Kitchen Appliance Fire Restoration in Portsmouth

3/29/2023 (Permalink)

For fast and efficient service call SERVPRO of The Seacoast at (603) 433-4300.

SERVPRO Strategies for Protein Soot Cleanup

Kitchen fires cause nearly 50 percent of the yearly damage related to blazes reported in US residences. Unattended cooking, spills and boilovers, and combustible materials too close to the heat are common causes. Excessively high temperatures encourage liquids to boil away, producing charred and dehydrated ingredients. Greases and oils heated above their “smoke points” break down, becoming rancid. The dehydrated food bits vaporize with the rancid oils into a fine protein-based mist that spreads rapidly throughout the home on superheated air currents. 

The airborne soot attaches to surfaces as it spreads, so it is no surprise that kitchen appliances take a real beating after cooking mishaps in Portsmouth. Fire restoration interventions for protein-soot removal rely on technicians like our SERVPRO crew members, well-trained in the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) best practices for releasing highly adhesive and unpleasant-smelling residues. 

SERVPRO Fire and Smoke Restoration Technicians (FSRT) focus efforts on the appliances near the kitchen ignition site. Typically the “suite” includes a refrigerator, oven and stove, and dishwasher, with trash compactors, microwaves, and freezers often rounding out the inventory. Appliance surfaces are usually non-porous and factory spray-painted with high-gloss or satin finishes. Some feature a stainless steel veneer. The restoration process includes the following:

• Technicians pre-test how well different cleaners remove the coating in inconspicuous areas. Usually, the protein and oil-rich residues respond best to an oil-based solvent.

• Workers evaluate the surface’s durability during cleaning, gradually increasing heat and agitation aggressiveness to dislodge stubbornly stuck residues. 

• The team adds grit to the cleaner, employs rough-sided tools, or uses both enhancements to break the bond between soots and the surface. The skilled hands of our technicians ensure that if more vigorous scrubbing is needed, we do it cautiously and patiently to avoid permanent damage to the integrity of the appliance surface. 

The specialized training and experience of SERVPRO of The Seacoast fire restoration technicians support thorough appliance cleaning even when protein-based soot is present. Call (603) 433-4300 to set up a fire cleanup and recovery assessment to determine effective interventions.