PASS: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep

11/21/2019 (Permalink)

Know in what type of smoke and soot damage you are dealing with can make a world of difference in the restoration process.

The damage to your property following a fire can often be complicated due to the unique behavior of smoke. There are two different types of smoke, wet and dry. As a result, there are different types of soot residue after a fire.

Using a Portable Fire Extinguisher

A portable fire extinguisher can be a life and property saving tool when used correctly. In order to operate a fire extinguisher, the NFPA suggests remembering the word PASS. 

• Pull the pin. Hold the nozzle pointing away from you and release the locking mechanism.

• Aim low. Point the fire extinguisher at the base of the fire.

• Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly

• Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side.

Read the instructions on the fire extinguisher and become familiar with them before a fire breaks out. Encourage your family members and co-workers to do the same. Remember, extinguishers do have their limitations! It is also important to ensure you have the correct type of extinguisher for your home or facility. Check out our previous blog “How to Inspect a Fire Extinguisher” to learn more about the different classes of fire extinguishers and type of fire each are designed to extinguish.

SERVPRO of East Cobb professionals are thoroughly trained in fire cleanup and restoration and know the different types of smoke and their behavior patterns. Knowing this information is vital to proper restoration. Before restoration begins, SERVPRO of East Cobb technicians will survey the loss to determine the extent of impact from fire, smoke, heat, and moisture on the building materials and its contents. The soot will then be tested to determine which type of smoke damage occurred. Pretesting determines the proper cleaning method and allows your locally owned SERVPRO of East Cobb professionals to focus on saving your precious items.

SERVPRO of East Cobb professionals know smoke can penetrate various cavities within the structure, causing hidden damage and odor. Their knowledge of building systems helps them investigate how far smoke damage may have spread. The following points are additional facts you may not know about smoke.

• Hot smoke migrates to cooler areas and upper levels of a structure.
• Smoke flows around plumbing systems, seeping through the holes used by pipes to go from floor to floor.
• The type of smoke may greatly affect the restoration process.

Types of Smoke Damage:

• Wet Smoke - (Plastic and Rubber) Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, and smeary. Smoke webs are more difficult to clean.

• Dry Smoke - (Paper and Wood) Fast-burning, high temperatures; heat rises, therefore smoke rises.

• Protein Fire Residue - (Produced by evaporation of materials rather than from a fire) Virtually invisible, discolors paints and varnishes, extreme pungent odor.

• Fuel Oil Soot - (Furnace puff backs) While “puff backs” can create havoc for homeowners, SERVPRO of East Cobb professionals can, in most cases, restore the contents and structure quickly.

• Other Types - (Tear gas, fingerprint powder, and fire extinguisher residue) Special loss situations require special care.