One of the predominant reasons for homeowners to seek out a fire damage cleanup company is to help remediate the effects of firefighting. Not only does fire do a lot of damage to homes, but smoke and the water from fighting the fires can be devastating to your property and require professional cleanup.
One of the best ways to prevent widespread fire damage is to keep the batteries in your smoke alarms charged, but some homeowners worry that the smoke detector will go off all the time. However, a fire is not always the reason your smoke alarm might be going off, and do not worry, they will not all result in the need for a fire damage cleanup crew.
Top Reasons Your Smoke Detector is Going Off
- Burning Food- Leaving food in the oven or on the stove for too long is one of the biggest reasons why smoke detectors go off. The toaster and microwave can also easily burn food and cause a lot of smoke to build up. Popcorn is one of the easiest foods to burn in the microwave.
- Fireplaces- If your fireplace is not properly ventilated the smoke can enter your home and cause the fire alarm to go off. If your smoke detector is going off every time you start your fireplace, you might want to have your chimney cleaned or the dampers reset.
- Steam and Humidity- Your smoke detector may not be able to differentiate between smoke particles and steam or humidity molecules. If your home has high humidity you should consider a dehumidifier or reevaluate your ventilation systems.
- Insects- Gnats, spiders, mosquitoes, and other small bugs can crawl into the tiny crevices in the smoke detectors and cause them to malfunction. Open the battery lid or take the smoke detector apart to check for insects and sweep them out. Dust and dirt can also cause malfunctions and false alarms.
Fire Damage Cleanup is never something homeowners want to deal with, but fires and other home disasters are sometimes unavoidable. Make sure to keep your smoke detectors up and with charged batteries to keep your family as safe as possible. The detectors should be outside every bedroom, in the kitchen, and main living areas and hallways.
ServiceMaster of Greater Pittsburgh is here to help when disaster strikes your home or business. Call us today at 412-376-4645.