It’s a special occasion; a birthday, an anniversary, graduation, whatever the case may be! For most of these occasions, people usually decide to cook a special meal. That shouldn’t be so hard right? You set out your measuring items, gather your ingredients, and get out the pots and pans. Now you’re ready to go. You’re used to multitasking in the kitchen, adding ingredients, stirring, heating. So, you think nothing of it when you walk into the other room to check on something and leave the food unattended. You come back to a stove engulfed in flames. The fire was too high and a grease fire began. Now you have to deal with the aftermath; grease fire damage cleanup.

Troubles with grease fires

These fires can seem to come out of nowhere. Something gets your attention for just an instant and you have a fire on your hands. Grease fires are not only unpredictable, they can be tough to extinguish. Your first instinct after a grease fire starts is to pour water on it. Never do this! This will only make it worse. Snuffing it out with towels can only make it spread. The best way to put out a grease fire is by using a fire extinguisher. Make sure you have one in your kitchen.

Recovering from a grease fire

Grease fires can not only be difficult to extinguish, but they can also be difficult to clean up after. The best solution would probably be to call a professional cleaning and restoration company. These types of fires can cause damage that you may not be likely to see. Flames can travel behind walls and cause more damage to other areas of your home. Smoke odor can also linger if not addressed by a professional. These hidden damages may end up harming your home’s resale value. A professional will know where to look and how to repair the damage that may be invisible to you.

Steps to take after a fire

While calling a professional restoration company is best in situations like this; there are a few other things you can do:

• First, don’t enter the building unless been declared safe by the fire department. If you’re worried about the soundness of your home, you should probably wait until a professional assesses it.
• Contact your insurance agent or claim support number – get the claim process going. Don’t forget to document damages with pictures from day one! (Soil-Away specializes in insurance claim management and documentation to assist in your recovery process).
• Discard any food that was exposed to the flames or heat as they could be contaminated by soot and smoke particles.
• Check appliances. If your microwave was close to the fire, it may need to be disposed of as it’s nearly impossible to rid it of smoke odor. The gasket seals on your refrigerator also need to be looked at. If they‘re damaged you may need a new refrigerator.

Professional help for grease fire damage cleanup

There are limited things you can do on your own when dealing with grease fire damage cleanup. Calling Soil-Away Cleaning and Restoration at (603) 641-6555 is the way to go. They are an IICRC certified company with over 25 years of experience. They have dealt with hundreds of fire damaged properties in the Portsmouth area since 1990. Reputable, certified and ready to serve 24/7, Soil-Away is here for you!
Written by E. Aceves