Fire Damage in a Mount Vernon Home can have a Very Unusual Cause

3/9/2020 (Permalink)

No matter when you make the call, we have technicians who can assist you.

SERVPRO Warns you to be Cautious of the Items in your Home and Their Placement

A house fire in your Mount Vernon residence can create a significant amount of stress for your family. Depending on how much of your property becomes a charred disaster, your family might need to seek temporary shelter elsewhere. Unfamiliar surroundings often add to the uncomfortable amount of stress. Because of this, SERVPRO wants to help make recovering and getting things back to normal as simple and stress-free as possible.

Following the well-known fire prevention tips might not protect your home in Mount Vernon from fire damage in some more unusual situations. Fire does not always start with a spark or a direct flame to combustible materials. Something as benign as a transparent glass figurine or vase in a sunny window to add a dash of color can concentrate the sun enough to start a burning circle in closed curtains, a sweater hanging on a chair, or the carpet. Before placing such decorative items in the window, keep in mind how much sunlight that area of your home receives, especially in the afternoon.

Other causes of house fires include batteries, either loosely stored or in devices. When the ends of batteries touch their positive and negative ends to the same piece of metal, it can produce sparks or intense heat. This can happen with 9-volt batteries very easily because both the positive and negative ends are so close to each other. Storing these very carefully can prevent a fire. Adding a piece of tape to the ends can make them safer for longer storage. Overcharging a device can cause it to overheat, as can leaving it in a sunny location. Charge devices only as long as necessary, and place them in shady locations, avoiding the sun.

The convenience of having a pull-chain light in a closet can also cause a fire. It is easy to forget these lights, and they quickly heat the area around them to intense temperatures. Storing things in cartons, papers, and other highly combustible items can become a very costly and destructive combination. Using a battery-operated light that sticks to the interior surface of the closet can help prevent fire damage.

SERVPRO of Skagit County is always near you, including Anacortes, WA, Sedro Woolley, WA, and Burlington, WA, ready to help your family recover fast after fire damage strikes. Call (360) 873-8744 for more information about how to prevent house fires, or to start the process of restoration and rebuilding.

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