Grease Fire Damage Is More Complicated Than Homeowners Expect. Professional Restoration Makes a Difference
There are fires, and then there are kitchen fires. To many people, the assumption surrounding fire damage is simple: if something is visibly burnt or covered in soot, damage has been done; if it isn’t, it hasn’t. Grease fires behave a little differently. They smoke, spread, and coat surfaces in a way that is much more complete and comprehensive than other kinds of fire damage.
Not only is this a structural problem, but it can also leave your house smelling unpleasant for months and put a film or coating on many surfaces.
In this article, we take a look at how you can handle kitchen fire restoration in a way that reflects the urgency and importance of the situation.
Why Grease Fires Are Different
Most homeowners are (hopefully) familiar with the fact that grease fires behave differently than other types of combustion.
The basic reason is that the fuel source is extremely flammable. Basically, the heat creates an intensity that water cannot suppress. If you do try to smother a grease fire with water, it will often explode, further spreading burning grease.
Oil and water, of course, don’t mix because water is denser than oil, but the actual issue is the intensity of the heat.
The way water typically suppresses fire is by exhausting its energy supply. It requires so much heat to burn through water that the majority of fires will die immediately. That’s not the case with a grease fire.
If there is a grease fire in your house, follow these steps:
- Turn off the heat to the oven or the stove, or wherever the fire may have started.
- Smother the flames with metal, if possible. For example, a small lid or baking sheet. Or use a fire blanket if you have one.
- Use baking soda for small fires. The baking soda will smother it by releasing carbon dioxide. Understand, however, that other similar materials, like flour or baking powder, will spread the problem. These should not be used.
- There is a kitchen-classified fire extinguisher for large or out-of-control fires called a Class K extinguisher. They are specifically designed to handle grease fires.
Hopefully, of course, you are not reading this article while dealing with a fire. Ah, you say to yourself, there are fires, and then there are kitchen fires. What a compelling opening.
I can’t wait to read more. Assuming your grease fire is out and everyone is safe, it’s time to recover from the damage.
Please understand that, while we do provide restoration services, we are not the fire department. In case of an emergency, it is important that you evacuate your home immediately, and call 911.
How much damage does it take to create a problem?
That’s an interesting question in that the answer will vary from person to person. Strictly speaking, any amount of damage can be a problem if you’re not able to clean it up yourself.
A kitchen fire that begins quickly and is extinguished almost just as fast may not require professional intervention.
However, if there are lingering aromas or even a grease coating on surfaces throughout your house, it’s an indication that you need extra help, even if the fire wasn’t big.
Grease clings to surfaces with an incredible level of persistence. It can also spread throughout a house much more rapidly and completely than you might at first expect. Rarely do we really realize how much air circulates.
If you have ever smelled dinner cooking in a room far, far away from the kitchen, you’ve already experienced a version of this circulation.
Air gets around through HVAC ducts, creating odors and grease coating that is difficult to manually address.
Professional fire restoration services can clean up the damage quickly and to your satisfaction.
When to bring in the pros
If you’re not able to repair smoke and grease damage with scrubbing and household products, it’s most likely time to call a professional.
The good news is that in many cases, repair services will be covered by insurance. We work directly with insurance companies to take a significant amount of friction out of the process.
Fire restoration services will inspect the damage, use commercial-grade filtration and deodorization tools to purify your air and remove odors, and clean hard-to-handle areas. Making sure that all fine particles are removed.
Depending on the extent of the damage, they may also remove your damaged surfaces, including cabinetry, flooring, subflooring, drywall, and more, so that the area is fully ready for repair.
Contact us today to learn more
Minor fires can create a lot of damage. Smoke and grease might not be as obviously devastating as a destroyed room, but they can negatively impact your quality of life, influence the condition of the air you are breathing, and serve as a constant reminder to you and your family of a traumatic event best left in the past.
The good news is that these are not things you need to suffer through.
At AMH Restoration, we provide comprehensive support to help you put your kitchen fire trauma behind you. Contact us today to learn more.
