If you have a fire or water emergency, please call us now at (402) 800-2134

To have the optimal experience while using this site, you will need to update your browser. You may want to try one of the following alternatives:

Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration

Archived Fire Damage Blog Posts

When A Fire Destroys Your Omaha Home, You Need Help From A Professional Restoration Company Like SERVPRO!

10/3/2023 (Permalink)

Why Professional Fire Restoration Saves Omaha Homeowners Money

Disasters do not impact Omaha homes at convenient times, so overcoming the effects from an emergency needs skilled professionals with the equipment to make a difference quickly. Often after a fire, many homeowners struggle to find the right step to take to return their home to preloss condition, and restoration can fall to the wayside while a drawn-out negotiation ensues with the insurance company and fire-chasing, unlicensed contractors.

The first call after fire damage that an Omaha homeowner should make is to our dedicated SERVPRO professionals. Within a short time, we can have trained, certified personnel at your address to begin a thorough inspection of the property to identify and catalog the damage, take photos, and begin formulating an estimate of the cost to mitigate the damage. Documentation and estimation are key requests insurance providers require to process coverage claims on area properties, and we have an established reporting and estimation process with most insurance companies for seamless communication through our national accounts.

The professional mitigation that our SERVPRO team provides your fire-damaged home can help save you money. We arrive quickly to the emergency to provide premier cleaning services, water extraction necessary from the fire-fighting process, air quality improvement equipment, and the industry contacts which perform emergency board-up services on your home to prevent further elemental damage throughout the restoration steps to follow.

Be mindful of unlicensed contractors who prey on families affected by structure fires. These unprofessional outfits offer poor quality construction solutions designed to cost you more than the quality of the job, and without checking for credentials, you might have no way of recuperating that lost expense. Our franchise works closely with accredited and licensed contracting companies to provide our customers with an efficient solution when rebuilding is necessary.

Fire recovery is something that can be overwhelming to many homeowners. Without appropriate mitigation tactics applied early on, however, failure to act could result in a much higher restoration bill. Give our SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest fire restoration specialists a call any time disaster strikes at (402) 800-2134.

Click here for more about Omaha.

How SERVPRO Remediates and Restores Your Fremont Home After a Fire

3/2/2023 (Permalink)

Reasons to Seek Professional Help After Fire Damage In Fremont

Fire can damage your Fremont home in many ways, and its impact is both immediate and progressive. The heat the fire itself, as well as the toxic, acidic soot and debris left afterward harm surfaces, structural components, and personal property from the first minutes of exposure, and cause additional damage the longer they remain. The water or chemicals used to extinguish the fire and the effects of lingering odors further complicate matters. Our fire damage remediation services can help. 

The spread of smoke and soot throughout your Fremont house means fire damage needs evaluation everywhere. Air movement through open windows, via an HVAC system, and from the churn of heat from the fire distributes the residues swiftly and house-wide. Our IICRC-trained technicians are aware of the potential for fire damage to spread. We track the effects of the fire in every space of your home, implementing remediation plans to remove residues and prepare surfaces for final restoration by your chosen contractor. 

We are a full-service remediation company, able to manage the overlap fire damage almost always shares with significant water damage resulting from firefighting efforts. With SERVPRO onsite, we complete water mitigation with due speed making for a safe, hazard-free environment. Our crew makes the affected spaces ready for reconstruction by your chosen contractor. 

SERVPRO crews clean efficiently and safely, working with you to keep the toxic effects contained during remediation if you remain in the home during the project. Our state of the art equipment and SERVPRO Professional Cleaning Products clean residues thoroughly, stopping the corrosive action caused by fire damage. We collaborate with you and your insurance company during the job to streamline the process and limit out of pocket costs. 

Our expertise assists us in helping to determine items that might seem ruined to the untrained eye are recoverable. SERVPRO can guide the homeowner to resources that provide cleaning and refurbishing of fire and water damaged personal belongings and furnishings. It is not always necessary to dispose of fire and water damaged items given contemporary processes that can return soiled and odiferous articles to preloss condition. 

SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest is ready to mitigate the damage done by a household fire with just a call to (402) 800-2134. We can handle all aspects of fire remediation, including water, soot, and smoke clean up.

Midland University is located in Fremont.  Click here for more information.

Why Professional Fire Damage Remediation Is Necessary For Your Omaha Home

2/1/2023 (Permalink)

Why Professional Fire Damage Remediation Is Necessary

After a fire in your Omaha home, it may be natural to try to inventory the damage on your own. If the blaze was short-lived and the harm to structures and contents appears minimal to an untrained eye you might be tempted to handle the cleanup personally. Fire mitigation is best performed with professional assistance for your and your family's safety and to prevent progressive damage to the structural components and contents of your home.

It takes an expert to locate all areas in your Omaha house affected by fire damage. The residues from the flames are sometimes obvious as when thick layers of soot coat surfaces including furnishings, ceilings, and walls. Other types of residue can be almost invisible, as when the fuel consumed by the fire was protein or grease. Although it is a thin layer, this latter type of soot spreads widely, is difficult to remove, and usually carries a distinctly unpleasant odor. Our technicians are familiar with practical strategies and products that loosen and clear away all types of fire debris.

SERVPRO technicians train extensively concerning the various ways smoke, soot, and odors infiltrate a home. We know what kind of evidence to seek when looking for the damage and where it is likely to be found. Failure to address damage in the first hours or days after a fire increases the severity of the harm. A delay might require the homeowner eventually to arrange for more costly remedies and risk irreparable harm. You might need to replace portions of the structure or discard personal possessions that the timely efforts of a professional remediation company could restore. A homeowner often finds responding to a disaster is a solo affair, but SERVPRO can increase the speed of your disaster cleanup and other mitigation tasks with a team approach.

Attempts to clean using conventional methods and cleaning agents meant for ordinary soiling can smear the residues and set stains that come from a fire. SERVPRO technicians match the characteristics of the soots observed with appropriate cleaning solutions, equipment and processes. Even the direction and order of cleaning a surface or furniture item has a proven best practice, taught to our employees in IICRC training and certification. Fire residues can also contain toxic elements, and our employees are well aware of ways to protect themselves and the inhabitants of a fire-damaged residence during remediation.

Put your trust in the skills and training possessed by the professional technicians at SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest after fire damages your abode. Call us at (402) 800-2134 as soon as the local authorities signify the fire is out, and remediation can begin.

Click here for more about Omaha.

Professional Fire Cleanup for Your Elkhorn Home

2/1/2023 (Permalink)

After a Significant Fire in an Elkhorn House, SERVPRO Can Clean Up the Mess

Among the most traumatic events that might impact your Elkhorn home is an unforeseen disaster that threatens the structural integrity of the house and/or the health of those living in it. Fire is an excellent example of one of these occurrences. With widespread damages that vary significantly from one instance to another, most homeowners lack the experience and equipment to restore this type of damage on their own.

Regardless of what started the fire in your Elkhorn home, your focus after extinguishment is working on getting all of the fire damages restored to return your home to its previous condition. This goal might seem like an uphill battle, but with the right choice in professional restorers, you have training and expertise on your side to get the job done correctly.

Our SERVPRO management team can work alongside the representatives for your insurance to make the claims process more efficient for you. While this is often one of the most daunting and troublesome aspects of getting the restoration costs covered by your insurance provider, our professionals can help to properly document the damage and continually provide the insurance adjuster with updates regarding progress.

It is vital that you do not attempt to enter your home immediately after a fire has been extinguished, even if the first responders can assure you that the flames have been put out. There could be substantial damage to structural components that make navigating your home dangerous. Additionally, chemical or toxic environments could exist within your home that needs to be cleaned and deodorized before they are safe to breathe normally. Our SERVPRO technicians are safety-oriented and have extensive training in the use of protective equipment to enter environments like this to assess the risks.

You might not always think of professional restoration when it comes to smaller scale incidents within your home, but when you have faced a fire, restoring these effects requires experience and the appropriate equipment. You can count on our SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest restoration technicians to work efficiently to clean up the debris and prep your property for a rebuild. Give us a call anytime at (402) 800-2134.

More data about this area by clicking here

Stealthy Smoke Damage In Your Omaha Home

11/2/2022 (Permalink)

Smoke Damage In Your Home

When a fire breaks out in a Omaha residence, everyone understandably focuses on the harm caused by the flames. Although blackened and charred materials grab homeowners’ attention, other processes occur during a household fire that can be as destructive to the structure as the burning. This less noticeable damage also can be completely hidden, and continue to damage materials and items in your home.

Smoke and soot damage is a serious problem after a fire. The materials ignited by the fire make up the content of smoke, and the soot deposited as the airborne particles float through the atmosphere within a residence. Depending on what burned, the combustion can create dangerous and toxic byproducts. Inhaling this noxious mixture sometimes results in health issues, including severe injury or death. More people die during a fire from smoke inhalation than any burns inflicted.

The drifting smoke and soot are hard to follow as they make their path throughout a building. Hot air rises during the fire, lifting the smoke to one or more stories above the site of a fire. The smoke can slip through cracks into the areas above ceilings and between walls, filling these recesses while still emitting odors and fumes. The soot deposits a mix of incompletely burned solids, a part of the chemical combination of gases and minute particles of solids and liquids that make up smoke.

Hidden smoke damage corrodes, tarnishes, etches, and deteriorates metals, woods, glass, and other surfaces. It invades and ruins porous materials like insulation and carpeting over time. Its odor lingers, trapped in the tiny bits of combusted plastic, wood, fabric, and a host of other organic and inorganic building materials and contents inside the burned home.

It is imperative that our technicians locate and evaluate smoke damage wherever it migrates. A plan to remove the smoke damage or seal it to prevent continuous vaporization is crucial.

After the remediation of smoke damage, the final task is often odor removal. Airing out of spaces helps somewhat, but the odiferous particles remain suspended and trapped in walls and cavities, furnishings, materials and other places. Advanced technology that replicates the combustion known as thermal fogging shows good results in odor elimination. So does hydroxyl generation and other oxidative processes. These solutions work by sending other particles into the air to seek out odor molecules, They attach to the odor particles and neutralize the smell through a chemical conversion that permanently eliminates the stench.

If your home experiences fire damage, connect immediately with SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest for fast and lasting results. You can count on our team to restore your property to pre-damage condition. Call us today at (402) 800-2134. “Like it never even happened.”

Click here for more about Omaha.

The Many Types of Fire Damage to Bennington Homes

10/4/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Thoroughly Remediates Fire Damage in Your Home After an Incident

A fire in your Bennington home, regardless of its size, can prove challenging to overcome. Even without the substantial structural damage that can occur, your home will not be the same as it was before the disaster occurred. With so many symptoms and lingering effects to overcome, in most cases, traditional cleaning methods will not have the lasting power or effectiveness to restore the damage and remove odors from your home.
 
The fire damage to your Bennington home can present itself in several unique ways. From noxious odors left behind to smoke and soot damage, bringing your home to preloss conditions is a task best designated for trained and certified restoration specialists.
 
The moment our experienced SERVPRO team arrives at your fire-damaged home, we begin assessing the scope of the restoration issues. Our focus will be on restoring a comfortable living area for you and your family again, so communication plays a significant role in determining where to begin the restoration process and which facets of the overall restoration process are most important to you as the homeowner.
 
To begin the deodorization process, air scrubbers are employed to remove smoke and soot particles and from the air down to .3 microns.  We also utilize special equipment such as hydroxyl generators, ozone, or vapor fogging, which can neutralize noxious molecules on contact, leaving no discernable scent behind. This equipment is able to destroy odor-causing molecules deep in porous materials, such as carpet and upholstered furniture, and clothing.
 
If the fire in your home was severe enough to affect its structural integrity, our SERVPRO team is trained in controlled demolition. The structurally damaged areas will be clean and ready for reconstruction by other contractors.
 
While any manner of fire damage can be traumatic, cleaning up the mess does not have to be. You can trust the professional and courteous technicians we have at SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest to get the job completed as quickly as possible. You can reach our emergency response team anytime by calling (402) 800-2134.

Click here for more information regarding the city of Bennington.

Tips if Fire damage occurs in your home

9/12/2022 (Permalink)

Fire damage Friday tips! Some more of our Do's and Dont's for you. In the event of a fire damage if your electricity is off, empty your freezer/refrigerator completely and prop the doors open to help prevent odor, you wouldn't want to possibly forget that there is meat in your freezer and have it thaw out. Also if your heat is off during these winter months, pour RV antifreeze in sinks, toilet bowls, holding tanks and tubs to avoid freezing pipes and fixtures leading to more unwanted damages. DO NOT consume any food/beverages that may have been stored close to the fire/heat. They may be contaminated and unsafe for consumption. In any situation I hope you find our tips helpful. If you haven't already follow us on Twitter, find us at SERVPRO_OmahaNW.

Helpful tips for Fire and Smoke Damage

8/9/2022 (Permalink)

In the event of a fire there will be a lot of soot left over and all over your house. The best things you can do is keep your hands clean, soot on your hands can further soil upholstery, walls and woodwork. Also wipe soot from chrome on kitchen/bathroom faucets, trim/appliances, then protect these surfaces with a light coating of lubricant.  DO NOT attempt to was any walls or painted surfaces, or clean electrical appliances (TV's, radios, etc.) that were close to the fire, heat or water without first consulting an authorized repair man. Just think safety first in any situation if it does not look safe it probably isn't. If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest for any of your fire or water damage needs. 

Tips for your home in a Fire or Smoke Damage

3/2/2022 (Permalink)

In any instance of a fire in your home you are going to want to limit the movement in the space to prevent soot particles from being embedded into upholstery/carpet, this will keep whatever soot particles are in the affected area from leaving that affected area. Limiting the movement in the space will also keep your cost to a minimum because there will be less to clean. DO NOT attempt to shampoo carpet or upholstered furniture, an improper cleaning may set the smoke odor. Let SERVPRO use our state-of-the-art equipment and cleaning supplies to properly clean your furniture/carpet or even toys/other home goods. If you think it smells like smoke let us handle the rest. We have cleaners for all types of furniture finishes that handle the scent of smoke damage. 

Common Complications After Fire Damage in Valley

2/18/2022 (Permalink)

Dealing with fire damage can be overwhelming when you factor in having to deal with the water

SERVPRO Technicians Remediate ALL Aspects of Fire Damage in Order to Prevent Secondary Damages.

Remediation of fire damage in Valley often requires services that may be surprising if the fire loss is your first. Mitigation of the effects of fire also take into consideration the need to respond to the damage caused by firefighting efforts. Lingering issues such as unpleasant odors or mold also require skilled intervention for resolution.

Fire that damages a home in Valley through combustion of building material and contents, can result in charring and the deposit of ash, soot, and smoky residues throughout the dwelling. Before remediation of these issues begins, however, trained technicians must also remediate the damage done to the house by chemical agents or large quantities of water that were employed to extinguish the fire. The full spectrum of services SERVPRO crews offer allow them to remediate the water damage before focusing on the fire cleanup.

The devastation potential of water damage cannot be denied. Removing standing water and drying out structures is an immediate necessity when sorting through the tasks required to remediate fire damage. Water damage unresolved continues to deteriorate the framework, walls, stars, floors, and ceilings of a house. Many safety issues can result from unmitigated water damage, including the risk of electrical shock, slips, trips, and falls.

Once the water damage challenges are managed, SERVPRO crews move on to a thorough cleaning of the soot and smoke residues spread throughout the home. The IICRC training mastered by the technicians guides their decisions about the combination of procedure, tools and SERVPRO Professional Products that will be most efficacious in returning the home to pre-fire condition. The compassion and caring of the team as they listen to concerns of the homeowners assure the highest level of customer service.

Final considerations for any fire damage scenario would include an inspection for any mold damage, especially if water incursion remained unremedied for more than 72 hours. A mold remediation will follow when indicated. If the thorough cleanup of the soot and smoke damage does not eliminate unpleasant odors, SERVPRO crews have a protocol they follow to rid the home of the smell, including the use of advanced technologies that neutralize the offending odors, not merely concealing them with other smells.

SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest has experience in the range of services needed to return a home to the condition enjoyed before the fire. Call to schedule an assessment of your needs at (402) 800-2134.   

Mitigation of Your Fremont Home Removes Smelly Evidence of Fire Damage

2/2/2022 (Permalink)

When a Fremont home endures a disaster, changes to its appearance also happen.  Fire causes both physical and chemical changes to take place to the interior and often, to the exterior, of a home.  Physical changes can mean once-beautiful aspects to your home become charred or dirty.  Chemical changes often mean horrible odors permeate the air.

Homeowners in Fremont with fire damaged homes start the restoration process through mitigation.  Cleaning and preparing the home by removing all safety hazards ensures that complete restoration happens quickly and smoothly.  When something shows damage in your home after a fire, we first try to save the material.  Only when that fails do we opt for removal of the material.

When a fire causes your home to burn, many changes take place.  When we remove fire-damaged materials, odors often dissipate and become much weaker.  Carpeting and rugs absorb a tremendous amount of soot but can remain reasonably clean-looking.  However, below the surface can hold staggering amounts of soot and other debris.  Our technicians can discuss options with you regarding the amount of damage sustained by the carpets in your home.

Cleaning the surfaces inside of your home removes the soot that creates the signature odor of a house fire.  Soft materials absorb soot and steadily give off odor-causing particles.  Specialized cleaning and laundering of these items at our facility ensure they remain out of the way while work progresses.  When finished cleaning these items of soot, returning them to you happens at your convenience.

Eliminating any remaining odors decreases the number of memory triggers your family experiences, and helps make the memory of the fire fade much more quickly.  Our technicians work with customers individually because odor detection varies from person to person.  While one person may not smell an odor at all, another person might smell an overpowering scent.  We want to ensure your satisfaction with how your home smells and looks before we consider our work finished.  

There are many other ways that the technicians at SERVPRO can help you and your family recover from fire damage.  SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest wants to help you every step of the way.  Call us at 402-800-2134 whenever you need expert services.

Smoke and Soot

11/17/2021 (Permalink)

After a fire damage there is always that smoke smell.  There are two different types of smoke, wet smoke and dry smoke.  It sounds weird I know but a wet smoke is from your plastics and rubbers.  This is a low heat, smoldering, sticky and smelly smoke typically leaving smoke webs, these are a bit more difficult to clean.  A dry smoke is your paper and woods, this is a fast burning, high temperature where heat rises (aka smoke rises).  Knowing the smoke type helps figure out the soot residue type left behind.  There are 3 types of soot residue after a fire, fuel oil soot (furnace puff backs), protein fire residue (produced by evaporation of material rather than from a fire), and other (tear gas, fingerprint powder and fire extinguisher residue).  SERVPRO  of Omaha Northwest professionals are trained to handle the toughest of losses.  If you have any questions or need our 24/7 services, call us at (402) 800-2134.

SERVPRO Technicians Handle Many Aspects of Fire Damage Restoration From Clean-Up to Removing the Odors

10/5/2021 (Permalink)

Dealing with the aftermath of a fire can be overwhelming. Contact SERVPRO after the fire fighters leave for remediation and restoration efforts.

When a home endures a disaster, changes to its appearance also happen. Fire causes both physical and chemical changes to take place to the interior and often, to the exterior of a home. Physical changes can mean once-beautiful aspects to your home become charred or dirty. Chemical changes often mean horrible odors permeate the air.

Homeowners with fire damaged homes start the restoration process through mitigation. Cleaning and preparing the home by removing all safety hazards ensures that complete restoration happens quickly and smoothly. When something shows damage in your home after a fire, we first try to save the material. Only when that fails do we opt for removal of the material.

When a fire causes your home to burn, many changes take place. When we remove fire-damaged materials, odors often dissipate and become much weaker. Carpeting and rugs absorb a tremendous amount of soot but can remain reasonably clean-looking. However, below the surface can hold staggering amounts of soot and other debris. Our technicians can discuss options with you regarding the amount of damage sustained by the carpets in your home.

Cleaning the surfaces inside of your home removes the soot that creates the signature odor of a house fire. Soft materials absorb soot
and steadily give off odor-causing particles. Specialized cleaning and laundering of these items at our facility ensure they remain out of the way while work progresses. When finished cleaning these items of soot, returning them to you happens at your convenience.

Eliminating any remaining odors decreases the number of memory triggers your family experiences, and helps make the memory of the fire fade much more quickly. Our Odor Control Technician works with our customers individually because odor detection varies from person to person. While one person may not smell an odor at all, another person might smell an overpowering scent. We want to ensure your satisfaction with how your home smells and looks before we consider our work finished.

There are many other ways that the technicians at SERVPRO can help you and your family recover from fire damage. SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest wants to help you every step of the way. Call us at (402) 800-2134 whenever you need expert services.

How to Be Prepared: Fire Safety Tips

9/1/2021 (Permalink)

We’re available 24/7 to help you recover from a house fire. Call us if you experience a fire or any other type of disaster at 402-800-2134. We’re here

A house fire can happen suddenly, so it necessary to do everything possible to keep your home safe from fire hazards. Being prepared if a fire does break out is important as well. In this blog we will talk about a few safety tips to keep in mind.

Inspect smoke detectors regularly

This is one of the most important steps and could save your life in a fire. Your home should have a smoke detector in every room on every floor. Not only will this help save your life, but it could also allow for less damage. It is recommended that the batteries be changed once a year in every smoke detector. Doing these routine checkups can help keep your home safe.

Family Fire Escape Plan

When a fire breaks out people can become very overwhelmed and panic. Having an Escape plan set up will prepare your family for exactly what to do in order to get out of your home efficiently as possible. Things to plan include meeting spots, exit routes, or special provisions to any family member may need it. It is recommended to assign one person to specific tasks.

How to: Operate a Fire Extinguisher

Everyone in your household should fully understand how to use a fire extinguisher. Knowing the word PASS should help with remembering the steps:

  • Pull the pin. Hold the extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you and release the locking mechanism.
  • Aim low; pointing the extinguisher at the base of the fire.
  • Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.
  • Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side.

Open Flames

Open flames are common in a household and many people forget the dangers if left unattended. This can be a candle or cook top and it is possible for a flame to spread to other surfaces quickly. Always extinguish all flames when you’re not in the room.

Have A Plan

For the reasons I listed above you can see why it is important to have a plan in place. In addition to the fire escape plan, consider what you will need to do after a fire is put out. Thinking about what fire restoration company to use can help make a hard time a bit easier. SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest has a staff of trained professionals to assist you in this time of need. We’re available 24/7 to help you recover from a house fire. Call us if you experience a fire or any other type of disaster at 402-800-2134. We’re here to help!

Fire Damage Remediation Help in the Omaha Area

8/9/2021 (Permalink)

Regardless of what area of your home is affected, SERVPRO remediates and deodorizes your property so that you will forget there was ever a fire.

Certified Technicians Remediate Your Home Efficaciously After a Fire

Recovering from a fire in the Omaha community needs to be a team effort. Many different things are required to take your fire damaged dwelling from a sooty, wet mess back to the clean and comfortable home you deserve to enjoy with your family. Hiring a remediation company that is committed to being your partner is your first step.
 
The fire damage to your Omaha home may have many causes. The way the fire started and the type of materials that burned will impact the techniques your SERVPRO remediation team uses to bring your home back to its pre loss condition. The project manager takes the time to assess safety issues after your dwelling is released by your local fire department for remediation evaluation. Any reconstruction issues that must be addressed are referred to contractors licensed and certified to repair and replace vital structural components. After the needed outside work is completed the SERVPRO supervisor creates a step by step plan to clear your home of soot and smoke residues and odors.
 
Now your home is stabilized and ready for deep cleaning and other treatments required to abate the damage. A SERVPRO work team is dispatched to move throughout your home, cleaning each area affected by the fire and smoke thoroughly. The work crew members have all completed advanced training in SERVPRO Employee Certification and IICRC courses that guide them through every process needed to bring your home back to life.
 
The grime and coatings that combusted materials leave behind can be tough to remove, but the SERVPRO team has both the training and the on the job experience to choose the correct SERVPRO Professional Products, tools, and techniques to give you a professional job. Hard work and patience go a long way toward achieving the desired results, as the crew manages each surface and article in turn. These dedicated workers will not be satisfied until your home is clean and smells fresh, just “Like it never even happened.”
 
No group of fire remediators takes more pride in their work than the crews at SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest. Give them a call at (402) 800-2134 and rely on their skill, experience, and ethical approach to arrive at your desired result after fire damage.

How to Safely Start a Campfire

3/3/2021 (Permalink)

Check out these 4 steps to start a campfire safely

With spring slowly approaching we are all looking forward to doing more outside. This includes a lot of outdoor activities but one I am going to talk about specifically is campfires. Campfires are a great way to kick back and relax on any day of the week, but it is important that we start one safely. With starting any fire there are many risks and many things to consider before starting one as well. Below I am going to list 4 steps from starting to properly putting out a campfire.

1. How to Prepare a Campfire

Preparation is key when starting a fire, check with your county’s local restrictions. They should also have information on their website and will tell you if the conditions are ok to start a campfire. You will also need wood, a water source, shovel, and a way to start the fire. 

Picking a safe location is something to consider. If you have the opportunity to use a premade fire pit that will be your best bet. If you have to build one from scratch make sure you dig a hole about a foot deep where the dirt is dry. Also make sure there is not anything flammable within 15 feet and look for things that can catch fire above it.

2. How to Build a Campfire

One of the most common campfires lay is called the Teepee. To build this type of fire, lay tinder sticks in a teepee formation with enough space for air to get in. This formation will keep the fire burning steady as long as you add when needed.

3. How to Maintain

Now that your campfire is burning it is important to keep an eye on it. Accidents can happen in an instant when fire is involved. Watch children and pets to make sure they do not get close. As the fire continues to burn keep adding larger pieces of wood until the fire gets to the size you want it at, but make sure you keep it under control.

4. Extinguishing the Campfire

Properly extinguishing your campfire is the most important step. If any part of your campfire is still lit, embers can blow and start a fire. The best way to extinguish your fire is wait until it is burned down to ash. If you need to leave before it gets to that point pour water on to the fire slowly and stir in some dirt with your shovel. After these steps see if your fire is still hot, if it is repeat these steps.

SERVPRO's Principles of Fire Damage Restoration in Omaha

2/2/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO professionals follow procedures for fire damage cleanup. Call today for us to get started.

From Soot to Residues: Cleaning Up After a Fire Requires Professionals

The largest percentage of damage after a home fire is usually from smoke and soot. Restoration cleaning can reduce the cost of this damage by hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Professional cleaning costs only a fraction of replacement of property or resurfacing of items such as tables, chairs, and upholstered furniture.

When it comes to cleaning up fire damage to an Omaha home, SERVPRO follows some very specific principles in how we deal with smoke and soot residues. These principles provide the guidance we use to return your house, apartment, and personal property to its original state.

First, our restoration team inspects each room in the home. Our inspectors and technicians determine which surfaces have been affected. This process starts at the source point of the fire and working their way outward to determine just how extensive the damage has spread.

Identification is next. Different types of residue can exist in the same room and even on the same item of property. Without proper identification, the team member cannot select the most effective cleaning method to remove it.

Along with residue identification comes surface identification. It is not enough to simply clean the surface; the restoration team also has to preserve the surface if at all possible. For example, certain cleaning chemicals are unusable on surfaces with a lacquer or other type of finish. Some methods are incompatible with fabrics found in curtains or furniture.

Finally, residues must be captured and removed. A dry residue on a hard surface such as marble can be easily wiped off. Conversely, a damp residue on a wood surface or a piece of fabric requires more difficult procedures which can involve agitators, vacuums, extractors and other machines that separate the residue from the surface. To increase the effectiveness of the machines, they often use one or more of the cleaners we have available from our on-hand inventories.

Restoring your home after a fire or other disaster requires a professional service. SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest has the experience, training, and equipment needed to quickly and efficiently clean your home while keeping the costs as affordable as possible. Call us today at (402) 800-2134 to get started.

SERVPRO Technicians Remediate Many Types of Damage After a Fire

11/18/2020 (Permalink)

Kitchen fire damage happens everyday in homes around the country. If a fire gets out of control, contact SERVPRO after the firefighters leave.

SERVPRO Technicians Remediate Many Types of Damage After a Fire

Fire damages not only the structure and contents of your home, but the event can be frightening and affects your sense of refuge and safety. Homeowners who face the chaos after a fire need the compassion and experience an established leader in the remediation industry brings to the scene of their disaster.
 
Just a few minutes of inattention can result in kitchen fire damage in Omaha from an overheated pan bursting into flames in your residence. Smoke and soot fill that room and move through your home very quickly. Even if you have a functioning fire extinguisher nearby, it takes a few minutes to find and engage it to extinguish the flames, permitting the substances created by the combustion to spread in the meantime. Once the fire is out, you now confront the chemical residue from the extinguisher in addition to the damage from the fire itself. Highly skilled and IICRC trained abatement technicians employ effective strategies to clean all surfaces coated with fire damage and chemical residues.
 
SERVPRO fire damage remediation crew members swiftly assess the damage to the kitchen and the rest of your home. A seasoned manager devises a plan accounting for all the tasks needed to clean the walls, ceilings, floors, appliances, furnishings, and other surfaces soiled or otherwise harmed by the fire and its extinguishing. The team matches appropriate cleaning solutions and tools to the residues throughout all spaces in your dwelling.
 
Ash and light, dry soot respond well to cleaning techniques like vacuuming, with HEPA filter equipped models, and dry sponging. Stickier coatings require wisely chosen cleansers or solvents sprayed on the damaged surfaces and then wiped or scrubbed clean. Fixtures or objects featuring intricate details like blinds or chandeliers may require immersion cleaning. SERVPRO workers are familiar with a broad range of methods that leave the structure and contents or your home cleaned and refreshed after fire damage.
 
An inspection and cleaning of the HVAC system in your fire-damaged home may be recommended by SERVPRO if the fire blazed and smoked near open vents. This step helps assure that the cleaning done eliminates as much of the fire damage residue as possible and prevents the continuous spread of hidden soot when heating and cooling occurs.
 
Rely on SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest to respond to your fire damage remediation needs with professionalism and empathy. One call to (402) 800-2134 delivers the help you need fast any hour of the day or night.

Prevent Fire Damage With Home Fire Alarm Maintenance

10/13/2020 (Permalink)

Fire alarms and smoke detectors help secure life and property

Fire Alarms for Personal and Property Protection

There can be no doubt that every home needs a fire alarm. A home fire alarm system protects you and your family in Omaha by alerting you early to fire so you can get out. Having a system in place is particularly important in case a fire breaks out overnight when you are asleep and might not notice right away. Fire damage to your home is distressing and can also be costly. You can help prevent damage by investing in fire alarms for your house and maintaining them properly.
 
SERVPRO recommends that every home in Omaha has fire alarms in place to help to avoid fire damage, injury or death. There are regulations regarding the number of fire alarms, and some older homes might not meet these, so it is important to fit your home with the correct number of warnings. You need an alarm on each floor of your home (this includes the basement and attic), plus one in every bedroom, and one in the area adjacent to the sleeping area.
 
All smoke alarms should be wired together in such a way that if one goes off, they all go off.
 
It is important to test your home alarm system regularly. After all, if a fire alarm is not working it cannot alert you in the event of a blaze, and the consequences of that could be catastrophic.
 
Most fire alarms can be tested by simply pushing the test button. If the alarm sounds it is working; if not, then it is not operating properly. It is common for checking the batteries when you change your home clocks for seasonal time changes.
 
If you have a battery operated fire alarm, try replacing the battery and then testing again. If it still does not work, replace the unit. If you have a hard-wired fire alarm and it does not make a sound, then it is faulty and needs to be replaced.
 
You should be aware that most fire alarms are only good for around ten years and need to be replaced at the ten-year mark, regardless of whether they pass the sound test or not.
 
In the event of fire damage to your home, SERVPRO is on hand to help with cleanup and restore your home as quickly as possible, “Like it never even happened.” We take care of soot cleanup, washing and spot cleaning soft furnishings, scrubbing hard surfaces, and deodorization, so your home feels like yours once more.

Kids and Fire Safety

9/3/2020 (Permalink)

A house fire that is in the process of being put out by the fire department

Children at a very young age are curious about everything and playing with new items are their way to learn. It is important to keep children educated about fire and how dangerous they are even if it is a fire as small as a candle burning. Kids playing with fire has caused 14,500 buildings to go up in flames in one year.

  • Children accidentally cause fires by playing with either matches, lighters, candles, and even fireworks. 

Many young children do not know how to respond to a fire. Take precautions and prevent access to the tools that can start a fire, talk to your child about how dangerous a fire is and how it can hurt them and even other family members.

  • Never leave matches or lighters in a space where a child can be unsupervised
  • Keep children at least 3 feet away from the stove while it is on.
  • Educate children. Teach them how to Stop, Drop and Roll.

Be a good example and teach a child the appropriate ways fire is used. For example: lighting candles, a campfire, or a fireplace. Do not use fire to amuse kids, they may want to imitate you.

Local fire departments may have programs designed to teach kids about the dangers and consequences of playing with fire.

Keep your home safe and help ensure your entire family stays safe as well.

How to Use a Fire Extinguisher

8/6/2020 (Permalink)

Fire Extinguisher

Fire extinguishers can be very helpful in case of an emergency while adding another layer of safety to your home. Fire extinguishers are also more effective than water when putting out fires, so it is always good to have one handy in an emergency. When a fire occurs the faster you put it out the less you will need to restore.

The difference types of fire extinguishers include

  • Class A: Puts out fires on ordinary materials
  • Class B: Puts out grease fires and other flammable liquids
  • Class C: Puts out electrical fires
  • Class D: Puts out flammable metals

Using a Fire Extinguisher

The following steps should be followed when responding to incipient stage fire:

  • Sound the fire alarm and call the fire department, if appropriate.
  • Identify a safe evacuation path before approaching the fire. Do not allow the fire, heat, or smoke to come between you and your evacuation path.
  • Select the appropriate type of fire extinguisher
  • Discharge the extinguisher within its effective range using the P.A.S.S. technique (pull, aim, squeeze, sweep).
  • Back away from an extinguished fire in case it flames up again.
  • Evacuate immediately if the extinguisher is empty and the fire is not out.
  • Evacuate immediately if the fire progresses

P.A.S.S. technique explained

  1. PULL…Pull the Pin
  2. AIM….Point the hose at the bottom of the fire
  3. SQUEEZE…Squeeze the handle to spray the extinguishing agent
  4. SWEEP… Sweep from side to side at the base of the fire until it is out, if the fire starts back up repeat steps two and three

What to Do After a House Fire

3/3/2020 (Permalink)

Aftermath of a kitchen fire

After a house fire you may not know what to do first after the fire department leaves. It is an overwhelming and stressful experience and is hard to decide what you should do first. Being prepared and knowing what to do can do before it ever happens can make a stressful time a little bit easier. Below I am going to talk about the 5 things you should do after you have a house fire.

Contact Your Insurance Agent

  • This is one of the most important steps you should complete shortly after the fire. This will get the process started of restoring your home and getting you moved back in asap.

Contact the Police

  • If the fire is so bad where you’re not able to live there for some time it is necessary to let the police know. This will prevent things from getting stolen and will make sure there is no activity for people that don’t belong there.

Plan Your Finances

  • During this situation you should plan what to expect financially. This includes talking with your insurance as well to see what they are going to cover as far as temporary relocation expenses, restoration services, and possessions.  

Save Undamaged Possessions

  • If your home was only partially damaged it is good to go back and remove anything that wasn’t affected by the fire. Professional restoration companies have the experience and tools to restore fire affected items.

Wait to Turn on Utilities

  • When you have a fire in some cases firefighters will turn off your utilities to prevent damage. You may need to have your house inspected to make sure nothing was damaged before you turn them back on.

Fire Safety: Being Prepared

2/3/2020 (Permalink)

This is what a fire escape plan should look like.

In today’s blog we are going to talk about preparing for a fire emergency and how to prevent a fire. A fire can start in a variety of ways, being aware of the things that can start house fires may save you from having one at your home. Having an escape plan in place as well as working smoke alarms are extremely important to have in place.

Prevention

  • Never leave cooking unattended (#1 cause of house fires)
  • Make sure all smoke alarms are working and are on every floor and in every bedroom (50% of fires are at night)
  • If possible, avoid space heaters as they are a major fire hazard if left on unattended
  • Check electrical cords and don’t plug a lot of cords into one outlet
  • Check dryer/ clean lint as this can start a fire
  • Be cautious with candles/ make sure to put out before leaving home

Preparing

  • Have a fire escape plan from every room of your home/ Make sure everyone knows how to get out
  • Make sure all smoke alarms are working/ change battery’s twice a year
  • Sleep with doors shut
  • Have a fire extinguisher on each floor
  • Store flammable chemicals properly and away from any heat source

The Most Common Types of House Fires

11/25/2019 (Permalink)

This photo shows a home that caught fire by an electrical issue

In this blog, we are going to talk about the most common fires and how you can help reduce the risk of a fire starting in your home. The 4 most common types of fires include kitchen, electrical, heater, and smoking fires. With that being said fires can start with cooking, heating equipment, anything electrical, smoking, and candles. It is extremely important to keep an eye on these things that can start potential fires as you can help prevent having a house fire. Below listed are the 4 most common types of house fires.

Kitchen Fires

Cooking fires are the #1 cause of house fires and usually start in the kitchen. This accounts for 42% of all reported incidents. Grease fires are one of the most common causes of kitchen fires and can get out of hand quickly if unattended. Be sure to never leave your cooking unsupervised because it doesn’t take long for a fire to start.

Electrical Fires

Every year there are about 50,000 electrical fires every year due to faulty wiring. A majority of the fires start because of short circuits, which causes sparking that light building materials on fire. These are one of the deadliest fires as well. Most residential fires that start this way are in hidden areas, so it takes a while for the homeowner to realize there is a fire. Electrical systems that are installed correctly are very safe, however old faulty wiring systems can be susceptible to short circuits.

Heating equipment

Heating equipment is responsible for 15% of all residential fires. Usually, heater fires start by having fabrics and other combustibles close to them allowing them to catch fire. Never leave your home with a heater running and be sure not to leave anything close to them.

Smoking Fires

While smoking only accounts for 5% of house fires it is extremely dangerous. Most homeowners usually fall asleep before the fire starts. Since these are deadly fires it is important to be extremely cautious when you smoke inside.

National Fire Prevention Month

10/14/2019 (Permalink)

This photo shows what rooms should have smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, and carbon monoxide detectors.

October is fire prevention month, it is recognized in the United States and Canada to raise awareness about fire safety. During this month the goal is to educate families, communities, and students across the country. It also encourages families to review their emergency escape plans and check fire alarms.

  • 3 of every 5 home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no working smoke alarms
  • Less than50% of homeowners have an escape plan
  • Carbon monoxide (CO) is the #1 cause of accidental death
  • 60% of consumers do not test their smoke and CO alarms monthly*
  • Only 47% of people report having CO alarms in their home
  • Just 43% of homeowners have an escape plan*

Have Questions about Fire, Smoke, or Soot Damage?
Call Us Today – 
(402) 800-2134

Fire Alarm Tips

9/17/2019 (Permalink)

According to the National Fire Protection Association, three out of four in home fire deaths occur in homes without a working smoke alarm. This is usually because the batteries have been removed or have died. With that being said it is good to know that you will be prepared and alerted if a fire ever happens in your home.

Types of smoke alarms

  • Ionization Technology- More Sensitive than photoelectric technology at detecting small particles. Also respond faster to smoke produced by flaming fires.
  • Photoelectric Technology- More sensitive than ionization technology at detecting large particles. Are also better at detecting smoldering fires.

Tips for testing and maintaining smoke alarms

  • Test your smoke alarms once a month
  • Change the battery once a year
  • Replace smoke alarm every 10 years
  • Listen for low battery chirps

How to Prevent a House Fire

8/29/2019 (Permalink)

A house fire to your property can be life changing. You may think it may never happen to you, but they are more common than you may think. The National Fire Protection Association states that the U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 355,400 home structure fires per year during 2012-2016.  These fires caused an annual average of 2,560 civilian fire deaths, 11,670 civilian fire injuries, and $6.5 billion in direct property damage. House fires do happen but there are ways to prevent a fire from starting in your home. Listed below are some things that can cause house fires. It is important to keep your eye on these items as they are common for starting house fires.

  • Cooking
  • Appliance cords
  • Candles
  • Heating units
  • Grills
  • Faulty wiring
  • Lamps
  • Fireplaces
  • Smoking

Fire Damage Remediation in the Greater Omaha Area

2/28/2019 (Permalink)

Service Area

A fire disaster can occur at any moment in any location. SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest’s fire restoration service area includes the communities of Bennington, Elkhorn, Fremont, Valley, and Waterloo. We understand the trauma of a fire, and our technicians are available 24/7 to assist you in any size situation.

What We Do

The team at SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest provides fire remediation services for any size job. We recognize dealing with any amount of fire or smoke damage causes a significant amount of stress to you and your family. Our technicians have the proper equipment for fire remediation and are well-trained in techniques that will facilitate the restoration of your home to a preloss condition.

SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest assesses the scope of your restoration needs. We can provide you with the best options for a safe living area during the fire cleanup process. Communication plays a significant role in determining which facets of the fire-damaged structure are most important to you as the homeowner. The team at SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest will come alongside you as you navigate the path of home restoration. 

Contact Us

While any degree of fire damage is traumatic, cleaning up the mess does not have to be. SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest is a trusted leader in the fire restoration industry. Our technicians strive to complete the job as quickly as possible, so you can continue on with life “Like it never even happened."

402-800-2134

When Fire Affects Your Omaha Home or Business

2/3/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest is Ready 24/7 

A fire in your Omaha home or business causes both localized structural damage and damage from deposited ash, soot, and charred residue. Additionally, water damage from firefighting efforts adds to the stress of situation. The technicians at SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest are trained in smoke, soot, and fire remediation as well as in water damage restoration. We are available to meet all your disaster needs.

The technicians at SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest are IICRC certified. The IICRC sets the industry standard for fire and water restoration services. SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest provides the highest quality work and customer service to assure every customer receives the help they deserve in their time of disaster.

SERVPRO of Omaha Northwest is ready to help you restore your home or business to a pre-fire condition. We are available 24/7 and can be reached at 402-800-2134

Categories

Archived Posts