Fire Safety Tips for Every Room of the House

6/23/2022 (Permalink)

You can count on SERVPRO of Carrollton to help you recover after a house fire.

The unfortunate truth about household fires is that they can start for a myriad of reasons. From cooking incidents to improperly stored flammable items, many accidents can lead to a fire, which is why it is so vital to practice fire prevention throughout the house.

Making sure that you and every member of your household are aware of common fire hazards can help you all go about your lives with safety in mind, which drastically reduces the likelihood that you will wind up with a fire on your hands. Read on to learn about fire safety tips you should know for every room.

Kitchen Fire Safety Tips

Kitchens are the room in the home where a fire is most likely to break out, so it is extra important to be vigilant. Make sure there is nothing flammable near your stove or oven (including curtains, dish towels and potholders) and that food is never left unattended on the stove. It is also important to keep a fire extinguisher handy in case of any flare-ups, and ensure everyone in the home knows how to handle a grease fire as opposed to a regular fire.

Family Room Fire Safety Tips

While family rooms do not typically contain as many fire hazards as other areas of the home, there are still risks to consider. Don’t leave candles burning unattended, and if you have a fireplace, make sure it is inspected regularly by a certified professional. For electronics, be sure to not overload electrical outlets and replace cords and cables if they become frayed or worn out.

Garage and Storage Fire Safety Tips

Storage areas such as garages or basements can often become cluttered, which can lead to an excess of fire hazards. Make sure any flammable materials, such as lighter fluid or chemicals, are stored properly and are not able to get too hot in the summer months. Also be certain that these areas have clear and accessible exits free from clutter that could block someone’s path should they need to escape quickly.

*If you have damage to your home due to a house fire, you can count on us to help. Get in touch with us today to learn more about how our fire restoration services work.

Fire Safety Tips for the Whole Family

6/8/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Carrollton is ready to help you recover from fire damage 24 hours a day.

Fire safety is such an important thing for any household. House fires can be dangerous and traumatic, causing significant household damage and putting anyone in the vicinity directly in

harm’s way. Fortunately, fire safety is also a goal that the entire family can get involved with, keeping everyone more invested in safety and more prepared, just in case.

Many fire safety tips are things the entire family can participate in, which makes it a great family activity. Depending on who is in your household, it may be necessary to adjust some of these tips accordingly—for example, toddlers may have a great time drawing escape plans, while older kids may be more suited to smoke detector test duty.

However, we hope these general guidelines are helpful in getting everyone on the same page

for your home’s fire safety.

Fire Safety Tasks for Young Children

**Drawing an escape route.** Escaping quickly is key when it comes to a house fire, so an escape plan is a must. Young children can often be helpful here, drawing lines from each room

to indicate every exit.

**Being accountable for hazards.** Unattended candles, space heaters and cooking food can all be major fire hazards. Oftentimes, young children can make great safety accountability buddies,

calling out these hazards when they notice them.

Fire Safety Tasks for Older Children

**Checking smoke detectors.** Smoke detectors should be tested monthly, which can often be a great chore for preteens and teens in the home.

**Managing fire escape drills.** It is important to have a fire escape plan, and just as important to practice it regularly. Older children can be great at managing these drills, from planning them

out to debriefing as a family in order to see where there may be room for improvement.

**Cleaning out the dryer lint trap.** If your older children do their own laundry, it is important that they understand the importance of cleaning out the dryer lint trap. This is a commonly overlooked fire hazard, but the lint can heat up while the dryer is running and lead to a fire.

*If you have household damage due to a fire, we are here to help. Contact us today to learn more about our fire restoration options or get in touch 24/7 for a rapid response. 

Why You Should Trust SERVPRO with Your Fire Damage Recovery

4/15/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Carrollton is your local fire restoration expert. No job is too big for our team of experts.

Dealing with a fire is one of the most taxing things a homeowner could possibly imagine.

Fire causes all kinds of damage in your home, and recovering from a home fire encompasses dealing with physical, financial, emotional and mental recovery.

While SERVPRO of Carrollton can’t help with all these areas, we can be your main source of property recovery and restoration. And we can get your home taken care of quickly, which can in turn aid in your emotional recovery as well.

Here’s why you know you can feel good about entrusting your fire recovery to us.

We’re Established.

We’ve been doing this a very long time. SERVPRO was established the same year Thurgood Marshall was appointed to the Supreme Court, if that gives you any idea.

That means we’ve got over 50 years’ experience helping families and homeowners deal with the effects of fire, and we’ll use all those years of innovation and experience to give you the most complete recovery possible.

We’re Skilled.

SERVPRO of Carrollton employs a team of experts, trained and equipped to handle anything fire may have done to your home. From reversing the effects of smoke damage to full-blown rebuilding efforts, we have the tools and work ethic to get it done.

We’re always up to date on the latest technologies, innovations and certifications, which multiplies our capacity for tackling even the toughest recovery projects.

We’re Very Fast.

When you click this link or call (770) 258-7557 you’re getting connected with a local team who can be onsite right away to get started.

You don’t have to wait for a team from somewhere else to show up—no, we’re right here in Carrollton which means when you need us, we’re the quickest option for your recovery. And we’re on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take your emergency call.

When fire strikes at home, the choice is clear: SERVPRO of Carrollton is the name you can trust with your recovery and restoration.

If fire or other disasters do damage to your home, we’re here to make things right again. Contact us today to get fast, local recovery started on your property right away.

Tips For Recovering After a House Fire

4/14/2022 (Permalink)

House fires trend to peak during the winter. SERVPRO of Carrollton is available 24/7 in the event of an emergency.

No one likes to think about suffering a loss like a house fire, but it’s a reality for millions of American families every year. House fires aren’t a seasonal risk to your home, but they do happen more frequently during the winter months.

If your family suffers a house fire, even one that does extensive damage, you can take steps to recover what you can from your home and recover emotionally, too. These tips can help you start the restoration process and help you deal with the aftermath of a house fire.

Taking the First Steps

The American Red Cross offers the following tips to help you in the immediate aftermath of a house fire.

After you’ve gotten everyone out of the house and treatment for any injured people or pets, then these are your next steps:

Let your loved ones know you’re safe. This is an important step, especially when news of a fire or issue can spread quickly.

Don’t go back into your home until it’s secured. The authorities will let you know when it’s safe to go back to your house. Please don’t go in there before because it can be unsafe.

Get in touch with your insurance company. You’ll want to let them know what happens to get the restoration process started.

Tips for Dealing With Emotions

It’s normal to feel a wide range of emotions after your home suffers a fire. They can range from grief to anger to depression. The American Psychological Association offers this advice to help you begin the process of recovering emotionally.

Find ways to reduce your stress. That can include exercise, meditation and deep breathing.

Don’t make major life decisions. It’s smart to avoid switching jobs or making other major choices while dealing with these complicated emotions.

Talk about your feelings. Whether you choose a therapist, family members or a close friend, it’s smart to talk to someone about what’s going on.

Don’t set expectations. There is no way you “should” be dealing with these issues. Instead, do what you can and be kind to yourself.

Take good care of yourself. Eat balanced meals and get plenty of sleep. It will help you better deal with a stressful situation.

If your home is damaged due to a fire or any other cause, you can always count on us for restoration assistance. We have crews who are available 24⁄7 in the event of an emergency. Contact us at any time to learn more about our restoration services and how we can help.

Keeping Track of Fire Safety at Your Business

4/4/2022 (Permalink)

If you are dealing with the aftermath of a fire at your business, you can depend on SERVPRO of Carrollton.

For business owners, there are few things more important for the safety of you and your staff than ensuring you have the right fire protections in place. Fires can be absolutely devastating for businesses, with over half never being able to recover after the damage—but fortunately, there are plenty of ways to decrease the likelihood that you will ever experience a fire at all.

All businesses are subjected to certain fire codes set forth by the National Fire Protection Association, which provide a great guideline for making sure you are being as safe as possible. In addition to adhering to fire codes when you are first starting out, it is also important to make sure you are regularly auditing your fire safety efforts to be sure nothing slips through the cracks. Below, we have listed out some helpful tips for doing just that.

Keeping Track of Your Fire Prevention Efforts in the Workplace

Make sure you have enough (working) fire extinguishers. It is required that all commercial spaces have fire extinguishers on the premises, though how many and where they are located will vary depending on your specific situation. That being said, it is important to check your fire extinguishers regularly—while they do have a long shelf life, there will be an indicator on each one that will let you know if it is time to be replaced.

Check or install commercial sprinkler systems. While not every business is required to have a sprinkler system, they can be a great investment for any commercial space. Sprinkler systems are extremely effective at stopping fires quickly, so even if your business is not technically required by codes to have them, it might be worth considering having a sprinkler of some sort put into place.

Be sure you are reviewing fire safety with your staff. Fire safety efforts are great, but if your staff is ill-prepared for a fire, they can be all for naught. Make sure you are regularly going over fire routes, fire exits, evacuation protocols and fire extinguisher use with your staff. That way, everyone will know exactly how to take action in the event that a fire begins, which can eliminate confusion in a panicking situation.

If you are dealing with the aftermath of a fire at your business, you can depend on us. Contact us today to learn more about our fire restoration services.

SERVPRO's Process for Fire Restoration

4/2/2022 (Permalink)

When your home or business endures fire damage, you can count on SERVPRO of Carrollton from start to finish.

After a fire strikes your home or business, you’re left with damage from the fire as well as water saturating everything from the firefighting efforts. None of that would be a surprise to our experts here at SERVPRO, as we have the specialized fire restoration expertise to return your house to its pre-fire state.

Every fire damage situation is unique and necessitates a unique remedy, but the overall procedure remains the same. The following is how we will handle a “normal” fire damage situation.

Initial contact. We are on call 24 hours a day and seven days a week, including all holidays. Disaster doesn’t wait for office hours to strike, and we don’t wait to respond. When you contact us, the restoration procedure starts. Our experts will ask a number of questions about the fire damage so that we can get started immediately with the necessary equipment and resources.

Inspection. To establish the degree of the fire, water, smoke and soot damage, we will thoroughly check and test every room. By doing this, we are able to formulate the proper strategy. Fires can cause the air quality to be unsafe, so it’s important not to re-enter the property until experts have determined it is safe to do so.

Water removal. If there is water damage present as a result of firefighting efforts or sprinkler systems, we will begin the water removal procedure immediately to ensure the bulk of the water is removed. If there is any remaining water, it will be removed using dehumidifiers and fans, and the drying process will begin from there.

Cleaning. SERVPRO removes smoke and soot from ceilings, walls and other surfaces using highly specialized state-of-the-art equipment and processes. We’ll clean up all of the fire-damaged items and areas that can be cleaned and repaired. We will also work to return your possessions to their pre-fire state by applying a number of cleaning processes. We can clean and restore electronics, documents, upholstery and more. We also specialize in industrial air scrubbers and fogging equipment to eliminate odors.

Restoration. If during the cleaning process we determine that certain areas of your property cannot be cleaned, we also provide comprehensive restoration and rebuilding services. Restoration and rebuilding efforts include everything from modest repairs like drywall replacement, painting or carpet installation to substantial repairs like the complete rebuilding of different areas or rooms in your home or property.

When your home or business endures fire damage, you can trust that SERVPRO of Carrollton will be ready to be a helping hand and will get your home restored quickly and thoroughly to its pre-fire condition.

Creating Your Home’s Fire Safety Blueprint

2/3/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Carrollton is ready 24/7 to respond to your emergency needs.

Increasing the fire safety of your home is a great goal. House fires can be traumatic and dangerous events, causing extensive property damage as well as injury or loss of life. However, if you have not previously considered your options for fire safety, getting into the habit of fire prevention around the house may seem like a daunting task.

The good news is that improving your home’s fire safety is ultimately quite a simple task. Once you assess where your gaps in fire prevention efforts are, you can implement simple new habits to better protect your home.

Below, we will help you identify where you could improve fire safety so you can figure out exactly what you can do to help keep your household safer from fires.

Determining Where to Improve Your Fire Safety at Home

**Consider personal safety first.** While fire prevention is quite important, the first thing you should do from a safety perspective is to consider how to protect your family if a fire does start. One of the best things you can do is install smoke alarms throughout the home and test them monthly to ensure they are operational. That way, anyone in the home will be alerted right away if a fire starts and can quickly get to safety. Additionally, you should draft a fire evacuation plan for your household and practice it regularly, so everyone is aware of what to do if the alarms do sound.

**Next, consider your daily habits.** Because many fires are started due to seemingly innocuous errors around the home, it is important to consider how your daily habits could have a role in your fire safety efforts. On average, how careful are you when cooking, lighting candles and utilizing flammable objects? Being aware of little things, like keeping flammable objects away from heat sources, can go a long way toward safety.

**Know the fire risks to watch for.** In addition to building good habits, knowing when to identify a fire risk is an important part of the puzzle. Things such as overloaded extension cords, frayed wires or space heaters being used improperly are red flags regarding fire safety—and quickly addressing them can go a long way towards prevention.

*If you have damage due to a fire in your home, you can count on us for restoration. Get in touch today to learn more about how we can help.*

Where to Start on Fire Safety Efforts for the Home

2/3/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Carrollton is ready 24/7 to help you prepare for emergencies.

If you are hoping to improve your household fire safety, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. House fires are certainly dangerous, but given the multitude of ways they can start, understanding what fire prevention measures to take around the home can seem like it will be a daunting task.

Fortunately, fire safety is actually quite simple! By adding certain habits into your household routines, you can make major strides in reducing your likelihood of a fire and keeping your family safer.

Read on to learn more regarding where to start when improving fire safety in the home.

How to Begin Your Fire Safety Efforts at Home

**Start with your smoke alarms.** If you are new to fire safety efforts, starting with smoke alarms is really the best thing that you can do. Most people will have less than three minutes to escape when a fire begins in the home, but smoke alarms can ensure all members of your household are alerted quickly so they can begin evacuating. Make sure you have smoke alarms installed throughout each level of the home and in every sleeping area, and test them once per month to be sure they are operational and do not need a battery replacement.

**Create an escape plan.** As previously mentioned, being able to escape quickly is so important in the event of a house fire. It is wise to draft a fire escape plan for your home, and practice it with each member of your household at least every six months. Be sure that you are able to execute your plan in around two minutes, and that everyone knows where to meet up once they are safely outside.

**Consider your cooking habits.** Cooking is one of the most common causes of house fires, so evaluating your cooking habits can be a great way to prevent fires from starting. Be careful about flammable objects near the stove and leaving food unattended while cooking. Additionally, make sure that you have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen that is rated to handle cooking and grease-related fires.

*If you have damage to your home from a house fire, we are the team to call. We are here 24/7 to provide you with a rapid response. Get in touch today to learn more.*

Breaking Down the Fire Tetrahedron

1/31/2022 (Permalink)

If your home or business has any damage, SERVPRO of Carrollton is ready around the clock to help you recover.

First things first, do you know the definition of a tetrahedron? To cut down on time, let us explain…it’s a three-dimensional, triangular shape with four equal sides.

Now that you know the basics of the geometric shape, let’s discuss what a fire tetrahedron is.

Basically, it’s a way of acknowledging that there are four components needed for fire to start—or four “sides” to the equation. If one of the sides is removed, the structure can’t stand and the fire can’t start.

The 4 Things a Fire Needs to Live

Fuel. Fire, like people, needs fuel to keep going. It can be organic or inorganic, but there has to be some source of fuel for a fire to start, such as wood or plastic.

Heat. The amount of heat needed to start a fire varies from substance to substance. But you must have enough heat to cause combustion. Every object has a set point at which it will combust, melting or igniting.

Oxygen. Fire reacts with oxygen to produce a series of chemical reactions. In short, oxygen feeds the fire so that it can keep growing and generates products of combustion in the process.

Chemical Chain Reaction. The cycle of heat, fuel and oxygen combine to produce a chain reaction. This will perpetuate a fire as long as the chain reaction is undisturbed.

The 4 Ways to Stop a Fire

Cool it. This is the most common method for extinguishing a fire, and the most common form of cooling is the application of water. Eventually, when dousing the flames with water, they reach a temperature below what’s needed to sustain a fire.

Smother it. If a fire doesn’t have access to oxygen, then it can’t live. To smother it, you must deprive it of oxygen. This can be a simple task like snuffing a candle, or it can be a little more difficult because it might need chemicals introduced.

Starve it. When a fire burns with no outside interference, it will likely burn until it runs out of adequate fuel. To be proactive, you should remove the fuel source while the fire is still trying to consume it.

Interrupt the chain reaction. Chemical agents can effectively disrupt a chain reaction and put a fire out. One chemical agent that is very effective is halon, but it has an elevated potential for ozone depletion, making it an environmental threat.

If the fire tetrahedron makes a wreck of your home or business, we’re ready around the clock to help you recover. Contact SERVPRO anytime for fast, thorough cleanup and recovery after a fire.

A Fire Safety Checklist for Your Household

1/31/2022 (Permalink)

Having a Fire Safety Checklist can make all the difference in an emergency situation. Let SERVPRO of Carrollton help you get prepared today!

It is important for any household to practice fire safety as a regular part of their routine. House fires can be both devastating and dangerous, and on average, those in the household will have less than three minutes to escape should a fire begin.

Fortunately, by being vigilant about the prevention of house fires, you can reduce the likelihood of you ever having to experience one. While there is no way to completely eradicate your risk, there are plenty of steps you can take to make your home less susceptible to accidental fires breaking out.

A Checklist for Household Fire Safety

Practicing fire safety is a great way to reduce your risk of experiencing a fire at your home. By referencing this simple checklist, you can be sure you are taking necessary precautions to keep your household safe.

**Smoke Alarms**

* Ensure that you have smoke alarms on each level of the home and in every sleeping area. * Test smoke alarms each month and replace batteries as needed.

* Note the install date for all alarms and replace after 10 years, even if they are still operational.

**Cooking Safety**

* Be sure to never leave the stove or oven on unattended.

* Keep flammable items, such as towels and wooden utensils, three feet from the stove.

* Store a fire extinguisher prominently in the kitchen.

* Understand the difference between grease fires and other types of fires, and know the methods for extinguishing each.

**General Safety**

* Be sure your household has a fire escape plan that you practice at least twice per year.

* Ensure that every area of your home has at least two exits.

* Store any flammable chemicals in accordance with their label recommendations.

* Keep matches, lighters and other flammable objects away from young children.

* Do not leave candles lit if they are unattended.

* Keep anything flammable at least three feet away from candles, space heaters or other sources of heat.

**Electrical Safety**

* Never overload electrical outlets or extension cords.

* Replace any frayed cords or wires immediately.

* Plug appliances and any heat-generating items directly into the wall, not into extension cords.

* If wall outlets ever feel warm to the touch, stop using them immediately and call an electrician.

*If you have damage from a fire, you can count on us to help. We are here 24/7 for restoration—contact us today to learn more about our processes.

How to Escape from a Second Story Fire

12/26/2021 (Permalink)

If your home is damaged from fire damage, trust the experts at SERVPRO of Fayette/S. Fulton Counties to make it "Like it never happened."

1. Plan a fire escape and practice fire escape drills with your family, in preparation for a possible emergency. Fire escape ladders are available, relatively inexpensively, that can be hung out the window of a two story home, and are safer than the sheet method mentioned below. The "First Alert 2-story Escape Ladder" is only about $42.00 brand new from Walmart or other retailer.

2. Place a few fire extinguishers throughout the house. However, fire extinguishers should be calibrated on a regular schedule per the instructions that come with the extinguisher.

3. Immediately close the door and stuff a blanket/towel along the bottom so that the smoke can not get through.

4. If you have a phone near you, then call the fire emergency service, or if you don't then run to the window and shout "Help!"

5. Stay low on the floor for better air. There is more smoke higher up.

6. Get two sheets and tie them together as quickly but as tightly as possible

7. Push your bed against the wall next to the window and tie one end of the two sheets.

8. Lower yourself down the building using the sheets.

9. When you get down on the ground immediately inform emergency services.

Fire Safety & HVAC Maintenance

12/18/2021 (Permalink)

If fire should become a problem, contact the pros in green, SERVPRO of Fayette/S. Fulton.

Being a responsible homeowner means taking care of the things that take care of you. Your HVAC system is always there, and there are few (if any) days per year in our area where you aren’t relying on it to keep your home comfortable. It often goes unappreciated—that is, until something goes south or stops working.

There are also some important fire safety concerns of which you need to remain aware, particularly as winter comes in and your HVAC switches to heating mode. Don’t let your source of comfort turn into a source of disaster.

Here’s what you need to do to make sure your HVAC system and furnace are running safely this fall and winter.

Fire Safety for Preschoolers

10/4/2021 (Permalink)

If fire should take over and do damage in your home, SERVPRO of Carrollton is here to help.

When it comes to fire safety, it’s likely that you’re generally aware of the important steps to take in case of a fire.

You’ve been told about stop, drop and roll, emergency plans, calling 9-1-1 and the like for so long now that the knowledge is pretty engrained. And yet, even with after the reinforcement of safety campaigns and fire drills, many adults still panic in real-life fire scenarios.

So knowing that children have taken in much less information and are much more likely to freeze or panic in an emergency, how much more important is it for us to take special care to teach and inform them about fire safety? Sadly, children younger than age 5 are twice as likely to die in fires as adults and older kids.

Here are a few essential things preschoolers need to be taught about how to think and react in a fire situation:

Firefighters aren’t scary.

Young children can be spooked by first responders—hey, if somebody four times your size walked up to you in a weird costume, you’d be intimidated, too. Familiarizing young children with who firefighters are and why they wear what they wear can keep them from becoming frightened when they come face to face with one.

You can also take a tour of local fire stations and teach them how firefighters can help kids in the event of a fire. Trust us, they’ll love the trucks.

Stay under the smoke.

When’s the last time you crawled around on your hands and knees? It’s probably been a while, but to your preschooler this style of moving through the house isn’t all that far removed. Teach them to assume the crawling position to stay under the smoke that comes from a fire in the house.

Tell them why breathing in smoke is dangerous, and crawl around with them—you can even make a game of it.

Stop, drop and roll.

A young child’s first reaction to having clothing catch fire will probably be to run, which can cause the fire to spread more quickly. Teach your preschooler to cover his or her face, drop to the floor, and roll side to side until the fire is safely smothered and put out.

Repeat this often, because it’s an unnatural action.

Nobody wants to think about fires burning in the home, but it’s an unfortunate reality. If fire should take over and do damage in your home, SERVPRO is here to help.

Fire Sprinkler Myths Debunked

9/4/2021 (Permalink)

If your home should sustain damage from a fire of any kind, SERVPRO of Carrollton is here to help.

Most of the experience many of us have with fire is fiction—we have a mental image of what happens when a sprinkler system goes off because of what we’ve seen on TV shows or in movies, or even what we’ve read in books. But these portrayals are for story effect, and often don’t reflect reality.

In fact, much of what you may presume about the operation and impact may not be accurate. Let’s debunk some myths about sprinkler systems:

“I don’t need a sprinkler system.”

First: Your home smoke alarms are essential, but they can only alert you. They are powerless to stop a fire. Sprinklers both detect and act, saving lives and property quickly.

Second: Yes, the fire department will come, but in the nine to 12 minutes they need to get to your home, a sprinkler system may have already been able to do the necessary work to contain or put out the fire. Without a sprinkler, you’re looking at more damage from the fire, the smoke, and the water it takes to quench the spreading flames.

“They’re not worth the damage they cause.”

Many people assume (because of movie portrayals) that once a sprinkler system is activated, the entire system is triggered and water instantly sprays everywhere. In truth, the system operates in independent zones, and only the sprinkler closest to the detected fire will activate. And this is most often all that’s necessary: Multiple sprinkler heads are only needed 16% of the time in home fires in which sprinklers are triggered.

And sprinklers cause much less water damage than having the fire department hose your place down for an hour or more. Compare the 10–26 gallons per minute of a sprinkler system to up to a fire hydrant soaking your home with multiplied hundreds, even thousands of gallons per minute.

“They can’t be that effective.”

They really can. The risk of dying in a home fire is reduced by 80% when sprinklers are present, and the average property loss from a home fire with active sprinklers is cut by about 70%.

“Sprinklers are a disaster of their own waiting to happen.”

Sprinklers can occasionally leak, but that situation is less likely and less severe than a typical plumbing problem you’d encounter at home. And like any water pipes, sprinklers are susceptible to freezing temperatures, but installers are held to standards that mandate that sprinklers be safely and properly installed in regions where freezing is common.

Overall, the value and loss prevention of sprinkler systems make them an appealing and potentially lifesaving investment for your home.

If your home should sustain damage from a fire of any kind, we’re here to help. Get in touch today to get SERVPRO on your side.

Handling Grease Fires That Flare Up on Your Grill

8/30/2021 (Permalink)

If you have had fire damage to your home due to a grilling incident, you can count on SERVPRO of Carrollton to be there for you.

Grease fires can happen to anyone when they are cooking, but that does not make them any less frightening or damaging to you and your home. Because grills are often used primarily to cook meat, grease fires are extremely common during cookouts—there is data that indicates that over 5,000 grill fires happen each year, leading to millions in damages and thousands of personal burns.

Although anyone can experience a grease fire no matter how many precautions they take, by following these safety guidelines, you can significantly reduce the chances of one happening to you, keeping your cookouts safer for everyone around.

How to Prevent and Handle Grease Fires When Grilling

1. Perform the proper grill maintenance. Cleaning your grill’s grease traps and drip pans is always the No. 1 recommendation when it comes to preventing grease fires, because it is something that even the most experienced grill masters can forget. These trays will typically be located underneath your burners and should be removed and emptied when the grill is off. Making it a habit to do this before you start grilling for the day is best.
2. Keep your grates cleaned. In addition to your drip pans, your grill’s grates can also use some TLC to prevent fires. Grease can become stuck on the grates after you grill, and because these can ignite if they get too hot, they can pose a hazard if not handled. Scrape your grill grates thoroughly after every use while the grill is still warm to prevent these food bits from posing a hazard next time.
3. Have a fire extinguisher handy. While many fires can be extinguished with water, putting out a grease fire requires special considerations due to their unique nature. Keep a multi-purpose fire extinguisher that is rated for grease fires nearby every time you use your grill so you can stop any fires before they grow out of hand.

If you have had fire damage to your home due to a grilling incident, you can count on us to be there for you. Give us a call at any hour to learn more about our restoration processes and receive a quick response from our team of technicians.

Why We Approach All Damages With a Restoration-First Mindset

7/20/2021 (Permalink)

Have you sustained damage and not sure what do to next? We are here to help, contact SERVPRO of Carrollton.

If you sustain damage to your home, whether it be due to a fire, a flood or some other type of scenario, it can be difficult to know what comes next. Many people who have never had serious damages before might assume that a damaged area must be completely rebuilt and that all items must be liquidated and replaced—but when you work with us, that is not necessarily the case.

When we approach household damages, we do so with a restoration-first mindset. After helping countless families in the area recover from various damages, we understand how helpful it is to have your items restored instead of replaced.

Not only are many things irreplaceable due to sentimental value, but being able to keep your belongings also saves you time and money as your family works on recovering emotionally from the event.

The Benefits of Our Restoration-Focused Approach

We can salvage many irreplaceable items. While an insurance adjuster can easily come in and provide you with a dollar value for everything in your home, we understand that it is not always that simple. Objects such as family heirlooms and photographs could never be replaced for any amount of money, which is why we will do everything we are able to restore them instead.

We are able to work with your insurance. If you are able to claim damages on your insurance, such as in the event of water damage, you certainly should—however, this can lead to a higher premium as a result. We will work directly with your insurance to lower the costs with restoration instead of liquidation to save you money.

We can make your items safe for use again. There are many things to consider when an object is damaged by fire and water, such as lingering smoke and soot odors or the possibility of mold beginning to grow. However, we have the technology to make sure your items are totally safe to use once more. We can clean, deodorize and sanitize your items so you can be certain they are safe for your family to use.

If you have sustained damage and are not sure what comes next, you can depend on us. Contact us at any hour to see how we can help you with every aspect of the restoration process.

Fireworks Safety

6/30/2021 (Permalink)

Celebrate safely this Independence Day.

Summer is synonymous with barbecues, parades, and fireworks. The National Safety Council advises everyone enjoy fireworks at public displays conducted by professionals, and not to use any fireworks at home. They may be legal, but they are not safe. If consumer fireworks are legal to buy where you live and you choose to use them, be sure to follow the following safety tips:

• Never allow young children to handle fireworks. Older children should use them only under close adult supervision.
• Never use fireworks while impaired by drugs or alcohol.
• Anyone using fireworks or standing nearby should wear protective eyewear.
• Never hold lighted fireworks in your hands.
• Never light fireworks indoors. Only use them away from people, houses, and flammable materials. 
• Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
• Maintain a safe distance after lighting fireworks.
• Do not try to re-light or handle malfunctioning fireworks.
• Keep a bucket of water nearby to fully extinguish fireworks that do not go off or in case of fire.

*Restoration Newsline Vol 32, Iss 7