Tips for Salvaging Electronics After a Fire

1/26/2022 (Permalink)

Following an electrical fire, you should unplug everything.

How to Recover Electronics After a Fire

An electrical fire can result in significant property damage. These fires can result in damage to the building itself or to the possessions inside, including electronics. This is a frightening prospect for business owners in Columbia, TN, who are worried about spending a lot of money to replace computers, appliances and other electronics. Fortunately, a professional fire damage remediation service can help get your electronics back up and running soon. Here are some things to keep in mind to stop you from doing more harm than good.

1. Keep Warranties

Most warranties will cover damage that occurred as a result of disasters. You should hang onto the warranties for all electronics from computers to microwaves. Most of these warranties will be good for at least one year.

2. Unplug Everything

Following an electrical fire, you should unplug everything. There are a couple of reasons why this should be done. A fire could cause additional damage to an electronic if it is still receiving power. There is also a concern that the water brought in by firefighters to subdue the fire could cause the electronics to malfunction.

3. Do Not Attempt to Turn Electronics Back On

Some electronics will still technically be fine after a fire. However, if you attempt to turn them back on without having a professional remediation expert look at them first, then they could short-circuit. Water may be present in the system. That water can be removed and the rest of the items can be salvaged, but if you turn them on when components are still wet, then you could inadvertently damage something that would have been fine without your intervention.

The best course of action immediately following an electrical fire is to simply leave electronics alone. Let a professional handle the computer cleanup. Trying to fix something without knowing what you are doing could end up costing you more.