Fire Damages and Your Computer

7/9/2020 (Permalink)

Fire damages can affect your electronics

Fire damages don't just affect the structure of your Lost Mountain, GA, commercial property; they also affect the furnishings, appliances, and business contents of the buildings. Protecting these belongings from damages is just as important as keeping the building safe. One area that requires special care is dealing with electrical fire damages and responding so that electronic appliances can be saved.

Cleaning Methods

Fire cleanup and repair professionals have a lot of methods available when cleaning and repairing your commercial property. These include

Wet and dry cleaning
Spray and wipe care
Foam cleaning for upholstery
Abrasive cleaning
Immersion baths

When it comes to electronics and computer cleanup, however, most of these methods aren't appropriate.

Computer Damages
Desktop computers (which are found in many commercial properties) are often equipped with little fans that keep the internal components cool enough for optimal operating temperatures. When a fire breaks out in your building (or an electrical fire breaks out inside the computer case,) those fans circulate and re-circulate the smoke and soot in the air. As a result, the interior components of the computer become coated in grime and acidic soot. In addition to the black film, damages may include a magnetic charge that could short out circuits. These components include the circuit board, connections, wiring, and other hardware.

Professional Cleanup
It's important that computer cleanup is handled by professionals with experience in smoke damage and computers. While waiting for the pros to arrive, shut down and unplug the computer. Resist the urge to wipe anything down. Disconnect peripherals, including the monitor, mouse, keyboard, printer, and any speakers. You should also remove any memory or storage, such as the hard drive. Sometimes business owners are tempted to attempt computer cleaning on their own. Remember that professionals have specialized equipment to prevent damage from static electricity and other lesser-known concerns.
Don't take electrical fire damages lightly. Recognize how to protect your computer from further damages and turn the rest of the cleanup and repair work to professionals.