Cleaning Electronics After a Fire

10/30/2021 (Permalink)

Always practice safety, and trust trained professionals.

Electronics Recovery

Believe it or not, it’s not impossible to salvage your electronics after a fire. Because electronics are made of many components inside a protective casing, it’s often possible to replace a damaged casing or component as long as it can be extracted from the overall device. Even if an entire computer is destroyed, with effective computer cleanup, you may still be able to salvage the hard drive and data. If you’ve suffered an electrical fire or any other type of fire at your Tyner, TN, property, you still have options for electronics recovery.

Safety First

Always be safe when handling fire-damaged electronics; remember that the root word of “electronics” is “electricity”, and there may be live current. Be particularly safe if the device was the source of the electrical fire. You should always follow these steps:

• Wear rubber gloves, or gloves made of other insulating, non-conductive materials. You should always wear gloves anyway in case of sharp edges or exposed wires.
• Ground yourself.
• Unplug the devices immediately.
• If it’s not safe to get close to the devices due to sparking or jumping current, shut off power to the location.
• Do not attempt to handle the devices yourself. Only do everything you can to secure the location and prevent additional issues with electrical mishaps. Your goal in these steps is not to recover the devices, but to secure a safe environment.
• Do not pour water on the devices. Not only will you ruin your electronics, but you also may create a situation in which electric current could jump due to water conducting electricity.

Call a Professional

Fire-damaged electronics are best trusted to professionals with the safety gear and knowledge necessary to handle the items without injury. While you can secure the area and ensure no repeat issues with electrical fire or other fire damage, do not attempt to salvage the items themselves. Always practice safety, and trust trained professionals.