Dealing With Personal Electronic Devices After a House Fire

11/3/2021 (Permalink)

This home in Carpentersville, IL suffered a fire loss.

Three Reasons Electronics Should Be Included In Your Fire Cleanup

From smartphones to smoke detectors, most residents of Carpentersville, IL, own dozens of electronic devices. When fires sweep through homes, electronic devices commonly melt or quit working altogether. Those that continue to function sometimes have problems. Even worse, they may be covered with dangerous chemicals and foul-smelling smoke. For at least three reasons, electronic devices should be included in your fire cleanup.

1. Electronic Devices Are Part of Your Daily Life
If you are like most people, you carry your smartphone with you everywhere you go. You also probably use your alarm clock, television, microwave, and other electronic devices every day. Because you interact with your electronic equipment frequently, you must be sure it is free from smoke, chemicals, and other fire residues.

2. Heat and Smoke Can Cause Damage
Even if your personal electronic devices seem to function properly, heat and smoke may have damaged their inner workings during a fire. As such, part of fire cleanup must be thoroughly inspecting and cleaning your electronic devices. An electronics professional can likely tell you whether you can continue to use your devices or if you need to invest in new ones.

3. All Belongings Should Be Cleaned
Finally, when developing a post-fire strategy, it is important to commit to cleaning everything in the affected area. This includes electronic equipment. When you address everything that may have sustained even minor smoke damage, you know you aren’t inadvertently leaving toxic or smelly substances behind.

If you have been through a residential fire, you may be tempted to focus on cleaning your home, personal belongings and treasured keepsakes. Checking to see that your personal electronic devices continue to function is only part of the equation, however. You also must ask a skilled restoration technician to include electronic equipment in your overall fire cleanup. Once you know your electronic devices are free from fire damage, you can use them without worrying about contamination.