Fire can Damage Garages and Sheds if Grilling Equipment is Stored Incorrectly in Westborough

6/12/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Tackles Fire Damage in Your Home, Business or Any Additional Buildings

It does not take much for a fire to start. While it is a tragedy when a home catches on fire, garages and sheds can also have fires, too. Flammable liquids like gasoline and lighter fluid, cardboard boxes full of stored items, and odds and ends often found in these locations can easily combine with hot coals from a grill that has been put away too soon. Live coals can fall out when they burn small enough to escape through ventilation holes but are still large enough to ignite whatever materials they come into contact. 
 
Westborough residents who enjoy grilling their food outside can prevent fire damage from destroying their storage areas. Because live coals can look like ash, it is difficult to make sure that the grill is ready to be put back in its place. It is a better practice to wait until after eating to return the grill or to keep it outside. Fire-resistant grill covers are available that can protect grills from the elements and prevent rust while also preventing unwanted fires from igniting. 
 
If you have fire damage from a grill or other similar catastrophe in your shed or garage, SERVPRO is ready to repair the damage and restore your property quickly. Garages, particularly attached ones, typically have a structure that is similar to the rest of the home. We remove all the burned building materials after we have packed up any belongings that may get in the way of our work. Because of the location of these items, we take them to our facility so they need not clutter up your home's interior while we work. 
 
It is easy to replace damaged drywall, and if the fire happened in a garage, the typical floor is concrete, making cleaning reasonably easy to do. Floors that are industrial grade plastic or composite materials may require specialized repairs. If the flames reached into and damaged the roof, SERVPRO professionals cover the entire structure with a protective tarp before work begins. Fires cause enough damage, and we want to make sure that while we work to restore everything that there is no other damage. 
 
Fires in sheds can result in a total loss. Some sheds are constructed of thin metal panels or sheets, or are only of the outer wooden paneling, with a metal or wood beam support system to which the outer panels are then attached. The floor, if not of concrete, is often made of the same material as the rest of the shed. Fires often destroy non-concrete floors. As we sort through the remains of the fire, we salvage everything that we can. The rest we list on an inventory sheet so you can present it to the insurance agent. We provide inventory sheets regardless of the location of a fire. 
 
Grills, being made of metal, are often easily restored to working condition again. Other items may not be so lucky. Soot that has settled on different items should be removed as soon as possible. Tools and machinery are usually damaged if contaminants can work their way into working parts, but cleaning soon after a fire can remove grime, preventing problems and preserving functionality. 
 
Get back to grilling and relaxing with friends on your free time. When you have a disaster, call SERVPRO of Shrewsbury / Westborough at (508) 757-7885, anytime, including weekends and all holidays.