Is Successful Fire Damage Restoration of Fort Walton Beach Kitchen Appliances Realistic?

8/19/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO has the tools and skill to bring your kitchen back from fire damages "Like it never even happened."

SERVPRO Crews Exceed Expectations, Emerging Victorious  After Kitchen Appliance Smoke Remediation Challenges in Fort Walton Beach 

Nearly 50 percent of Fort Walton Beach residential fires link to cooking accidents. The following kitchen appliances all can suffer fire and smoke damage:

• Ovens

• Range tops

• Microwaves

• Exhaust hoods and fans

• Dishwashers

• Refrigerators

• Trash compactors, and more

How Is Kitchen Fire and Smoke Damage Unique?

The fuel in a Fort Walton Beach kitchen fire is nearly always protein-based -- meats, oils, greases, dairy, and sauteed or fried vegetables. Lingering residues result not only from charred items but also from entirely dehydrated foodstuffs. Organic compounds become rancid and incredibly malodorous during the kitchen fire, vaporizing then depositing on all available surfaces, including appliances. The coating is often transparent and thus hard to see but attaches tenaciously similar to varnish. Normal fire and smoke damage removal “first steps” like dusting or brushing are ineffective, and only rarely does a simple spray and wipe remove the residue altogether.

How Does SERVPRO Approach House Fire Clean Up of Protein-Based Residues on Appliances?

SERVPRO managers pretest cleaning strategies, ensuring our proprietary cleaning product and tools cause minimal damage to surfaces while also removing the smelly, oily film. As most appliances feature non-porous and resilient finishes, water-based cleaners and non-abrasive techniques would be perfect. Unfortunately, the protein-based soot can require solvents and more aggressive tools, necessitating trained and experienced technicians to strike a balance between proper cleaning and appliance durability:

• Cleaning solutions need an increase in alkalinity.

• Precise spraying of cleaning solutions limits damage to porous materials such as wood cabinets.

• Aluminum or chrome might pit with longer dwell times using high alkaline cleaners -- prompt rinsing is vital.

• Personal protective equipment (PPE) is mandatory for technicians.

• Abrasive products or tools need an expert touch to prevent appliance finish damage --maintaining lubrication during the cleaning and employing soft cloths or towels to remove residues and excess cleaner are best practices.

SERVPRO of Fort Walton Beach has the skills and appropriate tools and products to restore your fire-damaged kitchen appliances. Schedule an assessment by calling (850) 863-2552.