Can Office Electronics Be Cleaned After a Fire?

1/12/2021 (Permalink)

Do not use electrical equipment that has been exposed to heat

The owner of a commercial property affected by fire may weigh the advantages of attempting to have office electronics cleaned and restored or replacing these appliances, computers, and devices to avoid an electrical fire. The following pointers are helpful for determining whether experts may be able to restore device functionality or retrieve important data.

Assess the Level of Damage

Electronics exposed to direct flame or very high temperatures that show signs of charring or melting may not be salvageable. Seek a professional opinion about items exposed to the following forms of indirect damage:

• Heat
  
• Smoke
  
• Soot
  
  

Content restoration professionals specializing in computer cleanup and recovery can determine whether the functionality of a computer or any other device can be restored or data can be retrieved and transferred to replacement electronics.

Address Heat and Smoke Damage
Temperatures in a building fire peak at thousands of degrees. Electronics exposed to direct flame are likely to be ruined, and internal components may actually fuel an electrical fire. Computers and devices that are not directly affected may suffer damage but still be candidates for cleaning or recovering data.

Advance With Cleanup or Data Recovery
It may be possible to use electronics that have been shielded from immediate exposure to fire. Have content cleaning professionals who specialize in restoring digital equipment inspect these devices before use, as smoke damage can cause an internal film to form and cause short-circuiting, overheating, and an elevated risk of another fire in the future.
The degree of damage that is caused by exposure to direct flame, high heat or soot, and smoke will determine whether content restoration experts can restore the functionality of electronics or retrieve important data from storage media to transfer over to replacement devices. Commercial property owners and occupants should exercise caution with fire-damaged electronics to reduce electrical fire risks at a structure in Churchville, PA.