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Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration

Archived Fire Damage Blog Posts

Steps for Effective Fire Restoration in Seal Beach Properties

1/28/2024 (Permalink)

a fire damage room with soot covering the walls Fire damage can cause a great amount of damage to your home. Call SERVPRO 24/7 for a remediation plan built for you.

SERVPRO® helps Navigate the Seal Beach Fire Restoration process

Seal Beach, CA, located in Orange County, offers visitors and residents a picturesque retreat that captures the essence of coastal living. With its pristine stretch of sandy shoreline spanning nearly two miles, Seal Beach offers various activities, from leisurely sunbathing and picnicking to surfing the waves and building sandcastles. For those intrigued by history, a visit to the Seal Beach Historical Society and Red Car Museum provides insight into the town's past. Its iconic pier, which dates back to 1906, offers fantastic coastline views and is a favorite spot for fishing.

Fires can cause extensive damage to properties in several ways. Effective fire restoration in Seal Beach involves several steps to ensure a property is safe and thoroughly restored. SERVPRO professionals thoroughly assess the affected areas, identify safety hazards, and determine the scope of work needed. To prevent unauthorized access and safeguard against further damage or potential theft, we board up windows, doors, or other openings that have been compromised during the fire or firefighting process.

Issues to examine include

  • Structural damage
  • Smoke damage
  • Content damage

Dealing with Water Damage after a Fire Incident 

Water damage in a fire situation typically occurs due to the efforts of firefighting teams to extinguish the flames. For example, water conducts electricity, so if water comes into contact with live electrical wires affected by the fire, it can cause electrical shorts, sparks, or even electrocution, further exacerbating the situation. Water damage can be seen on various materials, such as wood, paper, or fabrics, making them more challenging to manage.

Additional steps for effective fire damage restoration

  • Water extraction and drying
  • Smoke and soot removal
  • Content cleaning and restoration
  • Structural repairs and reconstruction

Items within the house can be damaged by the flames, heat, smoke, or water used to extinguish the fire. SERVPRO may offer pack-out services, where salvageable items are carefully packed and transported to external facilities for cleaning, restoration, and storage. This helps protect items from further damage during the restoration process. For cleaning and repair, we employ various techniques. We may use techniques like dry, wet, immersion, or specialized cleaning agents to remove soot, smoke odor, and other residues.

SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress offers unique fire restoration. Call us at (562) 431-9400. We're Faster to any size disaster™.

Professionals are Quick to Repair Fire Damage in Seal Beach Homes

4/13/2023 (Permalink)

Fire damaged room covered in soot and debris SERVPRO has a large selection of professional equipment and the experience to handle Seal Beach fire restoration of any size or type.

What Makes SERVPRO Efficient in Fire Damage Cleanup of Seal Beach Properties?

Fire damage restoration of your Seal Beach property is a complex process with many moving parts that requires a team of skilled and knowledgeable professionals. SERVPRO technicians excel at job site management, making them quick and efficient in handling any size disaster.

SERVPRO technicians acknowledge that every fire damage incident in Seal Beach presents unique challenges. Rather than having a 'one-size-fits-all' approach, we focus on developing custom strategies that would be most applicable in a given situation. A lot of time and resources go into the planning phase of the restoration process to ensure the best possible outcome. Managing the contents of a fire damaged home can be challenging and how they are handled has a significant impact on the project's overall success. 

Setting Up and Managing the Work Area After Fire Damage

Once SERVPRO’s fire restoration crew arrives at your Seal Beach property, the first challenge is to determine the room or area from where the restoration should begin. While SERVPRO technicians try to clean contents onsite as much as possible, it is necessary for some situations to pack-out salvageable contents off-site for restorative cleaning.

The setup crew conducts the following activities to set up and manage the work area:

  • Manipulate the content and remove the debris to ensure a clean workspace
  • Identify and sort salvageable and non-salvageable items
  • Set up a packing/inventory station for boxing up salvageable items
  • Sort the salvageable items based on the cleaning method to be used
  • Tag and inventory

Once the technicians prepare the work area, the next steps in the restoration process can begin.

Controlled Demolition and Cleaning Ceilings and Walls

Most fire and smoke restoration processes require some level of demolition. In some cases, demolition might be very light, like removing a piece of drywall or trim. However, removing all finished surfaces (drywall, floors, and cabinets) might be necessary if the damage is extensive.

Cleaning activities are a critical part of a fire damage restoration process. SERVPRO technicians ensure that they occur top-down, starting with the ceilings, moving to the walls and onsite contents, and finally, the floors.

Ceiling and wall surfaces are often covered with paint, textured plaster, acoustic tiles, or wood paneling. Hence the restorers need to use several cleaning methods to suit each surface type. SERVPRO technicians use three methods that address most ceilings and walls:

  • Cleaning using the dry sponge: If the soil is non-greasy and the coverage is light to medium, the restorers often use a dry sponge to remove the soot particles. Technicians also use steel wool pads for heavily soiled areas that offer more abrasive force.
  • Wet cleaning with products: Painted, metal, or wood ceilings with light-to-heavy oil-based residues are cleaned by this method. SERVPRO technicians used various cleaning products made using an aqueous or non-aqueous base.
  • Peroxide active cleaning: SERVPRO has developed a special process for acoustic ceiling tiles. Peroxide active cleaning preserves the sound-deadening qualities of the tiles while restoring their appearance. The solution that technicians use during this process is a stabilized hydrogen peroxide solution that can remove soot particles even from porous surfaces.

Once the damaged ceiling and wall surfaces are cleaned, the crew can focus on deodorization. It is common for SERVPRO to use multiple deodorization techniques to ensure proper odor removal. We work hard to have your fire-damaged home “Like it never even happened.”

If you need help to deal with a fire incident in your residential or commercial property, call SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress at (562) 431-9400; We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.   

Fire Restoration Tactics in Seal Beach

1/6/2023 (Permalink)

fire alarm on wall In case of fire, pull down and then call SERVPRO for fire damage cleanup and restoration in Seal Beach.

SERVPRO Can Help with Fire Restoration in Seal Beach

Anytime a fire breaks out on your property, several types of damage could occur. Once the flames ignite, they can start to consume your contents and building materials while they spread. The smoke from the blaze can also cause several issues, including covering surfaces of your building materials with soot residues. Smoke can also penetrate porous materials and cause unpleasant aromas to linger.

Whenever our SERVPRO team works on fire restoration in Seal Beach, we know that mitigating issues caused by smoke can become a big portion of the project. Even if the blaze was minor, the smoke it put out can travel throughout your structure and cause issues far from where the fire started. To find all of the places the smoke went, we can conduct a thorough inspection of your property. During the inspection, we can look for any safety hazards and mitigate them to ensure the work area is safe for all occupants.

We can then inspect your property to find all your contents and building materials that were negatively affected. If we find surfaces that contain soot residues, we can conduct a wipe test during the initial inspection. The wipe test will help us determine what type of soot residues exist and find the best methods and chemicals to remove them.

Services we can offer after you have a structure fire:

  • Removing burnt debris and building materials
  • Cleaning soot residues from your walls and ceilings
  • Restorative carpet cleaning
  • Structural deodorization

If foul aromas still exist in your building after cleaning all affected surfaces and removing all burnt debris, we can take further steps to deodorize your structure. Sometimes, we can use an ultra-low volume (ULV) or thermal fogger, which breaks down deodorants into microscopic particles that mimic the smoke's behavior and penetrate affected materials. In other cases, we can utilize an ozone generator that dispenses unstable O3 particles that can neutralize unpleasant fragrances.

If you ever suffer from a minor structural blaze igniting at your residence, call SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress at (562) 431-9400

A Slow Cooker Can Malfunction And Cause Fire Damage Inside Of Your Seal Beach Home

8/10/2022 (Permalink)

Smoke Coming From An Outlet Faulty wiring inside of your walls, or within the plug of your slow cooker, can cause fire damage inside of your Seal Beach home.

A Slow Cooker Can Malfunction And Cause A Fire

Slow cookers are an attractive cooking option for people who work long hours and don't want to have to return home to cook a full supper, but the problem is that leaving them unattended could cause fire damage inside of your home. In many ways, these devices are advertised as something you can leave to cook your food for long hours while you are away. However, that doesn't necessarily make it safe to do so.

Faulty wiring inside of your walls or within the plug of your slow cooker can cause fire damage inside of your Seal Beach home. Fortunately for your house, you used this device while staying home for the day, and you were able to extinguish the fire on your own. However, the device did manage to leave fire damage around the outlet it was plugged into and on your walls, countertop, and cupboards.

In situations like these, promptly getting a professional restoration company, like SERVPRO, to your home can make the difference between successful remediation and a not-so-successful one. Soot adheres to various surfaces at extremely high temperatures and reacts with them differently. Depending on what it attaches itself to, it can cause discoloration. Should the issue not be addressed immediately, the discoloration can increasingly grow to be far worse over time. Plastics can be yellow, and glass can turn brown. To prevent discoloration, call for help swiftly.

SERVPRO can bring the necessary trade tools to deal with the fire damage inside your kitchen. To remove the soot from your cupboards and walls, SERVPRO can use lubricating cleaning methods to try and lift the soot away from the wood and drywall. On your countertops, glass, and plastics, we can try chemical cleaners to break down the soot and allow it to be wiped away.

As well as dealing with the soot, SERVPRO can clean up any burnt bits of plastics or kitchen utensils. We aim to leave your home feeling like it did in its pre-fire state. However, cleaning up the physical signs is not always enough, as fire often leaves an odor behind. We can use thermal foggers to combat the particles that cause the malodor in the first place and neutralize them, leaving your kitchen smelling "Like it never even happened."

If faulty equipment causes a fire inside of your house, never hesitate. Reach out to SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress by calling (714) 236-9599.

What Few People Know About the Extent to Which a Seal Beach Fire can Affect Your Home

6/23/2022 (Permalink)

a kitchen counter on fire Kitchen fires can quickly overtake your home. Make sure your family is safe and contact SERVPRO 24/7 for effective fire damage remediation services.

How Fire Damages Disturb Your Seal Beach Residence

Among the most devastating of situations that your Seal Beach home can experience is a disaster when you are away. While the effects continue to worsen, you are unaware that a problem even exists. Often in cases like fires, first responders and firefighters become aware of a blaze long before the occupants of the house. Returning to the damages that a widespread fire can cause can seem impossible to overcome.

However, overcoming fire damages that occur in your Seal Beach home is what our technicians get trained to do. From the moment that we arrive at your house, we assess the full extent of the damage and develop a plan to treat each of the effects that we encounter. With our commitment to responding as quickly as possible, our SERVPRO emergency response team can ensure the damages to your home do not need to continue to worsen.

While you can speculate about the type of damage that fire in your home could do, it might be better to know about how penetrative and destructive a disaster like this is. From the initial combustion, wherever the fire originated, the flames spread out quickly over construction materials, fabrics, flooring, ceilings, insulation, and carpeting. These reactions cause smoke and soot, two of the effects that are often challenging for even highly trained IICRC-certified SERVPRO professionals to overcome.

Beyond the structural damages that are clear to see, a homeowner also has to worry about the atmosphere in their residence once flames have gotten extinguished. Fires do not discern what they burn, and therefore, chemicals and toxins could be throughout the air in your house that could pose a hazard to those without the appropriate personal protective equipment.

There are many effects that you have to concern yourself with when you are attempting to recover from the damage fire can do to your house. Our SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress team of experts has the equipment and the expertise to help you through every step of the restoration process. Give us a call when disaster strikes at (562) 431-9400.

Repairing a Ceiling Frame in Your Cypress Home after Fire Damage causes it to Warp

4/14/2022 (Permalink)

Smoke Detector Smoke Detectors Help Mitigate Fire Damage to Ceilings and Homes--SERVPRO Tip

SERVPRO Can Cleanup and Restore Your Property After a Severe Fire

Some homes in Cypress contain sections with tiled ceilings. Many types of ceiling tiles help reduce noise inside the area and provide a low-maintenance but beautiful look to a home. The frames the tiles rest on generally come in two types of materials - lightweight aluminum or vinyl.

Fire damage in Cypress can come from the generated heat, which can melt or warp structures such as suspended ceiling frames in your home. SERVPRO can help restore your home in many ways, including structural aspects. We know that it is essential to your family that we work quickly but thoroughly as we make it "Like it never even happened" inside your home.

Along with the framework, the ceiling space often contains other components, many of which are vital to your home's comfort level. The ducts for your HVAC system often run through the ceiling. Our Fire and Smoke Restoration Technician (FST) must clean these and the vents from smoke and soot deposits. Until then, smoke residue and soot can travel within your home and continue damaging your belongings.

Plumbing often runs through the area between one story and another. Some attics now hold the water heater to save space on lower floors. We can remove damaged sections in a partial demolition so the plumbing in your residence can be repaired by the proper contractor. Ceiling frames and tiles provide easier service access to these and other parts of your home than different ceiling types.

SERVPRO technicians also clean the contents of homes suffering from fire damage. We perform this at your home or our secure site. We can discuss the options with you so you fully understand the details of how we operate. Our purpose is to serve you, our customer, so that your family can more easily recover and move forward after tragic events such as a significant house fire.

SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress can answer the questions you may have after a catastrophic event. Fire damage can seem impossible, but we can help you overcome all the obstacles facing your family. Call our local number for 24-hour service. We can be reached at (714) 236-9599, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Who Can Homeowners Trust for Fire Restoration in Cypress?

2/18/2022 (Permalink)

Ceiling After Fire Call (714) 236-9599 to contact the professionals at SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress to help with fire restoration on your property.

Fire Restoration in Cypress Should be Completed by a Reputable Restorer Like SERVPRO

The destruction that fires cause is more than meets the eye. Apart from the visible damage that the flames cause, your property can be doused with water and covered in soot and ash. It is vital to hire SERVPRO restorers to immediately begin the fire cleanup process to prevent discoloration from soot residues and permanent damage.

The longer you delay corrosion control, neutralization, and cleaning process, damage and restoration expenses increase. Efficient fire restoration in your Cypress residence can reduce the cost of your fire damage claim. Our SERVPRO technicians know the importance of attention to detail and professional services. We work quickly to:

  • Take inventory and determine what is salvageable or unsalvageable.
  • Remove water and dry the building.
  • Eliminate smoke damage.
  • Rebuild the areas with unrecoverable damage.

The smoke resulting from a fire can penetrate the cavities of a building, causing odors and hidden damage. It can also flow through the plumbing system and travel throughout the property. Our SERVPRO team can assess your home and determine how much smoke damage is present. We can provide a plan to remove smoke residues and deodorize smoke odors. It is necessary to capture smoke residues before eliminating them. We use fluids and air to release soils and carry them away.

Air and fluids carry suspended particles with them upon contact. The two strategies we use for contacting soils and carrying them away for disposal are vacuuming and dissolving. Smoke residues contain solid particles that mainly consist of carbon. We can use vacuum cleaners to remove the dry particles loosely attached to surfaces. We dissolve soils and residues that are not loose particles before removing them.

Our SERVPRO team can use hydroxyl machines to remove odors. Hydroxyls abstract hydrogen atoms, thereby dismantling the molecular structure of volatile organic compounds and odors.

Call SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress if your home has Fire Damage at (714) 236-9599 for help. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.

How Do I Rid My Home of the Smell of Smoke after a Seal Beach Fire?

1/19/2022 (Permalink)

fire ravaged room, ceiling, walls, floors Fire damaged Seal Beach structures smoke odor removal and restoration begin with demolition. SERVPRO is Here to Help

SERVPRO Talks About Removing House Fire Odors in Seal Beach

Fires release stubborn malodors into Seal Beach homes in the form of smoke. These odor particles are invisible to the naked eye and tough to remove. SERVPRO operates with special odor control technicians to help homeowners overcome air-quality Issues after a fire.

Why Are Smoke Odors Hard to Remove?

When materials in Seal Beach burn, they release gases into the surrounding environment. Odor particles are volatile molecules that can attach to the air. While smoke odors do disperse naturally into the air, they become unnoticeable in an enclosed environment, and they can linger for much longer. Microscopic particles can enter wood grains, surfaces without appropriate finish, fabrics, furniture, and carpets. Once bonded to material, they can continue to cause unpleasant odors into a home, which may persist after regular cleaning methods.

Is it Safe to Stay in My Home After a Recent Fire?

Fires can release harmful emissions and noxious gases into the environment. These can be very risky after inhalation or ingestion. However, most harmful gasses like carbon monoxide dissipate quickly, meaning that home is usually safe to return to a few hours after extinguishing the flames. You should wait to receive an all-clear from a fire marshal before re-entering the property and bring in professional restorers quickly who can inspect for further structural damage or other high-risk areas in the home. Most house fire restoration focuses on removing smoke, soot, and odors rather than structural problems, although a severe house fire may require remodeling or reconstruction.

What Steps Can I Take to Reduce Further Losses in a Fire-damaged Structure?

  • If the fire in Seal Beach is confined to a single area, make efforts to contain that area from the rest of the home by closing doors or putting up old fabrics to block the movement of odor particles.
  • Place old sheets or fabrics over surfaces and furniture. Covering surfaces can reduce further loss by stopping falling soots from bonding with the surfaces below.
  • Opening windows and ventilating the space can encourage the dispersal of unpleasant odors.
  • Try to reduce foot traffic over the affected area. Soot spreads around the home on shoes or clothing.
  • Light vacuum walls, ceilings, surfaces, and floors to remove dry soot deposits from the surface.

What Are Dry Soots, and How Can I Remove them from my Property?

Natural materials like wood generally produce dry soots. Dry soots tend to be easier to remove from surfaces because they are less likely to bond with them. Wet cleaning methods can push dry soot deeper into a surface or spread them around. Avoid introducing moisture until a SERVPRO technician arrives. Instead, you can brush or vacuum surfaces with smoke damage to remove dry soots. Switch your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) off until a technician arrives. Dry soots can quickly enter venting ducts or supply-side ducts and spread through the home on air currents. HVAC systems can also spread odors to other rooms in the house.

Can I Remove Wet or Greasy Soot Deposits Myself?

Wet smokes are odorous and are likely to bond with surfaces. The burning of synthetic materials like plastics creates soot deposits. Finishes on appliances and wood finishes can release wet smoke into the home when they burn. Unlike dry soots, wet soot requires expertise to remove them efficiently. SERVPRO fire and smoke damage restoration technicians (FSRT) may need to use oil-based solvents to dissolve and eradicate wet smoke. We always pre-test surfaces to ascertain how well the surface responds to a cleaning method. Pre-testing can limit further damages.

What Kind of Items Should I Pre-test Before Performing Fire Restoration?

  • Soft furnishings can shrink, bleed, or suffer watermarks when applying cleaning solutions.
  • Sensitive materials like leathers, velvets, or other fabrics
  • Ceiling and upper wall smoke deposits should be pre-tested to define whether smokes are wet or dry
  • Carpets can also lose color, or fibers can become damaged when introducing cleaning agents without pre-testing

All smoke deposits should be tested for pH balance to ascertain whether to introduce alkaline or acidic cleaning products

How Can I Restore My Indoor Air Quality After Fire Damage?

Indoor air quality can include odors or other gases that may remain in a property after a fire. Microscopic soots or dust can be harmful to ingest or inhale and should be removed entirely from your home to return it to its original state. Our technicians can deploy air filtration devices (AFD) to filter the air within your property. AFDs use layers of filters to pass indoor air and remove particles. A fan element pushes clean air back into the room. These can be useful tools for controlling and dealing with odor as well as microscopic soots.

When a fire strikes your property, it can be tough to return to its original condition without professional assistance. Contact SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress at (714) 236-9599.

Why Hire a Professional Cypress Fire Restoration Company?

11/10/2021 (Permalink)

smoke and soot on wall and ceiling SERVPRO has a large selection of professional equipment and the experience to handle Cypress fire restoration of any size or type

SERVPRO has Trained and Certified Technicians to Handle All Phases of Cypress Fire Damage

It can be tempting to self-clean after fire damage occurs in a Cypress property, particularly if the fire and smoke residues are limited in scale. However, this decision can wind up costing more money in terms of secondary damages or the unintentional spread of soot to other home areas. 

SERVPRO technicians have a large selection of professional equipment and the experience to handle Cypress fire restoration of any size or type. One of the smartest things a property owner can do is hand off the job to a professional company because:

  • SERVPRO can work one on one with an insurance carrier to ensure no actions taken are done out of the scope of coverage
  • The use of professional equipment makes a difference in the outcome, such as using dry cleaning sponges to lift away dry smoke damage as opposed to rags and household cleaning products
  • Limits exposure to potential health hazards from airborne soot or structural dangers

The reason contents in the home have a covering of soot is because items such as upholstery, textiles, plastic, and wood do not burn cleanly. Because soot can irritate and cause health effects, SERVPRO technicians wear PPE (personal protective equipment) to limit their contact during the cleanup process.

When a homeowner sees a table that has been a part of their home for years covered in soot, they may be thinking about where to get a replacement. SERVPRO technicians can inspect the piece, determine if it has damage from water or heat, and determine the restoration potential. The technicians have access to wood-specific formulas that can clean wood grain without causing damage to the surface.

SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress at (714) 236-9599 brings certified technicians with compassion, professionalism, and years of expertise in fire restoration to every Cypress job.

Can My Home in Seal Beach Be Restored After Fire Damage?

10/21/2021 (Permalink)

fire and smoke damaged home Smoke residue from fire damage is a job for SERVPRO. Our fire damage restoration techs have the training and experience in all phases needed.

For Professional, Thorough Restoration of your Seal Beach Home, Call SERVPRO. What Is The Biggest Threat To My Home?

Physical fire damage to Seal Beach homes is often limited. SERVPRO technicians understand that the smoke residues if left on surfaces too long, can pit, stain, and cause other damage, which can be more expensive than what the heat and flames did.

Where Do Technicians Begin?

They start with two basic principles to thoroughly clean fire damaged property in Seal Beach and restore it for the best possible result.

Find and identify the type of residues: One of our estimators determines the extent of the damage, the type of residues (dry and powdery versus wet and sticky, for example), and the surfaces where they adhere. This first principle allows the estimator to determine what cleaners and tools are needed to complete the task of restoring the home. 

Capture and remove residues: It is necessary to suspend or capture residues before removing them. Capturing them using air or fluids allows our technicians to quickly suspend them for safe removal off surfaces without causing further damage to any personal or structural property. 

How Exactly Do Technicians Capture And Remove Them?

SERVPRO technicians primarily use vacuuming and dissolving the residues to pull them off and out of everything from ceiling tiles to carpets.

  • Vacuuming – Since smoke residues contain particles of primarily carbon, many of the residues we remove are dry and powder. That means they merely rest on the surface or are only loosely attached at best, making them easily removed by a vacuum or even by wiping down surfaces like glass and metal with a cloth or dry sponge. 
  • Dissolving – Wet or sticky particles adhere far more tightly to surfaces and require water or a cleaning agent to remove them. Water and cleaners surround the residues in a suspension so that technicians can wipe them off with sponges, squeegees, or mops, depending on the type of surface. 

To schedule an appointment, contact SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress today at (562) 431-9400. 

Can SERVPRO Help in Restoring Fire Damage to Furniture in Seal Beach Homes?

8/25/2021 (Permalink)

Chair on fire Regardless of the type of furniture in the room which is facing fire damage, calling SERVPRO will help to remediate the situation. Call today!

SERVPRO Helps Seal Beach Residents Get Their Homes Back in Order After a Fire Damage Incidence 

Fire and smoke can damage various contents of your home, including wooden furniture. The restorability of furniture after fire damage to your Seal Beach home depends on both the type of finish and the extent of smoke damage. 

The methods that SERVPRO techs use to clean wooden furniture after fire damage to your Seal Beach home depend on the type of surface. Unfinished wood is porous and can easily absorb smoke residue and odor, making it difficult to clean. SERVPRO techs use dry cleaning methods for such surfaces. On the other hand, wood surfaces finished with varnishes, shellac, lacquer, or paint can withstand wet cleaning. SERVPRO restorers use alkali surface cleaners or mild detergents to clean such surfaces.  

Can Professionals Restore all Furniture in Fire Damaged Homes in Seal Beach? 

Restoration may not be possible if the surface of the furniture in your Seal Beach home is heavily blistered or permanently stained. In such cases, the SERVPRO technicians recommend refinishing the damaged surfaces. 

  • Blistering: Heat from fire damage can result in the blistering of wooden surfaces allowing the smoke to penetrate the finish and discolor it. Consequently, it might not be possible for SERVPRO experts to restore such surfaces. 
  • Staining: Dry smoke damage can be easily cleaned, while wet smoke particles (often containing aerosols) can permanently stain the surfaces. Refinishing might be the only option in such situations. 

Call SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress at (562) 431-9400 with any questions regarding fire and smoke damage to your home. 

Remodeling vs. Restoring after Fire Damage within Your Los Alamitos Residence

6/17/2021 (Permalink)

Home after a fire Our professionals have state of the art equipment to clean up and restore your home so you can return safely after a fire.

Certified SERVPRO Technicians Quickly Remediate Damage After Fire Damage in Your Home

After a house fire in Los Alamitos, some homeowners decide that restoring their home to the same floor plan does not suit the needs of their families. What may have worked out wonderfully at purchasing time can become much smaller for a growing family. Empty-nesters might find that their homes now offer too much living space and desire to change it so it can serve other purposes. 

After fire damage affects their Los Alamitos home, residents have different options regarding restoration. A new floor plan is an option if a home sustains enough damage that gutting the interior walls and other structures took place. Some homeowners choose this option to make their homes suit their current needs better and save on rebuilding costs. 

Fire Damage Restoration

The professionals at SERVPRO are here to serve our customers' needs after a disaster, including going the extra mile in preparing fire damaged homes for such extensive restoration work. Ensuring that a clean slate, free of all debris and non-essential or burned structures, no longer can impede rebuilding efforts, we help make sure that reconstruction efforts can proceed on schedule. Part of proceeding along this journey includes insurance agents and gaining their approval. As a neutral third party, we often help homeowners by providing written assessments of the damage. 

When a home's floor plan remains primarily unfazed by a fire, significantly changing it should come only after careful consideration of the factors involved. Costs can rise considerably in such cases, and homeowners should factor in possible complications involving electrical wiring, plumbing, and other issues. Removing a wall may seem simple enough to carry out until builders determine that the wall in question provided structural support to the second level of the house. 

Other damages, such as personal belongings, furniture, household furnishings such as carpets, draperies, blinds, and big-ticket items, are listed on our inventory sheets. We place each one in the appropriate category as salvageable, destroyed, or uncertain, helping you complete claims involving replacement costs. 

SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress strives to help the people in our area continue their lives after disastrous events. Locally owned and operated, we want to help families affected by fire damage return home. We are always ready to help you, regardless of the hour, 365 days a year. Our services are available 24 hours a day by calling us at (562) 431-9400.

Remodeling vs. Restoring after Fire Damage within Your Los Alamitos Residence

6/10/2021 (Permalink)

Home after a fire Our professionals have state of the art equipment to clean up and restore your home so you can return safely after a fire.

Certified SERVPRO Technicians Quickly Remediate Damage After Fire Damage in Your Home

After a house fire in Los Alamitos, some homeowners decide that restoring their home to the same floor plan does not suit the needs of their families. What may have worked out wonderfully at purchasing time can become much smaller for a growing family. Empty-nesters might find that their homes now offer too much living space and desire to change it so it can serve other purposes. 

After fire damage affects their Los Alamitos home, residents have different options regarding restoration. A new floor plan is an option if a home sustains enough damage that gutting the interior walls and other structures took place. Some homeowners choose this option to make their homes suit their current needs better and save on rebuilding costs. 

Fire Damage Restoration

The professionals at SERVPRO are here to serve our customers' needs after a disaster, including going the extra mile in preparing fire damaged homes for such extensive restoration work. Ensuring that a clean slate, free of all debris and non-essential or burned structures, no longer can impede rebuilding efforts, we help make sure that reconstruction efforts can proceed on schedule. Part of proceeding along this journey includes insurance agents and gaining their approval. As a neutral third party, we often help homeowners by providing written assessments of the damage. 

When a home's floor plan remains primarily unfazed by a fire, significantly changing it should come only after careful consideration of the factors involved. Costs can rise considerably in such cases, and homeowners should factor in possible complications involving electrical wiring, plumbing, and other issues. Removing a wall may seem simple enough to carry out until builders determine that the wall in question provided structural support to the second level of the house. 

Other damages, such as personal belongings, furniture, household furnishings such as carpets, draperies, blinds, and big-ticket items, are listed on our inventory sheets. We place each one in the appropriate category as salvageable, destroyed, or uncertain, helping you complete claims involving replacement costs. 

SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress strives to help the people in our area continue their lives after disastrous events. Locally owned and operated, we want to help families affected by fire damage return home. We are always ready to help you, regardless of the hour, 365 days a year. Our services are available 24 hours a day by calling us at (562) 431-9400.

Cypress Residents Deserve Efficient Deodorization and Fire Damage Restoration

4/22/2021 (Permalink)

smoke entering room through under door Smoke and soot can reach the remote areas of your home. We can remove the odors. Call SERVPRO today!

Fire Damage Restoration Must Include Deodorization to Get the Best Results Throughout Your Cypress Home!

Dealing with fire and smoke damage restoration and cleanup is a multi-layered process. SERVPRO handles each aspect with precision to ensure your Cypress property gets back to pre-fire condition. We get called to fire damaged homes all the time that have substantial smoke and soot throughout. With our specialized processes and innovative technology, we handle smoke remediation so that your interior is “Like it never even happened.”

Fire damage restoration in Cypress should also include detailed sanitization and deodorization. Any lingering soot particles allow foul odors to resurface over time. During a fire, the heat will enable odorous elements to get into porous materials, and particles like ash, tar, and soot get deposited on various surfaces. We take deodorization steps to:

  • Remove the source of the odor.
  • Neutralize any volatile molecules present.
  • Use specialty sealants to seal in the molecules.

Our IICRC-certified technicians have access to various equipment like HEPA filtration, air movers, and foggers to battle stubborn smoke damage to achieve the best results. Rather than leaving traces of the fire left behind with DIY methods, we can remove all signs of the fire damage event with our house fire clean-up measures.

Call (562) 431-9400 when you need fire damage restoration. SERVPRO of Seal Beach/Los Alamitos/Cypress is available for emergency service 24 hours a day!

What Type of Smoke is Common in Housefires?

3/19/2021 (Permalink)

a fire damaged wall outlet Smoke and soot can settle on the walls of your home. Contact SERVPRO for certified technicians to help remediate your home.

Smoke Has Varying Chemical Composition and Impact on your Cypress Home. SERVPRO Carefully Analyze Smokes to Find the Right Cleaning Solution.

The chemical composition of smoke can differ significantly in two different housefires. Materials that combust during a fire greatly influence the type of smoke deposits, while temperature and pressure can also play a significant role. 

When we assess fire damage in your Seal Beach home, we are looking to find the exact type of smoke. By identifying the kind of smoke, we can then select the most efficient and effective cleaning methods. Some smoke deposits may require light vacuuming, whereas others may require the introduction of solvents or alkaline-based cleaning products. 

  • Locating smoke residues is completed by tracing soiling from the source and working outward across the property. 
  • Identifying the smoke and the type of materials it is bonded to is vital to selecting the right cleaning products and methods.
  • Once a careful assessment is complete, technicians can use their analysis to capture and remove the smoke residues. 

Smoke deposits can spread around or cause odors in your home. Contact SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress for fire damage at (562) 431-9400.

Listen to the Music of Internationally Renowned Artists Near Seal Beach.

2/18/2021 (Permalink)

fire damaged home When a fire strikes a home SERVPRO should be the team to call upon. Their IICRC certified and trained techs are experienced with fire damage.

Seal Beach Residents Can Attend the 19th Annual Laguna Beach Music Festival.

Presented by the Philharmonic Society and Laguna Beach Live!, the 19th Annual Laguna Beach Music Festival is being held this year from March 24th to the 28th and is readily accessible to Seal Beach residents. This exciting musical event features the talents of the following internationally acclaimed artists:

  • Pianist and composer Conrad Tao
  • The JACK Quartet
  • The Westerlies Quartet
  • Violinist Stefan Jackiw
  • Dancer and choreographer Caleb Teicher

Visit the Philharmonic Society website or call (949) 553-2422 for additional information or purchase tickets. If the concert cannot be held in-person, it may be held virtually.

Regardless of whether you are a fine music lover or not, the potential for a residential fire is an ever-present concern. This is especially true in our region, which is particularly prone to wildfires. So, your helpful neighbors at SERVPRO of Seal Beach/Los Alamitos/Cypress want you to know that we are always here to help. Whenever you need fire damage restoration services, call us at (562) 431-9400.

Get Fresh Fruits and Vegetables at the Seal Beach Farmer’s Market in Cypress

12/16/2020 (Permalink)

baskets of fruit and vegetables at farmer's market We look forward to seeing you at the Cypress Farmer’s Market.

Come Enjoy Shopping for all Kinds of Vegetables and Fruits in Seal Beach 

Since the beginning of the year, the health department has laid strict measures, including limiting interactions and total lockdowns. These measures have made it impossible for most residents across the city to shop for fresh vegetables and fruits. However, you can shop for fresh groceries at Seal Beach Farmer’s Market on December 19th, 2020. 

Held near the Katella Avenue corner and Lexington, the recurring event follows all the set guidelines to ensure attendees are safe. Stop by the Farmer’s Market and see what farmers and other vendors have to offer. 

SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress affectionately welcomes you to the Cypress Farmer’s Market. If you need fire restoration services for your Seal Beach home, contact our professional restoration team. We can get your property to its preloss condition. Talk to us today at (562) 431-9400.   

Is it Possible to Remain on Premises Following a Fire?

10/19/2020 (Permalink)

biohazard warning and suit SERVPRO protects its technicians from biohazardous airborne smoke particles in Seal Beach area homes

SERVPRO Assesses Seal Beach Area Fire Damage for Safe Living Conditions

After enduring a fire in your Seal Beach home, you may not wish to leave, especially if you feel your property is vulnerable due to the extensive damage. However, it is vital to prioritize your safety, ensuring your home is safe before deciding to return permanently. Often, technicians use strong deodorizers and fogging techniques that require residents to vacate the property. They also may need to turn off your power for safety purposes. Our goal is to quickly and effectively restore your home to preloss conditions so that you may return.

Why are Slip and Falls a Hazard After a Fire?

Firefighters Often Use Water to Extinguish a Fire

Surprisingly, one of the major factors impeding fire restoration for your Seal Beach home is water usage during firefighting efforts. Excess moisture on top of fire damage makes the cleanup and restoration tasks even more challenging. Our trained SERVPRO technicians employ OSHA required Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI), which shuts off power as a safety precaution if it senses too much electrical current in a wet environment.

What are Some of the Most Common Safety Hazards After A Fire?

  • Electrical Hazards: If the electricity is still running, it is essential to inspect for damaged wiring. It may be necessary to terminate power from the fuse box to ensure safety.
  • Structural Hazards: Fire can cause loose building materials and other debris to fall. Technicians wear hardhats as personal protective equipment (PPE).
  • Slip, Trip, and Fall: Excess water may cause slipping, while debris, electrical cords, and poor visibility can cause a fall.

For 24/7 assistance after a fire, contact SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress at (562) 431-9400. We make it, "Like it never even happened."

Can My Hair Appliances Cause a Fire in Los Angeles?

6/5/2020 (Permalink)

hair straightener and hair dryer on a bathroom sink counter Take precautions to turn hair appliances off when not in use. Should your home suffer from a fire, contact team SERVPRO.

Your Hair Dryer and Flat Iron Could Cause a Fire in Your Los Angeles Home

Appliances often have a tag reminding us to unplug them when not in use. The reason for this warning is that a fire in your Los Angeles home could quickly start if one of your hair appliances malfunctions. Regardless of the flames' size, it is best to hire a professional crew to assess the damage and identify the next steps.

Los Angeles residents in need of fire restoration services can call SERVPRO for help. Our team is available around the clock to respond to your emergency and advise you on promptly restoring your home. Identifying the source of the fire and following the path of the smoke helps us take restoration action, including your HVAC system and any structural elements such as walls and columns.

How do I get rid of the smell left behind by the fire?

Fires tend to leave soot and ash behind, but the smell of smoke is often the most bothersome. Homeowners typically try to tackle the smell themselves, releasing aroma and air fresheners available in grocery and home improvement stores. However, our SERVPRO team has more options available to us to eradicate the smell. Among the equipment, we might use at your home are the following:

  • Ozone generators to neutralize the smell of smoke. Their use requires all humans and animals to vacate the home.
  • Air scrubbers whose active ingredients attract smell molecules to a filter and eliminate them.
  • Injections to insert deodorant into your carpets and disseminate a pleasant smell.

No two situations are the same, and our SERVPRO team is ready to customize its services to your needs. As a homeowner, you only need to rely on our expertise and let us apply best practices to your home. Like you, we want to minimize the fire in your daily life.

SERVPRO of Seal Beach/ Los Alamitos/ Cypress is your best resource when an emergency happens. Call us at (562) 431-9400 and let us leave your home smelling, "Like it never even happened."

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How Do I Get Rid of the Smoke Smell After a Fire?

4/15/2020 (Permalink)

Fire After a fire, SERVPRO Removes the Soot and Smoke odors "Like it never even happened."

SERVPRO Technicians Carefully Deodorize Your Seal Beach Home 

One of the most significant concerns accompanying a fire is the strong odor that inevitably stays behind. The first days are critical in tackling the odors, or they tend to permeate throughout your home and become increasingly challenging to remove.  

Why Should I Use a Professional Service to Deodorize My Home?

Our restoration team uses specific methods, equipment, and products to tackle the odor from fire damage in your Seal Beach Home. As a homeowner, you may be able to eradicate some of the smell, but it is challenging to remove all of it without the proper equipment and industry knowledge. 

What are the Steps to Remove the Smell? 

    • Remove the source 
    • Clean all impacted surfaces
  • Recreate the conditions by fogging to reach throughout the house
  • Seal surfaces by painting walls and closing off air unused air handling systems
  • Use air-purifying equipment like air scrubbers, ventilation fans, or ozone generators  

What Type of Deodorizers does SERVPRO use? 

  • Masking agents such as beads, solid cakes, or wicks to help cover bad odors as a temporary solution
  • Absorption agents such as powder and activated charcoal that soak up odors
  • Pairing agents that stick to odor particles, used with wet and thermal fogging
  • Enzyme Digesters that attack organic molecules by breaking down the material into carbon dioxide or water 

How Do I Know Which Steps to Take and Which Deodorizers to Use? 

Every situation and fire are different, requiring a unique plan. Most odors caused by fire damage do not need every removal step or every type of deodorizer. Technicians use a combination to best address the odor. 

For 24/7 assistance, contact SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos /Cypress at (562) 431-9400. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster. 

Learn more about Seal Beach.

Become Familiar With Effective Fire Damage Remediation Techniques in Seal Beach

2/24/2020 (Permalink)

flames and smoke on building Fires can leave behind fire damage including soot and odor. Contact our certified SERVPRO team right after the fire fighters leave.

Common Questions Seal Beach Homeowners Have After Fire Damage

Fire damage comes from a lot of different sources and leaves behind varying levels of loss. The common factor in all of it is that it needs professional level cleanup because soot and smoke residues have the potential to be an irritant and are unhealthy to live around. 

This approach to fire damage is misleading to Seal Beach residents, particularly in the case of small-scale fires where not a lot of visible damage happened, such as in the case where a pan flames up during cooking and there is not a lot of smoke residue seen. Still, a strong, pungent odor permeates the kitchen. The reason for this is protein fires emit a nearly invisible spray that smells strong but is challenging to see as it coats surfaces in the kitchen. 

Can Homeowners Clean Up Fire Loss?

This is a case of just because you can does not mean you should. DIY fire loss cleanup often creates more damage than done by the fire. Using wet cleaning solutions on dry smoke can drive the soot deeper into surfaces, ruining the prospects for restoration. One helpful action homeowners can take is making a list of valuable or sentimental items and asking SERVPRO techs to locate them for you. Essential things to have in your possession include: 

  • Cash, credit cards and checkbooks
  • Medications
  • Personal documents 
  • Passports
  • Birth certificates
  • Expensive items

How Long Does the Restoration Process Last?

As each fire loss is a unique situation, the technicians scope the damage and then can create a timeline for the homeowner to count on for the amount of time they estimate the restoration to take. 

Do I Need to Vacate the Property During Mitigation?

When the fire loss gets contained to a single, small area in the house, homeowners may be able to stay. However, breathing soot is unhealthy, and in most cases, it is wise to make arrangements to stay elsewhere during fire loss cleanup and restoration services. 

Should Belongings Get Packed Up?

While on-site restoration is preferable when necessary, SERVPRO techs can pack out belongings. They use a comprehensive contents control system that includes the state, photo, and location of each item within the home, so after restoration efforts complete, each piece gets returned where it belongs. 

Can the HVAC Run? 

Post-fire loss, it is best to have your unit and ductwork inspected to ensure there are not odorous soot particles resident. The thorough cleaning of the ducts ensures the fire odor does not spread throughout the home. 

SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress at (562) 431-9400  has certified, trained technicians to make the fire damage to your home "Like it never even happened."

Click here for more information about Seal Beach.

Give Our Professionals A Call 24/7 In Los Angeles After A Fire

12/12/2019 (Permalink)

A washer and dryer covered in soot and smoke damage after a fire disaster Our technicians are IICRC certified and highly trained and have the advanced equipment to restore your home to pre-damage conditions.

Factors that Can Hinder Post-Fire Cleaning in Los Angeles Homes

Cleaning up after a fire is one of the most significant obstacles that professional restorers face when recovering Los Angeles homes. As challenging as contaminants and even structural damages can become, the need for residue removal and debris removal present immediate risks and hazards for those exposed. Failure to address the cleaning needed in a fire-damaged home quickly can amplify effects like smoke odors, soot concentrations, and surface marring.

Debris removal and cleaning of fire damage in Los Angeles homes can be efficient and productive for our restorers when conditions are ideal. Several factors can affect the ability to clean specific materials and contents, or that might hinder the work of our SERVPRO technicians in the property altogether. A burning building can produce several complicated obstacles for our cleaning team to overcome once it gets extinguished.

  • Type of Surface – the material involved in the combustion and its related reactions affects how complicated it later is to clean. Non-porous materials and paints are easier to surface clean than how deeply affected porous materials like drywall and wood become.
  • Age of the Property/Materials – Our SERVPRO professionals have seen how challenging cleaning can become with older materials such as carpeting, wallboard, or fabrics. The older the surface, the more difficult it usually is to clean.
  • Type of Smoke Produced – Wet and dry smoke incidents both create unique challenges for fire restorers. Wet smoke occurs when fire damage smolders and move slowly throughout a property at a lower heat. These conditions produce thick residues on surfaces. Dry smoke comes from hotter fires, which can be more damaging to structural elements and spread farther but produce an easier residue for our technicians to clean.

All of these factors play a role in the difficulty our SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress team has with cleaning up your property after a fire. With how quickly conditions can worsen after extinguishment, give our professionals a call 24/7 at (562) 431-9400. We have the skills, cutting-edge equipment, and powerful cleaning products to make losses “Like it never even happened.”

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The Truth is You Are Not the Only Person Concerned About Fire Damage in Los Angeles

10/19/2019 (Permalink)

fire damaged kitchen Don’t let fire damage destroy your home. Call SERVPRO to restore your fire damaged home.

How Extension Cord Fire Damage in Your Los Angeles Home Can Be Mitigated

Every year, emergency rooms around the US can expect an average of 4,000 patients with injuries related to extension cord usage in their homes. A whopping 3,300 home fires per year are started by damaged, faulty, or misused extension cords. These items are such a regular part of everyday life that it can be easy to forget that there are risks involved in using them. However, without proper safety measures, homeowners are put at risk every year due to electrical fires.

If you have fire damage in your Los Angeles rental home from a damaged or faulty extension cord, there are services available to restore your home. SERVPRO technicians can come to you within hours of your call to start the cleanup process. Electrical fires are one of the most common sources of fire-related damages to homes, and without professional mitigation, you may be exposed to unhealthy particles from soot. This team is dedicated to maximizing your safety while preserving your home after disasters occur.

Extension Cord Safety Tips

Here are several things to keep in mind for safe handling of extension cords in your home:

  • Inspect electrical cords before use and dispose of damaged or frayed cables. 
  • Keep in mind that extension cords are not a long-term solution for powering items. 
  • Make sure extension cords are away from high-traffic areas in the home like walkways. 
  • Always unplug and store electrical cords after use. 
  • Pull the plug instead of the cord when unplugging.

How SERVPRO Saves the Day

SERVPRO can immediately get to work on cleaning your home. Once the source of the fire is removed, the goal is addressing melted rubber, soot, residues, and odors caused by the fire. Technicians can use EPA-registered cleaners to clean surface dirt on nearby items. Fire damage to carpeting, on the other hand, can be initially cleaned with vacuuming and other dry cleaning methods before applying wet cleaners. Dry cleaning sponges are also highly effective for removing surface residues.

SERVPRO of Seal Beach/Los Alamitos/Cypress is always available to ensure that your home looks, "Like it never even happened." If you need swift emergency response to a disaster in your home, call (562) 431-9400 today.

Click here to learn more about the city of Los Angeles.

Stop Wasting Time and Succeed at Fire Damage Remediation in Los Angeles Today

8/15/2019 (Permalink)

Fire damage can occur in your home at any time. Be ready by calling the remediation specialists at SERVPRO.

Minimizing Fire Damage in a Los Angeles Kitchen After a Grease Fire

Kitchen fires can happen for a variety of reasons. A grease fire, for example, can cause massive damage if not mitigated quickly. While you can use common kitchen ingredients to quell fire damage to your home, it can be easy to forget which ones work and which ones do not, which can mean you end up putting flammable baking powder on a grease fire instead of baking soda.  

If a kitchen grease fire leaves you with fire damage in your Los Angeles home, SERVPRO is ready to save the day with industrial-grade equipment and tried-and-true disaster mitigation techniques. 

If you do not have an extinguisher, you can extinguish small fires with the help of baking soda or salt. However, there are a variety of ingredients that you should not use to put out a fire, including: 

-Water, which can spread and splash drops of burning oil, making fires bigger.

-Flour can easily be ignited in exposure to flame, which can make your fire worse.

-Baking powder is not the same as baking soda and can ignite when thrown on a fire.

-Sugar, which caramelizes and eventually burns when thrown on a fire, much like putting a marshmallow over a flame.

-Wet towels can flare up the fire or knock burning pans over, which can spread the fire. 

 After you make your call, our SERVPRO team can come to you within hours to address heat damage and charring on kitchen fixtures with gentle but effective blast media, like baking soda, to both freshen the smell of your kitchen. If the damage is extensive, we can pack your home and clean out the structure as well as the contents, to minimize loss for both your home and personal property.  

SERVPRO of Seal Beach/Los Alamitos/Cypress is Faster to Any Size Disaster and is ready to mitigate damage to your home and property with the help of our industrial-grade materials and certified technicians. If you need a lightning-fast response to damage from a home fire, call our team today at (562) 431-9400. 

Click here to see more about Los Angeles. 

We Act Fast To Limit More Damage To Your Seal Beach Home After A Fire Disaster

8/14/2019 (Permalink)

Our fire damage specialists are standing by 24/7 to respond to your call after a fire causes damage to your home.

Fire Damage Seal Beach – Smoke and Water Damage from Next Door

The house next door to our client was engulfed in flames and destroyed. The fire department was able to save our clients home. There was extensive smoke and some water damage. At one point, the roof caught fire; however, the fire department was able to extinguish the fire. The firemen verified that there were no hot spots in the attic. The owners were very concerned and overwhelmed about what to do.

After taking their call, our SERVPRO team responded to this fire damage event in Seal Beach immediately. After assessing the situation, our technicians quickly got to work. A tarp was placed over the roof to prevent any further damage and to prevent birds from entering through the hole cut in the roof of the home.

Restoral of a client’s home after fire or smoke damage follows a step by step process aimed at restoring the home, “Like it never even happened.” The process we follow includes:

  • Removal of water and drying with dehumidifiers
  • Soot and smoke is removed from all surfaces, including ceilings, walls and floors
  • Clean, sanitize and disinfect all restorable items, including structures using appropriate cleaning techniques

Restoration of the home, including repairs and replacement of the roof, walls, and carpets as needed.

Many clients want to immediately begin cleaning and tidying up themselves after a smoke or fire damage event. There are a few suggestions to follow:

  • Always verify it is safe to enter the home e.g., electrical, slip and falls
  • Avoid lifting heavy wet materials
  • Avoid washing walls, carpets or furniture
  • Keep hands clean to avoid distributing soot to clean areas
  • Remove food from freezers and refrigerators if the electricity is off
  • Do not use appliances or other electrical items if wet or have been exposed to smoke or water Garments, furniture and all surfaces require specialized cleaning after smoke exposure

For more information, check our emergency tips page. Our SERVPRO client was ecstatic to have their home restored.

Call SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress at (562) 431-9400 for 24/7 service. We serve Huntington Beach, Walnut Park, Compton, and surrounding areas. Our goal is to return items to their preloss condition, “Like it never even happened.”

See more about Seal Beach.

Why It Is Important To Call Our Certified Professionals When You Are Facing Seal Beach Fire Damage Restoration

5/23/2019 (Permalink)

We have the fire damage experience and advanced equipment to restore your home to pre-damage conditions. Call us right away so we can get started.

The Dangers of DIY Fire Recovery in Seal Beach

As tempting as it might be to start fire loss recovery on your own for your Seal Beach home, this is not the wisest choice for many reasons. First and foremost, many homeowners do not fully understand the scope of damage that affects their property after a fire, allowing them to both underestimate the severity of these damages and to underestimate the safety of the property while cleanup and debris removal efforts get underway. It is important to reach out to restoration specialists to help start the recovery process after a fire loss incident.

Many different fire damages must get addressed and restored in your Seal Beach home after an emergency, and some property owners mistakenly believe that these effects can get recovered and restored without the efforts of trained and certified professionals. In truth, these same owners lack the expertise and the equipment to manage even the early mitigation needs of a fire-damaged property. Our SERVPRO professionals can help with a 24/7 response to these situations.

Even a step like fire damage assessment is something that homeowners should leave to trained professionals like our SERVPRO team. We have estimators and project management that can safely determine the full scope of the damage to your residence while wearing all of the necessary personal protective equipment. These items can keep our technicians safe from conditions like compromised indoor air quality, debris, and structural weaknesses.

Without the appropriate equipment to address airborne concerns and contaminants that could exist after a fire, property owners get exposed to sometimes health-hazardous conditions for prolonged periods. Our team members can set up containment equipment and air purification machines like our hydroxyl generators and air scrubbers to begin addressing these airborne threats with an onboard HEPA filter.

As tempting as it might sound to save money and time by doing restoration work on your own after a fire, the lack of experience and equipment homeowners have, often results in a higher cost and a longer restoration time than calling professionals immediately after an emergency. Give our SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress rapid response team a call anytime at (562) 431-9400.

Summer is here, click here for information on how to get a pool pass.

How SERVPRO Restores Fire Damaged in Los Angeles

4/2/2019 (Permalink)

Fires cause not only burn damage, but also smoke and soot damage. Call SERVPRO to restore your fire damaged home.

Even Small Fire Damage in Los Angeles Can Have Big Consequences Later

A small amount of kitchen fire damage in your Los Angeles home may not seem like a huge deal, but the consequences of even a minor incident can be far-reaching and long-lasting if you are not careful. Professional damage restoration services like SERVPRO exist to help people recover from fires without feeling their effects for years after the initial incident occurred. We scrub the area clean, implement permanent restorative measures to reverse any damages caused to your home and make sure to leave the area smelling clean and odorless when we leave.

Without professional damage restoration services, many cases of fire damage in Los Angeles are left to simmer and sometimes grow worse as time drags on. A fresh coat of paint may mask some of the damage, but odors can still seep through and remind anyone in the vicinity of the hastily covered-up damage. Worse, some types of fire residues may break down the chemicals in many brands of interior paint, leading to discoloration and an even bigger mess in time. SERVPRO technicians can still take care of the damages after these attempted fixes have taken place, but their work becomes much harder and more expensive with more time and neglect.

To compound problems, fire damage does not always stay within a single area. Smoke and ash can travel through the vents in your home to cause damage rooms away. Calling us quickly after a fire enables us to prevent many of these damages and avoid having to employ odor removal and damage restoration measures in every room of the house. Should damages reach this undesirable level, we can still keep costs to a minimum by employing only the treatments we need and directly cleaning out your HVAC system to stop any further spread of fire and smoke materials.

SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress stays ready on a 24/7 basis to respond to local calls for help with fire damage. Call us to help with fires large and small at (562) 431-9400.

 Read more about Los Angeles here.

Our Expert Technicians Are The Best At Handling Fire Damage Restoration In Walnut Park

3/7/2019 (Permalink)

Our team can handle any job big or small, day or nigh. We arrive 24/7 to help you rest easy after a fire. Don't hesitate and call us right away.

I Cleaned Up the Fire Damage, Why Does My Walnut Park Home Smell So Bad?

According to statistics from the U.S. Fire Administration, a whopping 50% of residential building fires happened due to cooking mishaps. The kitchen is one of the most common areas affected by fire damage. Often the fires seem small in scale, and perhaps only minor visible damage was done, but unless the affected area is cleaned correctly, odor-causing smoke particles and residues can linger and give off a foul odor.

When SERVPRO addresses the after-effects of a fire in a Walnut Park home, often the homeowner has already attempted to clean up the mess. Our technicians clean the area with our special formulated cleaners and use both wet and dry sponges depending on the type of residue to ensure surfaces are thoroughly deodorized. Lingering odors can often be traced to porous items such as upholstered furniture, window treatments and carpeting can be a source of the odor.

Our Odor Control Technicians (OCT) have many resources to choose from, and they will use digital detectors to determine the type of deodorization needed based on air quality readings of the detectable smoke particles.

A very effective method SERVPRO technicians use is the ultra-low volume (ULV) fogger. This machine sends a fine mist of water or solvent-based chemicals into the air in the same manner as smoke from a fire. The chemicals get broken down much like smoke particles and penetrate porous materials just as the smoke did, overtaking and eliminating foul odors. We often use fans during this process to keep the deodorant particles suspended in air longer. In some cases, multiple techniques are needed to eradicate the odors.

You do not have to keep smelling the reminder of fire damage in your Walnut Park home. SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress is available 24/7 at (562) 431-9400, and our expert technicians can be on-site quickly to eliminate the odor and address any other issues that remain from the fire to make it "Like it never even happened."








Fun Spring events coming to your area, click here click here for more details.

When A Fire Damages Your Seal Beach Property Our Experts Are Here To Help!

1/5/2019 (Permalink)

If you ever have a situation where both fire and water affected your house, call SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress at (562) 431-9400.

Fire Cleanup Experts In Seal Beach Discuss Problems With Heat And Moisture

When a fire burns inside a structure, it often gets extinguished using water by either you or the fire department. After a burn takes place, it is likely that you will need a fire cleanup conducted by a professional company like SERVPRO. When heat and moisture damage items, the combination of the two create different scenarios. Moisture can cause soot residues to bleed deeper into materials making them more difficult to remove. If fire cleanup does not get completed quickly, there is a chance that the excessive moisture can cause mold to develop on organic substances, creating another issue.

Moisture added to burn damage can make the problems with your contents and building materials worse. For example, if burnt wooden items get saturated, they might have to be replaced instead of being cleaned and refinished as a part of your fire cleanup project in Seal Beach. In some cases, if items do not get charred deeper than a quarter inch, then our SERVPRO technicians can sand down and refinish the materials. However, when moisture gets added to these situations, the burnt material can soak deep into an object and make refinishing impossible. A major part of any restoration project is to figure out what we can fix with cleaning and restoring, and which items we must remove and replace.

As soon as our professionals arrive at your property, our SERVPRO estimators begin testing your contents and building materials with their test kits. These kits contain a variety of cleaning chemicals for various scenarios. We test-clean the different surfaces in your home to figure out what will work and what will not. Once we figure out what we can mitigate with refinishing and soot removal, we compile an initial estimate for you and your insurance company.

Once the initial estimate gets completed, we devise a plan to restore anything inside your home that got damaged. If you ever have a situation where both fire and water affected your house, call SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress at (562) 431-9400 24 hours a day.

Click here for more about Seal Beach.

Fire Damage Technicians In Seal Beach Talk About Mitigation Of Burnt Furniture

7/5/2018 (Permalink)

If a fire ever starts inside your Seal Beach home, many different problems can take place.

Fire Damage Technicians Talk About Mitigation Of Burnt Furniture

If a fire ever starts inside your Seal Beach home, many different problems can take place. Once something burns, the fire gets hotter and hotter causing it to spread throughout the structure. When the blaze grows, it can consume various things inside your home including structural components and your valued possessions. If a fire can get hot enough, it can gain the ability to burn any type of material even if it is fire resistant. Usually, organic materials burn first then the synthetic materials go up in flames next.

When things burn, parts of items fully combust while others do not. When mitigating fire damage in Seal Beach, our SERVPRO technicians are tasked with determining which contents can be saved and which ones can be replaced. When items get severely burnt, they lose their structural integrity and must be replaced. Building materials such as drywall and wooden studs get removed and rebuilt if the charring is bad enough. The contents inside your house also get assessed for damage.

Any item that has been severely burnt or charred must be disposed of in sealed plastic bags, so that burnt dust does not get into the home's airflow. In some cases, wooden furniture can be saved by treating and refinishing. When assessing the damage with furniture the same rule applies as with wooden building materials. If the damage is more than a quarter inch deep into the surface of the item, then the piece of furniture may be ruined and get discarded. If the burnt material is less than a quarter inch deep on the object's surface than it is possible to save the item with some effort from our IICRC certified SERVPRO restoration team.

In many situations, before we refinish an item, we move it out of the building into a clean and disinfected location. Moving the item allows our technicians to work on your contents separately from your building materials speeding up the entire process. Once the items are moved we sand down the furniture so that there is no more charring present. If the piece has a stained and glossy surface, then we refinish the item and attempt to restore it to pre-damage condition. If the wooden parts of the furniture are painted, then we paint with a specialized sealant before repainting the item.

Sanding and refinishing items can save time and money with the overall project. If you ever need professional help with fire problems, call SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress at (562) 431-9400 24/7.

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Restoring Water Damage Following A Fire In Your Seal Beach Home

5/3/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Can Remove Water and Fire Damage from Your Seal Beach Home

SERVPRO Cleans Up and Restores Both Fire and Water Damage

Fires to your Seal Beach residence might be hard for you to stomach when you first start to witness the devastation and destruction that this occurrence can cause. However, with the right professional help, you can overcome nearly any scenario and restore the damage back to how your home used to look.

While the fire damages to your Seal Beach home might be widespread and affect a variety of your senses, our experienced professionals can work to address each of these concerns based on their severity. With more massive fires to structures, high volumes of water often get used to quell the flames. While extinguishment is vital to the process, it can often leave behind considerable water damage that must get restored before work can even start on the present fire effects.

While much of this damage turns up in the initial inspection of the property by our SERVPRO professionals to assess the full scope of the fire damages, water damage in this environment poses a considerable threat to the structural integrity of your home, amongst other potential risks from allowing it to persist. If the water pooled in areas of your home, extraction begins the water damage restoration plan.

This extraction might utilize a pump truck from our SERVPRO fleet if the volume is severe enough. Otherwise, portable pumps and wet-vacs with extraction wands get used to pulling up the water. Drying follows suit after the extraction, and this is one of the most critical parts of restoring water damage. Air movers and dehumidifiers are at the heart of the job, but specialized equipment like drying mats or the injectidry system can focus drying attention underneath flooring or in wall cavities.

While you might not think about water damages in regards to a recent fire in your home, this situation requires immediate attention. Failure to completely dry the area can result in undesirable effects, such as mold growth. Trust in the experience and professionalism of our SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress technicians to help you set things right. Give us a call anytime at (562) 431-9400.

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Be Careful- Surfside Fire Damage can Create Dangerous Breathing Conditions

4/6/2018 (Permalink)

Always check with professionals to make sure it is safe to go back into your home after a house fire.

Learn About The Health Effects Fire Damage in Surfside Can Cause


Staying safe in the aftermath of fire damage in Surfside should be one of your top concerns, as even small fires can sometimes create hazardous conditions for the unprepared. While SERVPRO technicians have the safety tools and training to avoid harm from a fire, you should be wary of some of the veiled threats in your home. In particular, face masks are essential to keep your lungs and throat clear of harmful particles and substances, as they can help to filter out many dangerous contaminants. Otherwise, these airborne substances could cause adverse health effects now or down the road.

Smoke and Ash

Smoke and ash can persist for long after the Surfside fire damage has run its course. These substances can have a varied and inconsistent makeup, but always hold the risk of causing serious health effects for both those affected by a respiratory condition and individuals who are otherwise in good health. SERVPRO uses thorough cleaning procedures and industrial fogging treatments to eliminate smoke particles from the area, but these materials can still cause harm before our work is complete.

Toxic Fumes

Some fires may burn through materials or chemicals that create toxic fumes and gases after being set alight. While these gases may escape through doors and windows in your home, some may also be trapped inside the home, presenting a serious risk to anyone passing through. Many of these chemicals cannot be stopped with a simple face mask, so you should always be wary of unusual smells and sensations after a fire.

Sawdust, Asbestos, and Other Particles

A fire can alter a home in unpredictable ways, sometimes allowing building materials to become airborne and find their way into your respiratory system. Sawdust, glass, and other fragmented building materials can be a common risk, but some older homes may even contain asbestos, an even more dangerous concern. We check and filter the air thoroughly to eliminate any of these threats, even microscopic ones.

Locally Owned Company with National Resources

SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress is ready to respond to your call for help while keeping things safe and simple for your family. Call us 24/7 at (562) 431-9400.

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