Creosote Buildup Causes Chimney Fire in Mundelein Home?

3/12/2024 (Permalink)

We restore fire damage in Lake County 24 hours a day.

Our Mundelein and North Wauconda teams are trusted leaders in smoke damage cleanup and restoration services. A chimney fire occurs when the buildup of combustible materials within a chimney ignites and creates a blaze. This dangerous situation can happen for several reasons:

Creosote Accumulation:  The most common cause of chimney fires is the accumulation of creosote, a highly flammable substance.

Inadequate Ventilation: Chimneys are designed to provide a safe and efficient path for removing smoke and hot gases from the fireplace or stove. If the chimney is obstructed or not properly ventilated, it can lead to a buildup of heat and flammable gases, increasing the fire risk.

Burning Inappropriate Materials: Materials like paper, cardboard, or other non-seasoned wood can produce excess creosote and contribute to chimney fires.

Cracked or Damaged Chimney Liner: A damaged or cracked chimney liner can expose the surrounding structure to excessive heat and flames, potentially causing a chimney fire.

Infrequent Cleaning and Maintenance: Lack of regular chimney cleaning and maintenance can lead to creosote buildup and increase the likelihood of a fire.

To prevent chimney fires, it's essential to have regular chimney inspections, cleanings, and proper burning practices. Using seasoned wood and following safety guidelines for fireplace or stove usage can significantly reduce the risk of chimney fires and ensure the safe operation of your heating system.

Call Us Today!

Our local Mundelein and North Wauconda team is Here to Help ® when your home or commercial business is damaged by fire. Call us today at 224-372-7064. 

SERVPRO® franchises are independently owned and operated.

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Heating Equipment Cause of Fire Damage in Wauconda Home?

2/6/2024 (Permalink)

We are leaders in fire damage restoration in Lake County.

Our local Mundelein and North Wauconda teams respond to fire damage emergencies more often during the cold winter months than at any other time of the year. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fire deaths. Here are some heating fire facts from the NFPA:

Based on 2016-2020 annual averages:

• Space heaters were the type of heating equipment responsible for the largest shares of losses in home heating equipment fires, accounting for one-third of the fires, but nearly nine out of ten deaths and four out of five of the injuries in home fires caused by heating equipment.
• Fires originating in a kitchen or cooking area accounted for the largest share of home heating fires (17 percent).
• While the larger (non-confined) fires involving fireplaces or chimneys were involved in fewer than one in ten fires caused by heating equipment (7 percent), they caused just over one-fifth of the direct property damage (22 percent).
• Nearly half of the heating equipment fires (46 percent) occurred in the three-month period from December through February.

Call Us Today!

Our local Mundelein and North Wauconda team is Here to Help ® when your home or commercial business in Wauconda needs fire damage restoration services. Call us today at 224-372-7064. 

SERVPRO® franchises are independently owned and operated.

Fire Damage in Mundelein Home Caused by Bad Battery in Smoke Detector?

12/5/2023 (Permalink)

We are leaders in fire damage restoration services in Lake County.

Have you inspected your smoke alarms recently? Our local Mundelein and North Wauconda teams respond to more fire damage emergencies during the winter months and working smoke alarms are key to allowing people to get out quickly when there is a fire. Here's why it is important to inspect smoke detectors regularly:

Early Detection of Fires: Smoke detectors are designed to detect the presence of smoke, which is often an early sign of a fire, even before flames become visible or the fire spreads significantly. Early detection allows for quicker response times to extinguish the fire or evacuate the premises.

Life Safety: Smoke detectors are a critical component of a home's fire safety system. They provide early warning to occupants, giving them time to escape safely. Rapid evacuation can make the difference between life and death in a fire emergency.

Property Protection: Fires can cause extensive damage to homes and possessions. Early detection and notification through smoke detectors can help minimize property damage by allowing homeowners to take action quickly, such as calling the fire department or using fire extinguishers to control small fires.

Sleeping Occupants: Fires often occur at night when occupants are asleep. Smoke detectors with functioning alarms can wake residents, giving them the best chance of escaping safely.

Maintenance and Battery Checks: Over time, smoke detectors can accumulate dust or become less sensitive. Routine inspections involve checking the unit for proper functioning, cleaning it, and replacing batteries if necessary. This ensures that the detector is always ready to provide early warning.

Compliance with Local Codes: Many local building codes and regulations require homeowners to have functioning smoke detectors in specific locations within the home. Regular inspections help ensure compliance with these codes.

Peace of Mind: Knowing that your smoke detectors are regularly inspected and in working order provides peace of mind for homeowners and occupants, reducing anxiety and stress related to fire safety.

To perform routine inspections of smoke detectors in homes:

• Test smoke detectors monthly by pressing the "test" button to ensure the alarm sounds
• Replace batteries in battery-operated smoke detectors at least once a year, or as soon as the low-battery warning beeps
• Vacuum or dust smoke detectors periodically to keep them clean and sensitive to smoke particles
• Replace smoke detectors every 10 years or according to the manufacturer's recommendations, as they may lose sensitivity over time

Call Us Today!

When your home or business in Mundelein has fire damage, our local Mundelein and North Wauconda teams are Here to Help. ® Call us today at 224-372-7064. 

SERVPRO® Franchises are independently owned and operated.

Slow Cooker Found as Cause of Kitchen Fire in Wauconda?

10/24/2023 (Permalink)

We are leaders in fire damage restoration services in Lake County.

Our local Mundelein and North Wauconda teams are trained and certified to restore fire damage in Wauconda by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). Today many households are using electric cooking appliances to prepare meals. Here are some electrical appliance safety tips for operating a slow cooker from the National Fire Protection Association:

A slow cooker is designed to be left on while you do other things, even things outside of the home. However, there are a few safety tips to keep in mind:

• Keep things that could catch fire away from the slow cooker.
• Make sure the slow cooker is in a place where it won’t get bumped. If the lid gets dislodged, the liquid could boil away, which could cause the appliance to overheat and create a fire.

Key Safety Tips

• Always use cooking equipment like air fryers, slow cookers, electric skillets, hot plates, griddles, etc., that are listed by a qualified testing laboratory.
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on where and how to use the appliance
• Remember to unplug all appliances when not in use.
• Check cords regularly for damage. Do not use any appliance with a damaged cord.

Call Us Today!

When your home or business in Wauconda has fire damage, our local Mundelein and North Wauconda teams are Here to Help. ® Call us today at 224-372-7064. 

Franchises are independently owned and operated.

Overloaded Extension Cord Starts Fire in Mundelein Home?

10/3/2023 (Permalink)

We restore fire damage 24 hours a day in Lake County.

Electrical fires are one of the leading causes of fire damage in the United States. Our local Mundelein and North Wauconda teams want everyone to be safe around electrical cords and offer these extension cord safety tips from the Electrical Safety Foundation International (EFSI):

• Do not overload extension cords or allow them to run through water or snow on the ground.
• Do not substitute extension cords for permanent wiring.
• Do not run through walls, doorways, ceilings, or floors.
• Do not use an extension cord for more than one appliance.
• Multiple plug outlets must be plugged directly into mounted electrical receptacles; they cannot be chained together.
• Make sure the extension cord or temporary power strip is rated for the products to be plugged in and is marked for either indoor or outdoor use.
• Never use a cord that feels hot or is damaged in any way.
• Never use three-prong plugs with outlets with only two slots for the plug. Do not cut off the ground pin to force a fit. Never force a plug into an outlet if it doesn’t fit.
• Buy only cords approved by an independent testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Intertek (ETL), or Canadian Standards Association (CSA)

Call Us Today!

When your home or commercial business in Mundelein sustains any fire damage, our local Mundelein and North Wauconda teams are Here to Help. ® Call us today at 224-372-7064. 

Franchises are independently owned and operated.

Dirty Air Exhaust Vent Causes Clothes Dryer Fire in Wauconda Home?

9/12/2023 (Permalink)

We are leaders in fire damage restoration services in Lake County!

Have you cleaned your dryer exhaust vent pipe lately? Doing so may prevent a home fire from occurring. Our local Mundelein and North Wauconda teams have been restoring fire damage in Wauconda for years, and provide these clothes dryer safety tips from the National Fire Protection Association:

• Have your dryer installed and serviced by a professional.
• Do not use the dryer without a lint filter.
• Make sure you clean the lint filter before or after each load of laundry. Remove lint that has collected around the drum.
• Rigid or flexible metal venting material should be used to sustain proper air flow and drying time.
• Make sure the air exhaust vent pipe is not restricted and the outdoor vent flap will open when the dryer is operating. Once a year, or more often if you notice that it is taking longer than normal for your clothes to dry, clean lint out of the vent pipe or have a dryer lint removal service do it for you.
• Keep dryers in good working order. Gas dryers should be inspected by a qualified professional to make sure that the gas line and connection are intact and free of leaks.
• Make sure the right plug and outlet are used and that the machine is connected properly.
• Follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions and do not overload your dryer.
• Turn the dryer off if you leave home or when you go to bed.  

Call Us Today!

When your home or commercial business in Wauconda has a fire damage emergency, our local Mundelein and North Wauconda teams are Here to Help. ® Call us today at 224-372-7064. 

Franchises are independently owned and operated.

Mundelein Home Saved from Fire Damage by Working Smoke Detector?

9/5/2023 (Permalink)

We restore fire damage 24 hours a day in Lake County!

My neighbors were out of town and asked me to keep an eye on their place. When I heard the smoke alarm go off, I called the Mundelein Fire Department. They located the source of the smoke and eliminated the danger before a fire broke out. A faulty electrical outlet overheated and was on the verge of combusting. When I contacted my neighbors, they told me their insurance adjuster said to call the professionals at the Mundelein and North Wauconda offices.

The team arrived quickly and cleaned and restored the smoke damage and supervised the electrical repair. When my neighbors came home, their house was restored to its pre-smoke damage condition, “Like it never even happened.”

Smoke Detector Facts

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) urges people to replace all smoke alarms in their homes every ten years. Here are some sobering facts about smoke alarms from the NFPA:

• In 2014-2018, smoke alarms sounded in more than half (54 percent) of the home fires reported to United States fire departments
• In fires in which the smoke alarms were present but did not operate, two of every five (41percent) of the smoke alarms had missing or disconnected batteries
• Dead batteries caused one-quarter (26 percent) of the smoke alarm failures

Call Us Today!

When your business or home in Mundelein has fire, soot, or smoke damage, our local Mundelein and North Wauconda team are Here to Help. ® Call us today at 224-372-7064. 

Franchises are independently owned and operated.

Precious Family Photos Restored After Fire in Wauconda Home?

8/7/2023 (Permalink)

We provide a full range of fire damage cleaning and restoration services in Lake County.

When your home is damaged by fire, there will be soot, smoke, and water damage left over from the firefighting efforts. Our local Mundelein and North Wauconda teams are highly trained and certified to clean and restore household items as well as important documents and photographs.

Valuable documents and photographs can get damaged by the water used to extinguish the fire. We use extreme caution when handling these items to mitigate the fire damage. Although some documents may not be able to be restored, we can save a great deal and help minimize further damage. We pretest every item and we use a variety of restoration options, depending on the level of fire, smoke, soot, or water damage, including:

• Air Drying
• Dehumidification
• Freezer Drying
• Vacuum Freeze Drying
• Vacuum Thermal Drying

Fire Damage Restoration Process

Step 1: Emergency Contact

Step 2: Inspection and Assessment

Step 3: Immediate Board-Up and Roof-Tarp Service

Step 4: Water Removal and Drying

Step 5: Removal of Smoke and Soot

Step 6: Cleaning and Sanitizing

Step 7: Restoration

 Call Us Today!

When your home or commercial business in Wauconda is damaged in a fire, our local Mundelein and North Wauconda team will restore the damage “Like it never even happened.” Call us today at 224-372-7064. 

Franchises are independently owned and operated.

Wauconda Residents Saved from Harm by Practicing Fire Escape Plan?

7/25/2023 (Permalink)

We are trained and certified to restore fire damage in Lake County.

Our local Mundelein and North Wauconda teams want everyone in Wauconda to be prepared in the event a home fire happens. The first step to developing a fire escape plan is to create a plan that works for everyone in the home. Here are some fire escape planning tips from the National Fire Protection Association to help you create an escape plan for your family:

• Make a home escape plan. Draw a map of your home showing all of the doors and windows. Discuss the plan with everyone in your home.
• Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible. Make sure all doors and windows leading outside open easily.
• Have a designated place (tree, mailbox, light pole) a safe distance away from the house where everyone should meet.
• Practice your home fire drill at night and during the day with everyone in your home, twice a year
• Practice using different ways out
• Teach children how to escape on their own in case you can’t help them
• Close doors behind you as you leave

The second step is to be sure to practice your plan with all family members at least twice a year. Make the drill as realistic as possible and make sure you have a plan for anyone in your home with a disability.

Call Us Today!

When your home or commercial business has fire damage, our local Mundelein and North Wauconda team will restore the damage “Like it never even happened.” Call us today at 224-372-7064. 

Franchises are independently owned and operated.

Electrical Cord Safety Tips for Mundelein Residents?

6/20/2023 (Permalink)

We are leaders in fire damage restoration services in Lake County.

Our local Mundelein and North Wauconda team responds to fire damage emergencies every year. Electrical fires are one of the top causes of home fires in the United States, and in many cases, these fires may have been prevented by routinely inspecting your home for visible and hidden electrical hazards. Here are some tips from The National Fire Protection Association to prevent electrical fires in your home:

• Check electrical cords to make sure the wires are not damaged, cracked, or loose. If the cords need to be repaired, take the item to a professional repair shop, hire an electrician, or replace it with a new item.
• Make sure cords are not running across doorways or under carpets. If they are, have a qualified electrician install more outlets.
• Keep children away from electric cords and outlets. Cords placed in the mouth can cause a burn and objects placed in a receptacle can cause a shock, burns, or electrocution.
• Make sure that all receptacle outlets and switches have faceplates.
• Never put more than one plug in each receptacle. An outlet may have one or more receptacles - one to receive each plug.

Call Us!

When you have a fire damage emergency in your home or commercial business in Mundelein, our Mundelein and North Wauconda team is Here to Help. ® We’ll restore your fire damage “Like it never even happened.” Call us today at 224-372-7064. 

Franchises are independently owned and operated.

Fire Extinguisher Training Saves Family from Fire in Mundelein?

3/28/2023 (Permalink)

We respond to fire damage emergencies 24 hours a day in Lake County!

Our local teams in Mundelein and North Wauconda restore fire damage every year in Mundelein and we witness firsthand how having a working fire extinguisher and knowing how to use it correctly saves lives. Here are some fire extinguisher safety tips from the National Fire Protection Association:

Use a portable fire extinguisher when the fire is confined to a small area, such as a wastebasket, and is not growing; everyone has exited the building; the fire department has been called or is being called, and the room is not filled with smoke.

• To operate a fire extinguisher, remember the word PASS:
• Pull the pin. Hold the extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you, and release the locking mechanism
• Aim low. Point the extinguisher at the base of the fire
• Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly
• Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side
• For the home, select a multi-purpose extinguisher (can be used on all types of home fires) that is large enough to put out a small fire, but not so heavy as to be difficult to handle
• Choose a fire extinguisher that carries the label of an independent testing laboratory
• Read the instructions that come with the fire extinguisher and become familiar with its parts and operation before a fire breaks out

Call Us Today!

When your home or business in Mundelein has a fire damage emergency, our Mundelein and North Wauconda team is Here to Help. ® We’ll restore the damage “Like it never even happened.” Call us today at 224-372-7064. 

Franchises are independently owned and operated.

We Restore Furnace Puff Back Damage in Wauconda.

3/7/2023 (Permalink)

We restore fire, smoke, and soot damage 24 hours a day in Lake County.

Our local teams in Mundelein and North Wauconda are trained and certified to perform a full range of services to clean and restore smoke and soot damage from furnace puff backs.

The sudden combustion of smoke and soot from a heating unit can send a smelly cloud of black greasy oil through the ventilation system, spreading it throughout the home. Sometimes These “furnace puff backs” require extensive cleanup and restoration in addition to repairs on your heating system.

Here are some symptoms of furnace puff backs:

·       Odors, noises, and soot around the boiler or furnace room

·       Visual signs of debris. The heating system needs to be cleaned and serviced if you see soot, rust flakes, and debris in the flue vent connector.

Fire Damage Restoration Services

Every fire damage situation is unique and requires a different solution, but the general process stays the same.

1. Emergency Contact
2. Inspection and Fire Damage Assessment
3. Immediate Board-Up and Roof-Tarp Service (if needed)
4. Water Removal and Drying (if water damage is present)
5. Removal of Smoke and Soot from All Surfaces
6. Cleaning and Repair
7. Restoration

Call Us Today!

When your home or commercial business in Wauconda has furnace puff back damage, our Mundelein and North Wauconda team will restore the damage “Like it never even happened.” Call us today at 224-372-7064. 

Franchises are independently owned and operated.