Recent Fire Damage Posts

Fire Safety in the Office

2/16/2021 (Permalink)

Fire Extinguisher mounted on wall in office Fire Extinguisher mounted on wall in office

In the event that a fire ever occurs in your office, it’s important to have a few fire safety precautions in place to keep your employees and commercial building prepared for dealing with one. While having a fire extinguisher and smoke detectors goes without saying, do your employees know what to do if the alarm sounds or they have to use the extinguisher?

Here are a few fire safety precautions that you should ensure are in place:

  • Make sure your employees know how to use a fire extinguisher. Every 6 months or so, hold a training session where your employees learn how to use a fire extinguisher if they don’t already know how to use one. Something as simple as this could be the difference between an accidental office fire from a microwave or a lighter being extinguished or burning up everything in sight. Here’s a great article on how to use a fire extinguisher.
  • Regularly change your smoke detectors’ batteries and ensure one is installed in every room. As a general rule of thumb, test your smoke detectors once a month and replace their batteries twice a year. By ensuring that your smoke detectors do their job and have the battery juice to sound, you can prevent office fires whenever smoke occurs first.
  • Share your office’s evacuation plan. Depending on the size of your office, you need to have one or multiple evacuation plans to adhere to the building’s fire code. Make sure to take into account any legal requirements for fire evacuation plans before you post them around the building and share them. 
  • Do a few fire drills. Sharing your office’s evacuation plan isn’t enough. Hold a couple fire drills and run your employees through the proper evacuation routes so they know where to go if the building catches on fire. Rehearsing an evacuation plan makes it that much easier to take action in the event that a fire actually occurs.


With all of these fire safety precautions in place, we hope that you’ll never have to manage the aftermath of an office fire. However, If you ever end up dealing with fire damage, water damage, mold, or other natural disaster damage, give SERVPRO of Wynwood (305) 377-2325. Our team of professionals are trained and equipped to help you manage restoration and cleaning.

3 Ways To Deal With a Business Fire

12/18/2020 (Permalink)

Fire Damage in commercial office space Fire Damage in commercial office space

Business fire in Midtown-Miami, FL

How To Move Forward After A Fire

When your business in Wynwood, FL, suffers fire damage, it can be overwhelming to know how to move forward. Luckily, there are steps you can take to get back to business as soon as possible. These three simple tips can help you be prepared and file a fire claim with all the necessary information.

1. Keep Good Records
When dealing with insurance, things go faster when your records are clear and organized. The best time to prepare for filing a claim is now, before you’ve had a fire. Always have up-to-date insurance and ensure your records are easy to find. Keep proof of business ownership and a ledger of all business expenses in a safe storage place or online.

2. Preserve Everything While Evaluating the Damage
Go through the entire property and take detailed notes about what has been damaged or destroyed. Be comprehensive and evaluate everything. Take pictures of the damage where possible. You may be tempted to clean up, but it’s in your best interests to keep everything as it is at first to help you prove the damage.

3. Call Your Insurance Company Immediately
Contact your insurance agent quickly to start processing your fire claim. The company will want to know exactly what was lost, when the fire happened, where it happened, who (if anyone) was involved or injured, what is the condition of the building, and what repairs you’ve made. The agent may ask for access to the police report if there is one.
This process will not be quick, and it involves a lot of communication. Keep everything and take detailed notes of all conversations you’ve had with the insurance company or anyone involved.
Dealing with a fire is difficult. While quickly submitting a fire claim can help you get reimbursed for the damages, a quality fire restoration service can help repair your property. Be prepared, act quickly, and find a professional to help with the damage.

What To Expect During a Business Fire Restoration

12/18/2020 (Permalink)

Fire soot damage in a commercial parking garage Fire soot damage in a commercial parking garage

What To Expect During a Business Fire Restoration

After a fire or smoke damage has affected your Miami Design District Miami, FL, business it may be time to contact a local fire damage restoration service. There are a few things you can expect to see during the restoration of the property. Here’s what you may want to know.

1. Damage Assessment

One of the first steps a restoration crew will take is a damage assessment. They will inspect the space to see if any water damage has occurred if there’s any danger of mold growth, how extensive the fire damage is, and if any soot damage is present. Once they know what damage types are where they can begin taking the appropriate steps for restoration.

2. Item Cleaning

A restoration service may also be able to offer item cleaning for any items affected by smoke damage. Different items may require different cleaning solutions, but in most cases, they should be able to be restored. Even electronics and paper files may be salvageable. If you have questions about these items and if restoration is possible for them, talk to the professionals working on the restoration.

3. Property Restoration

Once the damage has been assessed and the items removed from the space, the restoration can begin. The area will be thoroughly dried, and the crew will begin replacing any materials that cannot be cleaned and restored. They may even bring in an ozone machine to help with smoke cleaning. One the cleaning and repairs are finished they can repaint the space so that it looks like the fire never occurred.

A local restoration service may do a few things when restoring your business property from fire or smoke damage. You may see them perform a damage assessment to document where and what types of damage have occurred, clean the various items that may have been harmed by smoke or flame, and take the steps needed to restore the property. Remember, if you have any questions a professional can help.

Creating a Fire Safety Plan For Your Business

12/16/2020 (Permalink)

Man holding sign stating contingency plan Man holding sign stating contingency plan

Every Midtown-Miami, FL, business should have an emergency contingency plan in case of a fire

Here Are Three Things You Should Remember

Every Midtown-Miami, FL, business should have an emergency contingency plan in case of a fire. When preparing this plan there are a few things you may want to be aware of. 

1. Know What To Include

When creating your business evacuation plan, you should have important phone numbers, exits of the building, locations of safety tools such as fire extinguishers, and a meeting place where everyone can safely gather after evacuation. You may want someone to include information for what to do after a fire, such as the number of a local fire damage restoration service who can help with cleanup and repairs, as well as the number for your insurance company.

2. Share the Information

Once the contingency plan is complete it's a good idea to ensure that all your employees know what the plan contains. Many employers choose to put this information in their employee handbook. It may also help to have the evacuation route posted next to the doors, as well as in the break room. This will allow your employees to check it regularly, stay up-to-date with new information, and ensure they know what to do if a fire occurs.

3. Practice Makes Perfect

It's a good idea to practice your evacuation plan with your employees. This will help everybody learn the best route out of the building, as well as where to meet up after the fire. During this time you may also want to double-check your smoke detectors to ensure that alarms are functioning correctly. This will also help your employees know what each alert sound means.

When preparing your contingency plan for your business, it's important to know what to include. Remember important details such as exits, and gathering place. It's also important to ensure that all of your employees know what's included in this plan as well as how to access the information if they want to stay up-to-date. Remember, it's a good idea to practice your emergency plan regularly so that your employees remember what to do.

Fall Furnace Inspection: 3 Vital Parts To Check

12/9/2019 (Permalink)

Technician looking over a gas furnace with a flashlight before cleaning it Schedule a furnace inspection

Fall Furnace Inspection

As fall arrives in Wynwood, FL , cooler temperatures and chilly evenings usually arrive with it. As summer fades, your thoughts might turn to household chores such as raking leaves, winterizing your pool and, of course, furnace maintenance. Having a professional fire cleaning service inspect your furnace can give you peace of mind that the unit is running properly. Three vital parts should be checked thoroughly before the furnace is run daily:

Filter 

A clogged furnace filter can lead to nasty odors while the unit is running, poor circulation and an increased risk of a house fire. Ask your cleaning technicians whether you should start the heating season with fresh filters even if the previous ones were not in place for a long period of time. Inquire about which kind of filter would best suit your family’s needs and which can provide you with the most efficient filtration.

Blower Assembly 

A furnace blower assembly can become clogged with dirt and debris. If left unmaintained, your furnace might overheat or break down once you start using it every evening. Ask your smoke cleaning and furnace technicians about the condition of the blower and whether it needs any new parts. The cleaner the assembly, the more efficiently the unit may function.

Motor 

Your furnace’s motor is the heart of the entire heating system. If it is not working properly due to age or improper maintenance, you may find yourself having to replace it. A fire cleaning and restoration company can test the furnace motor, inspect its parts and gauge whether it will have to be replaced by the end of the season. If your furnace seems noisier than usual or you notice uneven heating in your home, a failing motor may be to blame.
When fall arrives in Wynwood, FL, it is a good idea to schedule a furnace inspection with a qualified fire cleaning and remediation service. New filters, a clean blower assembly and a robust motor can keep your unit functioning without worry all winter long.

Electrical Fires

11/11/2019 (Permalink)

Fire damage is the last thing you’d expect to happen to your home. Most electrical fires start out in the bedroom. Now, before you can plan the clean up and restoration, you must first determine the extent of the loss. To be able to understand how the fire occurred the source of the fire must be found. One of the most commonly overlooked causes is Faulty Outlets.

Overcrowded electrical outlets can harm the electrical circuit and lead the way for an electrical fire. You’ll see this with outlets that have a power strip, or many cords plugged into it. These should be inspected frequently and unplug anything not being used at the time. Other warnings include: circuit breaker keeps tripping, constant burnt smell, flickering lights, any burnt outlets, or maybe you just have old wiring.

Some of the best ways to avoid an electrical fire is by:

Checking electrical cords and plugs.

Keeping electrical wiring up to date.

Keeping electrical cords away from heat sources and water.

Not running electrical cords under carpet.

How to Spot Water Damage

3/11/2019 (Permalink)

A house will be one of the biggest investments you will make in your lifetime. That’s why it is crucial to check the home for any kind of water damage before you move in. If left unattended, the water damage could spawn worse problems such as structural damage or maybe even mold. Here are some ways that to tell if your new home has water damage or not:

  1. Check Outside

Common signs of water damage are on the roof in pools of water, cracked or missing shingles.

  1. Look for Rust or Mold

Check your water heater and look for rust/damp spots anywhere on the floor. Mold is in any nook and crannies in your home. Use both sight and smell to find signs of mold.

  1. Check for Stains

Look for any unusual stains that could indicate that there is a leaky pipe or drain inside the wall. Cracks in the wall or soft and swollen areas are signs of trouble.

  1. Look at the Floors

Fir wood and tile floors look for cracked or warped flooring. With carpet look for damp spots, gradual rises, soft spots or the smell of mold and dampness.

Fire Damage Specialists

1/17/2019 (Permalink)

No one ever expects anything bad to happen inside of their home. House fires are something that most people think will never happen. However, accidents do happen, and one day it is possible that you could have a fire inside your home. Many people find themselves in a situation where a minor fire starts in their home. If this ever happens to you, it's a good idea to call SERVPRO's fire damage experts. Some people have small fires start inside their home, and they can quickly put it out. However, even though you may not see any amount of burn damage where the fire first started, it is still wise to call in SERVPRO to inspect the damage. Many times, a fire causes damage that is not in the exact area of the source of the fire. When a fire burns, it creates smoke that spreads to all areas of your home. A fire sometimes embeds an unpleasant burn smell into contents inside your home. Any of issues, if not treated correctly, might result in permanent damage to your home.  When you call in the professionals, it is now up to them to figure out every area fire or smoke damage may have affected.  Our staff is highly skilled at diagnosing every unique situation.  Our experienced team knows how to find things that get ruined in the most unexpected places and use the best equipment available in the industry to remove any damage caused by a fire. It is always a devastating experience when a fire starts inside your home.  Let our team take some stress out of the situation for you and call SERVPRO of Wynwood at (305) 377-2325 24/7.

Before the Professionals Arrive

1/17/2019 (Permalink)

While it's best to have a qualified fire restoration company like SERVPRO of Wynwood handle the smoke damage restoration, there are some small tasks you can do to help minimize the initial damage before the professionals come in to do the major cleanup. Remember that safety comes first, so if there’s no way to safely gain access into your home, then stay out until the SERVPRO arrives. If it is possible to enter your house, make sure you’re wearing gloves, long sleeves/pants, and proper respiratory protection, because exposure to soot can cause respiratory problems and other medical issues.

Ventilation - Open all the windows and air out the house as much (and as often) as possible. SERVPRO will use industrial-strength fans and other air-moving equipment to help reduce the smoke damage your home has been subjected to, but in the meantime, proper ventilation is key to helping remove the polluted air.

Cleaning - Scrub all surfaces inside and out with soap and water.

Laundry - Delicate fabrics will need to be professionally dry cleaned by someone who is familiar with articles that have smoke damage. Only use washers and dryers that haven’t been exposed to smoke or experienced significant fire damage

Deodorization

1/8/2019 (Permalink)

Even small fires can cause odors that last for years to come if the affected areas are not properly cleaned and deodorized. Fire, smoke, and soot damage in your home or business can create an unpleasant and potentially permanent problems. As materials burn, the smoke produced travels throughout the structure, leaving odorous residues and deposits on surfaces and in hard-to-reach places. If professional action is not taken, these residues and deposits can cause serious damage to contents and may result in resurfacing odors. With technicians certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration (IICRC), SERVPRO of Wynwood provides specialized services that can rid your home or business of offensive odors left by fire or smoke damage. SERVPRO of Wynwood does not cover up lingering odors with a fragrance; we seek out and remove the sources of the odor. If you suffer fire damage or some other accident and require deodorization services, contact your local SERVPRO of Wynwood. Whether it’s fire, water, mold damage, or just a stubborn odor that refuses to go away, we’ll help make it “Like it never even happened.”

Firework Safety

1/3/2019 (Permalink)

With the Holidays just having finished and July 4th coming up. We thought now would be the best time to drop some knowledge. Fireworks can bring several dangers if mishandled incorrectly. Some of those dangers include severe injuries or death and fires. The possibility of starting a fire is especially high when in a drought year.

There are several ways to prevent injury and fires when using fireworks.

  • Follow any and all local laws, rules, or regulations regarding fireworks.
  • Keep a hose and a metal bucket full of water near the site where you are shooting off fireworks.
  • When the fireworks are done going off, dispose of them in the metal bucket of water and leave them over night.
  • Keep the metal bucket of water away from any structures or vehicles in an area where it won’t be blown over by the wind.
  • Fireworks should only be shot off under direct adult supervision. Children should never be given fireworks.
  • Do not light fireworks while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
  • Light one firework off at a time and quickly get out of the way before it goes off.
  • Never light fireworks indoors or in a garage or near buildings or vehicles.
  • Do not experiment with homemade fireworks.

People are not the only ones that fireworks affect. Pets have very sensitive hearing so keep them indoors during any and all fireworks shows. This will keep them from getting hurt in their confusion and fear.