fire extinguisher in the garage.

Because the garage is usually a small, enclosed space, if a fire does start it can engulf the entire area quickly—and then jump to the rest of your home. Help stop the spread of a garage fire by following this advice:

The garage’s walls and ceiling should be fire-rated (call a home inspector to be sure).
The door between the garage and living space should be self-closing. If it has a window, it should be fire-rated. Do not install a pet door in the door.
Seal the joints and open spaces around the door to prevent fumes from entering the living area.
If the garage allows access to the attic, make sure a hatch covers this access.

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

We’re Here to Help®

Other Helpful Blog Posts

SERVPRO® publishes educational articles on how you can protect your home and business from disasters and how to deal with mold, fire, water, sewage, storm and other damage.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

Do You Have a Home Fire Extinguisher? Does It Work?

5/28/2020 (Permalink)

Regularly checking the condition of your home fire extinguisher can mean the difference between a manageable fire and a total fire disaster.

We at SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield hope the answer to both questions is yes!

Owning and using a home fire extinguisher can be the difference between a minor fire that you put out quickly—and a devastating fire disaster that destroys your home and property and puts your family’s safety at risk. Even if you own a home fire extinguisher, if it’s not in good operating condition, it won’t help you out.

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) recommends that home fire extinguishers be checked regularly to make sure they are in working condition. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) advises reading the extinguisher’s instructions so that you are familiar with its parts and how to operate it. According to the USFA, some extinguishers may need to be shaken monthly or pressure-tested every few years.

The lifespan of a fire extinguisher is from 5 to 15 years. Check the extinguisher’s label or inspection tag for the expiration or last maintenance date. If it’s 10 or more years old, consider buying a new fire extinguisher.

Several times a year, you should inspect your fire extinguisher using these four steps. Document each check on the extinguisher’s inspection tag so that you can track its maintenance history.

1. Check the Access

Make sure the extinguisher is in clear sight and easy to retrieve—and that all members of your household know where it is.

2. Check the Pressure

If your fire extinguisher has a pressure gauge, make sure that the gauge’s needle indicates proper pressure.
If your extinguisher has a test indicator, press it to make sure the pressure reading is within the correct range.

3. Check for Damage

Inspect the can, hoses and nozzles for visible signs of damage, such as dents or rust. If you see any damage, consider replacing the extinguisher.

4. Check for Dirt

Check the outside of your extinguisher for dust, oil or grease, and clean it as necessary.

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

We’re Here to Help®

Other Helpful Blog Posts

SERVPRO® publishes educational articles on how you can protect your home and business from disasters and how to deal with mold, fire, water, sewage, storm and other damage.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

3 Key Things About Smoke Detectors

4/17/2020 (Permalink)

Make sure that your smoke detectors are ready to do the job of protecting your family and home!

Choose and Buy

To give your family the best chance of escaping a fire, start by purchasing the right kind of smoke detector.

Smoke detectors are powered either by a battery or are hardwired into your house’s electrical system (typically with battery backup). According to the NFPA, all of the smoke alarms throughout your house should be interconnected through hardwiring or a wireless signal, so that when one alarm sounds, they all sound. (New homes are required to include hardwired, interconnected smoke alarms with backup batteries.) If your home is not already hardwired, you can buy detectors that interconnect wirelessly.
If your smoke alarm isn’t a dual model with a built-in CO detector (which alerts you to dangerous levels of this deadly gas), you’ll also need to purchase a separate CO alarm. Install CO alarms outside all sleeping areas and on every level of the home.
Smoke detectors use two kinds of sensors: ionization and photoelectric. Ionization sensors are better at detecting flaming fires, while photoelectric sensors are better at detecting smoldering fires. Ideally, you should purchase a dual-sensor model, which uses both technologies. Otherwise, purchase and install both ionization and photoelectric alarms in your home.

Hang ’Em High

The NFPA recommends placing a smoke detector inside every bedroom, outside every sleeping area and on every level of your home, including the basement.
Place the alarms high on the wall, leaving no more than 12 inches from the top of the alarm to the ceiling.
To avoid false alarms, position units at least 10 feet from cooking appliances and 3 feet from bathrooms that have a shower or tub (because steam can trigger alarms).

Don’t Let Them Die

Replace your smoke detector’s batteries every year.
If you hear chirps from your battery-powered or battery-backup smoke detector, replace the batteries right away. Never unplug it to mute the sound.
Test your smoke alarms each month. Press the test button to be sure the alarm sounds, and if it doesn’t, replace the battery. If the detector still doesn’t work, replace the whole unit.
Smoke detectors have a lifespan of ten years, while those with built-in CO detectors last five to seven years. Replace them at least that often.

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

We’re Here to Help®

Other Helpful Blog Posts

SERVPRO® publishes educational articles on how you can protect your home and business from disasters and how to deal with mold, fire, water, sewage, storm and other damage.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

4 Tips for Fire Safety

10/22/2019 (Permalink)

Unattended cooking is one of the biggest causes of fires in the home. Prevent a disaster by following these fire safety tips.

While no one expects a fire in their home, the reality is that fire departments in the United States respond to a fire call every 24 seconds, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

Follow these four fire safety tips that can help you and your family avoid being surprised by a fire disaster in your home.

1. Cook safely

Cooking—especially unattended cooking—is the biggest cause of fires and injuries in homes, according to the NFPA.

Stay in the kitchen if you’re frying, boiling, grilling or broiling If you have to leave—even for a short time—turn off the stove.
Remain nearby if you are simmering, baking or roasting, and use a timer to remind you to check the food often.
Keep flammable items (oven mitts, dish towels, wooden utensils or food packaging) away from the cooktop.
Maintain a “kid-free zone” at least three feet around the stove or where any other hot food is being prepared (such as near a slow cooker).

2. Heat your home safely

As winter approaches, follow these heating safety tips from the NFPA:

Keep flammable items at least three feet away from heating equipment, such as a furnace, space heater, fireplace or wood stove.
Turn space heaters off before leaving a room or going to sleep.
Never leave pets or children unsupervised near a space heater or wooden stove, and keep them at least three feet away.
Never use your oven to heat your home.
Have your furnace and fireplace cleaned and inspected by a professional before using them this winter.

3. Check your electrical cords

About 2,000 fires each year are due to damaged electrical cords, overloaded plugs or short circuits, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Purchase and use cords, power strips, etc. that are certified by an independent testing lab (check the label).
Check all your electrical cords for fraying, cracks or other signs of wear, and replace damaged cords or have them professionally repaired.
Use extension cords only when necessary and not for an extended period of time. Don’t run extension cords across doorways or under carpeting.
Avoid overloading outlets and power strips with more plugs than they are intended for.
Use cords labeled “for outdoor use” when using appliances or tools outside.

4. Test your smoke detectors

Test your smoke detectors once a month and change the batteries at least once a year (perhaps at the beginning or end of daylight saving time).
Replace any smoke detectors that are more than 10 years old.
Install a smoke detector inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every floor in your house, including the basement.

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

We’re Here to Help®

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

Older Homes Pose Unique Fire Risks

8/7/2019 (Permalink)

Heed these warning signs of an outdated electrical system to help prevent a fire in your older home.

If your house is more than 40 years old, unseen fire risks may by lurking in outdated wiring. Almost 50,000 electrical house fires occur each year in America. Many of these fire repairs can be prevented with a routine inspection.

These are the warning signs of a failing electrical system:

flickering or dim lights
frequent power outages
sparks
smoke
unusual sounds like sizzles or burning smells
any kind of electrical shock
damaged insulation
warm or hot outlets or switches
a shrinking television picture
reliance on extension cords for everyday use

If you see any of these warning signs or you can't remember the last time your electrical system was inspected, don’t delay! Hire a licensed and insured electrician or electrical inspector to prevent a fire disaster in your home.

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

We’re Here to Help

After a fire, the team at SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield uses specialized fire restoration training and experience to quickly clean up and restore your home to pre-fire condition.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

Your Appliances Can Be a Fire Hazard

7/16/2019 (Permalink)

Save your family from a fire disaster by following these home appliance safe usage tips.

Home appliances make all of our lives easier, but they are potential fire hazards. Follow these tips for safety when using any electric, gas or heat appliances:

Regularly clean, inspect and maintain appliances, especially those 15 years or older
Only run appliances when you're at home

Oven/Stovetop

Keep it clean—baked-on grease and residue can easily cause grease fires
Never leave food cooking on a stovetop unattended
Keep fabric (such as a dishcloth) away from heat and flame

Microwave

Don’t heat food or materials that are flammable, such as aluminum foil, Styrofoam or some plastic containers

Toaster/Toaster Oven

Clean it regularly—crumbs can accumulate and stick to the bottom of the toaster
Never use unsupervised—the heating elements can become faulty over time and may not turn off

Clothes Dryer

Keep vents and filters clean by removing lint after each use
At least once a year, clean the lint from the exhaust hose at the back of the dryer

When you have suffered a fire disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

We’re Here to Help

After a fire, the team at SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield uses specialized fire restoration training and experience to quickly clean up and restore your home to pre-fire condition.

Other Helpful Blog Posts from SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield publishes educational articles on how Glastonbury and Wethersfield residents can protect their homes and businesses from disasters and how to deal with mold, fire, water, sewage, storm and other damage.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
We serve East Glastonbury, Glastonbury, Marlborough, Portland, Rocky Hill, South Glastonbury and Wethersfield, Connecticut.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Ralph DiCristofaro
Certified SERVPRO technicians
Call 860.633.8791
24-hour emergency service

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

Summer Fire Safety

6/18/2019 (Permalink)

Enjoy your summer, but be sure to be safe—avoid fires and injuries from cookouts, fireworks and other outdoor activities.

We love summer for its vacations, parties and celebrations, but summertime also carries the risk of fires and injuries from fireworks and outdoor cooking.

Know how to prevent a burn while you enjoy cooking and other outdoor activities this summer:

Wear short sleeves or roll them up when cooking on the grill
Use long-handled barbecue tools
Keep a 3-foot safety zone around grills, fire pits and campfires
Keep a bucket of water near your grill, fire pit or campfire

Firework Safety

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

We’re Here to Help

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SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
We serve East Glastonbury, Glastonbury, Marlborough, Portland, Rocky Hill, South Glastonbury and Wethersfield, Connecticut.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

Smoke Odor? Call a Professional

5/28/2019 (Permalink)

A professional fire damage restorer like SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield knows how to completely remove lingering smoke odor.

After a home fire, the lingering odor may be severe, depending on the size and intensity of the fire, how long it burned and what burned. Using a household deodorizing spray or disinfectant provides only temporary relief from smoke odor—and deodorizing sprays may interact with smoke odor and create an additional odor.

It’s essential to work with a professional fire restoration company, like SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield, to get the job done right.

SERVPRO® uses counteractants—chemicals or additives that break up smoke molecules to eliminate the smoke odor. You need different counteractants depending on the material burned in the fire. Counteractants may be professionally applied to furniture, carpets and drapes and can be used to launder clothes.

SERVPRO may also use an ozone treatment to remove smoke odors. At your home, we’ll put your smoke odor-affected items under a tent while an ozone generator runs.

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

We’re here to help. The team at SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield has specialized fire restoration training and experience to quickly clean up fire damage and restore your home to pre-fire condition. We can remove virtually any pervasive smoke odor and deep-clean soot from upholstery and carpet.

Other Helpful Blog Posts from SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
We serve East Glastonbury, Glastonbury, Marlborough, Portland, Rocky Hill, South Glastonbury and Wethersfield, Connecticut.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

10 Ways to Prevent and Survive House Fires

4/17/2019 (Permalink)

These 10 tips from professional firefighters can help you prevent a fire from damaging your home—and help you escape if one does occur.

Many housefires can be prevented and survived. Keep yourself and your family safe with these best practices provided by professional firefighters.

1. Show Us Your Number

Firefighters and first responders need to find your home quickly in an emergency. House numbers should be at least 4 inches tall, visible from the street, visible at night and unobstructed from all angles.

2. Hold Regular Fire Drills

Make a family fire escape plan and practice it. Start your drill in sleeping areas with the lights out. Practice staying low and crawling through your emergency exits. Meet at a pre-selected meeting place outside.

3. Inspect Extension Cords

Inspect cords and discard any that get hot with use or are visibly damaged. Make sure your cords are properly rated for the job and aren’t pinched behind or beneath furniture.

4. Cool Your Ash

Treat all fireplace ashes as if they’re still burning. Put them in a metal container, close it with a tight-fitting lid and let the ashes cool outside at least 10 feet from your home or other structure.

5. Avoid False Alarms

Make sure your fire alarm system is installed by a licensed professional, test it monthly and keep it clean of dust and debris.

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

6. Allow Space for Space Heaters

Give space heaters at least 3 feet of clearance on all sides. Never leave a space heater unattended and keep children and pets a safe distance away.

7. Learn What to Burn

Don’t burn trash or paper in a fireplace. Tiny particles of burning paper can float up your chimney and onto the roof or into the yard, posing a fire risk.

8. Use the Right Extinguisher

A 2.5-pound Class ABC multipurpose dry chemical extinguisher will put out many types of household fires that involve wood, paper, plastics, liquids, electric appliances or electrical outlets.

9. Use That Extinguisher Correctly

Remember a simple acronym: PASS. Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze and hold down the handle, and Sweep from side to side and front to back.

10. Inspect Gas Grills Annually

Check the gas tank hose for leaks by applying a soap-and-water solution to it, then open the valve to the propane tank. If you see bubbles, close the gas valve and have the grill repaired before using it.

We're Here For You

The team at SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield has specialized training and experience in fire damage restoration, storm damage restoration, water damage restoration, mold remediation, commercial services and natural disaster cleanup. Call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield at 860.633.8791 any time, day or night.

When you have suffered a fire or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
We serve East Glastonbury, Glastonbury, Marlborough, Portland, Rocky Hill, South Glastonbury and Wethersfield, Connecticut.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

12 Fire, Smoke, & Soot Damage Tips

10/29/2018 (Permalink)

Preparation and knowledge reduce your risk of fire damage

If you’ve never experienced a fire you may think the flames cause most or all of the damage. But smoke, soot, and water sometimes are just as damaging. Smoke kills more people than flames. Soot can ruin prized possessions. And the water fire fighters used to put out the flames can damage your property or create more cleanup concerns. Here are 12 important things to know about fires, smoke, and soot.

1. According to Fire Rescue 1, Every year more than 3,800 people die fire related deaths in the U.S. Approximately 18,300 people are injured every year in fires. Most of these fires could have been prevented by practicing proper fire safety and having fire alarms.

2. More people die from inhaling smoke than from the flames. Never think that if you avoid the flames you are safe. Fire can suck all of the oxygen from a room and replace it with poisonous smoke and gases before flames even reach a room. Many times people die from lack of oxygen before the fire reaches their room.

The Dangers of Soot

3. A coating of fine, black dust, soot, is created when wood, coal, or oil-based substances are burned. These carbon particles float into the air and settle anywhere. Inhaling soot can cause severe lung deficiencies or even death.

4. If soot contaminates items in your home or business, a fire restoration service provider like SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield should assess the damage to see if restoration is possible.

For Fire Restoration Services Call SERVPRO Of Glastonbury/Wethersfield At (860) 633-8791

5. Soot produces polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons are responsible for gene mutation for particular groups of genes. They can cause birth defects and increase the chances of getting cancer.

Fire Alarms Save Lives

6. Approximately two-thirds of all fire deaths happen in homes where there’s no working fire alarms. Your chance of dying in a home fire is cut in half if you have working smoke alarms.

7. Spraying water on a typical home fire is a great way to extinguish the flames but the water itself can cause great damage. Make sure, after the fire is out, that your home or business is completely dried. If you don’t, mold, mildew, and other consequences will lead to further damage and loss. This is one reason why SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield uses industrial dehumidifiers and air movers to dry saturated carpets, padding, furniture, and any other wet items.

8. Mold colonies can begin to grow just 48 hours after water damage occurs. The combination of fire, water, and mold damage to your commercial property or home could result in a complete loss if not handled properly.

9. Be careful if you decide to do some cleanup after a fire by yourself. Wear heavy-duty gloves, safety goggles, and a face mask. Carefully cover your nose and make sure your safety glasses have no place for dust or soot to get into your eyes. Be sure your local fire department authorities say it’s safe for you to go into the house or structure.

Our Heroes: Firefighters

10. Firefighters are heroes. But before to save people and houses they often have to break windows and cut holes in roofs. As a fire burns, the fire moves up and down and across, growing quickly. Firefighters break windows and cut holes in roofs to provide ventilation that slows the fire’s growth. Ventilation also helps get rid of dark smoke that makes it hard for firefighters to see where they’re going. The holes and broken windows help firefighters fight the fire more quickly.

For Fire Restoration Services Call SERVPRO Of Glastonbury/Wethersfield At (860) 633-8791

11. Firefighters sometimes have to cut holes in walls, too. That’s necessary for the fire department to be certain the fire is completely out. Fire departments don’t want to risk leaving a fire that’s not visible but is still active inside the walls or in other hidden places.

12. If you have a fire, get a copy of the fire report. In most areas, a fire report is a public document. Ask for it at the fire department or fire marshal’s office. The fire report will help you with information that your insurance company and other official offices may request.

Did you know that if a fire starts in your home you may have as little as two minutes to escape? For more, see Home Fire Safety on the American Red Cross website.

Questions?
Call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield to discuss. Call 860.633.8791. We’re water damage remediation and fire damage remediation professionals serving homeowners and business owners in Glastonbury, Marlborough, Portland, Rocky Hill, and Wethersfield.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

Your Safety During A Home Fire

8/6/2018 (Permalink)

If fire strikes, you need to act fast, be calm, and stay smart

Fire doesn’t ring the doorbell. Fire doesn’t announce it’s coming. Fire surprises you. Here are some tips to keep you safe even if fire sneaks up on you.

React as soon as you see fire or smoke or hear your smoke alarm go off.

Try to exit your home as safely as possible. Do not try to grab your phone, valuables, or other important possessions. Leave directly and immediately. Your only concern is to get yourself and others out of as fast as possible. Nothing else is as important as this.

Stay calm.

If you rush or panic you won’t make the best decisions in a fire. Stay calm and think logically. You may be in charge of family members or others. Be aware of any other people in the fire and lead them to safety. Listen carefully to what they tell you and deal patiently with urgent situations first.

Check doors for heat.

During a fire don’t go through any closed door until you feel it with the back of your hand. Feel both the bottom and top of the door. If it feels hot do not open it. Opening a hot door puts you at risk of being burned. You may also add fuel (oxygen) to the fire. Find another way out.

Have everyone stay low.

Smoke and heated gases rise. You want to stay away from them. Tell family members to crouch or crawl and stay low. This will reduce the chances of anyone inhaling smoke or dangerous gases.

Questions about a fire risk or fire damage? Call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield at 860.633.8791

Before using a fire extinguisher, make sure these four conditions are met.

Often, you’re better off to let professionals handle any fire. Only use a fire extinguisher when:

1) The fire is confined to a small area, and is not growing

2) The room is not filled with smoke

3) Everyone else has exited your home or the building

4) The fire department has been called

Keep a safe distance.

Remember most fire extinguishers can reach 8 to 12 feet. Stay as far away from the fire as you can.

Use PASS.

Fire fighters recommend the PASS method when working with a fire extinguisher:

P: Pull the pin and hold the fire extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you.

A: Aim low. Point the fire extinguisher at the base of the fire.

S: Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.

S: Sweep the nozzle from side to side.

Is the fire bigger than you are?

One general rule is if the fire is bigger than you are, it’s too big for you to put out safely. Call your local fire department

Face the fire.

Fires are unpredictable. Don’t turn your back on a fire. Conditions can quickly change. Always be aware of the fire’s size, condition, and position.

Questions about a fire risk or fire damage? Call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield at 860.633.8791

Observe the smoke.

You need to do more than avoid the heat and flames. You must avoid the smoke, too. More turbulent smoke means more dangerous fire conditions. Is smoke pushing out of the top of a door? Then do not enter. Does the area contain significant amounts of smoke? Then the fire probably exceeds your ability to handle it. Call your local fire department.

Have everyone meet at a designated meeting place.

Your family or employees should have a specific place well away from your home or business that you will meet at in case of a fire. Knowing where to meet and having two or more ways to get there reduces the risk of leaving someone behind or not knowing where everyone is if you evacuate your home or building.

Can’t get out? Stay in a fire-free, smoke-free room with the doors closed.

If smoke, heat, or flames block every exit route, stay in the room with doors closed. Place a wet towel under the door and call the local fire department or 9-1-1. Open a window and wave a brightly colored cloth or flashlight to signal for help. Yell for help.

Other Blog Posts About Fire
Every month on the SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield blog we publish educational articles on how Glastonbury and Wethersfield residents can protect their homes and businesses from disasters and how to deal with mold, fire, water, sewage, storm, or other damage.

We Help With Fire Safety

At SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield we have specialized training and experience in fire restoration services, natural disaster prevention, and natural disaster cleanup. Call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield (860.633.8791) anytime, 24/7.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

Fight Fire By Knowing Your Enemy

6/1/2018 (Permalink)

Understanding how fires start is a great way to prevent them

Your best way to prevent fire is to understand the conditions fire needs to exits. A fire cannot happen unless four elements are present. Take away or prevent one of these four elements and you can protect yourself from fires at your home, business, or anywhere. So, what are the four elements and what causes them to occur?

Heat

Heat is necessary for a fire. Unfortunately, heat can build up and start a fire in many ways. A fire in your home or business may start by flammable material coming in contact with a flame, too much friction, or mechanical generation (like with your car’s spark plugs). Heat can jump from an area where you want it (in a fireplace or stove, for example) to somewhere you don’t want it in one of three ways:

1. Direct contact: The heat source touches another object. A flame reaches a piece of paper.
2. Radiation: Heat can travel in an electromagnetic way. That’s like when you put your hands near a campfire. You don’t touch the flame or fire but you still receive the heat.
3. Convection: The heat transfers from one location to the next by the movement of fluids. This is what happens when a stove burner heats a pot of water.

Concerned about a fire risk or fire damage? Call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield at 860.633.8791.

Fuel

No matter how much heat you have, you won’t have a fire if there’s nothing to burn. All fires require fuel. The fuel can be wood, fabric, gasoline, ethanol, hydrogen, butane, or one of many, many other substances.

Oxygen

A third element every fire needs is oxygen. The air we breathe is about 21 percent oxygen. That’s enough to support combustion but oxygen itself does not burn. Air with a greater percentage of oxygen in it will burn more intensely.

Now here is a fire prevention key that many people don’t know. Ask most people what you need for a fire and many will list the three elements we just talked about. But you can have the right amount of heat, fuel, and oxygen and still not have a fire. What is this fourth element?

Chemical Reaction

The first three elements must be in an environment where a chemical reaction will occur. That type of chemical reaction happens when the exact mixtures of heat, fuel, and oxygen blend in the right concentration. That cause ignition, the chemical reaction, the fire.

Take away any of these four elements and you can prevent or stop a fire. Spraying water on most fires, for example, removes the element of heat and stops the fire. Shutting off the value to the burner on your gas stove takes away the element of fuel. If you put a lid over a grease fire in a frying pan you eliminate the oxygen and stop the fire.

For fire prevention tips see the American Red Cross’s Home Fire Safety section and the National Fire Protection Association’s safety fire tips sheets.

Your Help Is Here

For questions about fire, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield. We’re the fire restoration and clean up company that saves property and saves money for the owners of fire damaged homes and businesses. Whether you're in Glastonbury or Marlborough, Portland or Rocky Hill, Wethersfield or anywhere in between, we can help. You might also want to read some of other blog posts:

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

Reduce Your Fire Damage Costs

4/19/2018 (Permalink)

Quick action is a key to keep fire damage restoration costs down.

Having your home or business damaged by fire is awful. And costly. SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield can restore your property, clean it up, and tell you about ways to keep costs down and the quality of the work high.

Act Quickly

The more time between your fire and the fire damage restoration the more costs tend to go up. A big reason for that is that some fire-damaged possessions can be saved but only if you act quickly. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that you won’t be able to restore valuable possessions. What can be saved? Well, that depends on the extent of the fire damage, but at SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield we can often save clothing, leather, books, photographs, kitchen items, furniture, heirlooms, and more.

You Don’t Just Have Fire Damage
After a fire, the damage is because of the fire, right? No, not necessarily. Many homes and businesses suffer additional damage from smoke, soot, and even the water firefighters must use to put out the fire. Be sure to treat your property for possible smoke and soot damage. While you’ll recognize if water damage is also a problem, you may not recognize the extent and seriousness of smoke and soot damage. Smoke and soot can damage most household items. Those items include furniture, carpet, walls, drapes, and even ceilings. Again, act quickly. If too much time elapses between when the fire damage occurs and when fire cleanup occurs, the effects of smoke and soot damage can last for months.

Our Goal: To Restore Your Property To Pre-Loss Condition

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield cleans and deodorizes restorable items, sometimes to preloss condition. After our restoration you may not be able to tell which items were affected by the fire and smoke and which were not. Don’t throw anything out until you’re certain it cannot be restored and must be replaced. Save your property and you save money.

We’re the fire restoration and clean up company that saves property and saves money for the owners of fire damaged homes and businesses. Whether you're in Glastonbury or Marlborough, Portland or Rocky Hill, Wethersfield or anywhere in between, we can help.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Certified SERVPRO technicians
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

If you have a fire or water emergency, please call us now at (860) 633-8791

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Questions about a fire risk or fire damage? Call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield at 860.633.8791

Questions about a fire risk or fire damage? Call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield at 860.633.8791

Fight Fire By Knowing Your Enemy

Reduce Your Fire Damage Costs

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