Importance of Cleaning Electronics after a Fire

6/7/2022 (Permalink)

Why Should You Have Your Electronics Cleaned After a Fire?

If you have experienced a fire, you may not be sure whether electronics are safe to use. Even if a device was not destroyed, intense heat may have warped or otherwise affected delicate internal components. Restoring computers and devices filled with smoke and coated with soot is an important part of fire cleanup. Smoke damage poses several risks to electronics:

• Acidity: The acidity of smoke destroys metals and can cause them to disintegrate. Exposure to corrosive acids in the air may cause devices to fail or behave unpredictably in ways that may be dangerous. Electronics restoration experts can make sure that devices are safe to use and identify which items you should replace.

• Coated Components: Any device found near a fire is likely to require fire cleanup to remove all traces of smoke and soot. The black film which develops over internal components may insulate the heat-producing parts of an electronic device and cause circuits to short. In addition to causing a device to overheat, the chemicals in smoke and soot will adhere to any dust or debris already in a machine and intensify the damage.

• Lost data: Smoke or fire damage may wipe out hard drives, memory, and storage volumes. Even backup drives may be ruined. Electronics restoration professionals can help you retrieve as much data as possible. Keep in mind that the extent of the fire or smoke damage may limit how much can be salvaged.

You may be able to clean the exterior of your device by wiping it down, but you should depend on the professional expertise of a certified fire cleanup service Piatt/DeWitt County to restore electronics to working order. You should also take pictures or video to document the extent of the damage to your devices in case some of these items are beyond repair and you need to file claims for replacements.