Not All Fire Damage is Fire Related

10/25/2023 (Permalink)

Servicing Your Water Heater Can Prevent Puffback

Regular Maintenance of Gas and Oil Appliances Can Prevent Property Damage

Fires do not simply burn and destroy things in a building or home. Fire also produces extremely dense smoke and soot. Soot is very corrosive and often contains chemicals and abrasive substances that can permanently etch porcelain and glass. Electronics are particularly vulnerable to soot. It can be just as damaging these items as the heat from a fire. 

For apartments, homes, and office buildings without a basement, soot damage can happen without fire damage being present. This is true when a furnace is not functioning as it should. “Puffback” is something that happens in furnaces that have not been maintained well. It creates finer soot, but can still be damaging to the ceiling and nearby walls. Anything nearby can become coated in the soot resulting in damage if the furnace is not repaired and the soot cleaned away. 
 
Why Puffback Happens & Related Dangers 

Puffback occurs because the ignition in your furnace, and in some cases, your hot water heater or boiler, does not ignite correctly. The oil or gas builds up, and when the ignition does occur, there is too much fuel. Another cause of puffback is leaking fuel. If there are leaks present in the fuel line, these can create a build-up of fuel inside the furnace's chamber or below the water heater or boiler. When the unit is ready to ignite what is supposed to be a normal amount of fuel, the extra is ignited instead, causing a contained explosion.

Because there are defined areas that the explosion can escape to, at least at the beginning, the explosion does not damage your appliance any further. Explosions can happen once and be very large, or smaller bursts can occur much more frequently. Inspection of the furnace or heater can determine exactly why the unit is malfunctioning.
 
What Should You Do About Puffback 

Inspection of your furnace or heater can determine if a unit is malfunctioning. Repairs should be completed as soon as possible, and the unit should not be used until then. Puffback shows that oil or gas is leaking, and this is a fire hazard. Puffback and its explosions can start fires if any combustible items are in the line of the soot and smoke on the exterior of the furnace or boiler. 

If the furnace is oil-based, the soot will be more difficult to clean than gas-based furnaces. In gas-powered furnaces, however, the soot will be more substantial. Both should be cleaned by professionals. At SERVPRO, we are experienced in cleaning up soot damage caused by furnace and boiler puffback. 
 
Where You Will Find Evidence of Puffback 

Puffback leaves its calling card in several places. Some areas will be more damaged than others. If soot is left to build up over time, it will become hardened. Hardened soot will need to be scraped away before cleaning of the area can begin. Repainting should only be done after the faulty furnace or boiler is repaired or replaced. You will find puffback soot and smoke damage on the ceiling and on walls adjacent to the furnace. You could find damage around air vents, along with and above some baseboard heaters, and on the floor around the unit if it is a hot water heater malfunction. 

The first few times puffback happens, soot is less likely to be detected. If you hear a loud noise when your furnace is starting up, it could be puffback. Remember, this can create a high risk for a home or commercial fire and should be remedied quickly. If you need help determining if your home is at risk for puffback damage, our SERVPRO technicians are trained in assessing and remedying this issue. 
 
We Are Ready to Protect Your Home and Repair Any Current Damages 

We are dedicated to helping families, and business owners remove fire damage, as well as smoke and soot damage, from their homes and businesses. SERVPRO has been in the area for decades and will still be here for decades to come. Adjusters make recommendations for who to use but select a company based on the relationship. We are grateful for outside companies who have come to help our community but remember, we will be here in years to come for follow-ups and other needs, while others will not. 

At SERVPRO of Carson City / Douglas County / South Lake Tahoe / Reno East / Lyon & Storey Counties, we are available 24/7 to answer your call.