Your Belongings and Fire Damage

Top 4 Causes of House Fires during the Holidays and How to Prevent Them

With the holiday season comes lights, candles, greenery, and other cheery decorations. Unfortunately, all these festive items in your home can pose an added fire hazard. 

Here are some of the leading causes of house fires during the holidays:

  1. Christmas Trees

One of the deadliest types of fires that occurs during the holiday season involves live Christmas trees. If they are not properly watered and allowed to dry out, indoor trees can easily ignite.

  1. Electrical Malfunctions

When stringing lights outdoors, make sure all lights, extension cords, and other electrical wires are labeled specifically for outdoor use. Be sure to use UL-rated clips when hanging up lights on your home.

  1. Candles

Candles are a fire hazard all year-round, but more people tend to light them inside their homes over the holidays. Place lit candles in an area that is a safe distance away from your Christmas tree, greenery, and other flammable decorations.

  1. Unattended Stoves

Unattended food on the stove is one of the leading causes of house fires. Never leave cooking equipment unattended and double-check that you’ve turned off the burners and oven when you’re finished.

 In the event you do experience a fire or smoke hazard SERVPRO of Morton Grove/East Niles is available 24/7 to assist with your fire mitigation needs! 

 One last fire safety tip: check your smoke detectors. They save lives!  

(www.akhealth.org)

If You Have Questions or Need Help, Call Us Today – (847) 983-4468

Contents Restoration

SERVPRO of Morton Grove / East Niles specializes in restoring contents damaged by water, fire, or mold. Our expertise and “restore” versus “replace” mentality can help you save money while preserving precious keepsakes that can’t be replaced. We pretest your belongings to determine what items we can restore to pre-fire condition. We use several methods of cleaning your contents, including:

  • Dry Cleaning - Used for cleaning light residues or to pre-clean prior to wet cleaning.
  • Wet Cleaning - An effective cleaning method for removing moderate to heavy residues.
  • Spray and Wipe -Effective for items that can’t withstand wet cleaning.
  • Foam Cleaning - Used for upholstery fabrics that might shrink or bleed if wet cleaned.
  • Abrasive Cleaning - Involves agitation of the surface being cleaned.
  • Immersion Cleaning - Contents are dipped into a bath of the cleaning product.
     

Move-Outs/Pack-Outs

If your home requires extensive restoration or cleaning due to fire damage, SERVPRO of Morton Grove / East Niles can conduct an organized, efficient move-out of the affected area. Move-out will provide several benefits, including:

  • A quicker remodeling process
  • Protecting items from potential damage
  • Protecting contents from further on-site damage

When restoration is completed, we will work with you to coordinate the move-in according to your needs. The services offered upon move-in may depend on your insurance coverage.

Electronic Cleanup

Fire-damaged electronics can present a serious hazard. Do not attempt to turn on or operate any electrical device that you suspect has been damaged by fire. Smoke residues can contain acids that corrode metal surfaces. If the residues are not removed, corrosion causes electronic failure in the device. We will coordinate the restoration of your electronics, including:

  • Television sets
  • DVD players
  • Computers
  • And more

The key to restoring electronics is taking prompt action to prevent further damage. Electronics will be cleaned and inspected by a qualified electronics technician.

Document / Photograph Drying

When your valuable documents, including photographs, are damaged by water or fire, extreme caution should be taken to help ensure the fire damage does not destroy the document. Although some documents may not be restored to pre-fire damage condition, SERVPRO of Morton Grove / East Niles can save a great deal and help minimize additional damage. 

Depending on the type of documents and the level of fire, smoke, or soot damage, they have five options for the restoration of documents:

  • Air Drying
  • Dehumidification
  • Freezer Drying
  • Vacuum Freeze Drying
  • Vacuum Thermal Drying

Contents Claim Inventory Service

When a fire emergency strikes, the damage can often feel overwhelming. We can help ease the worry and confusion during the recovery process by offering our Contents Claim Inventory Service (CCIS), which provides a detailed and accurate list of your belongings. We take a room-by-room inventory of your contents, including digital photos, and in some instances, bar coding.

Our Contents Claim Inventory Service:

  • Preloss list and value of contents
  • Detailed and accurate report
  • Better information to settle claims quicker
  • Assistance with burden of proof for claims
Peace of mind when you need it most!

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