Holiday Cooking Safety Tip

11/15/2018 (Permalink)

Thanksgiving is a time for family and holiday traditions including taste tested, Thanksgiving recipes. It's also a time where family members may want to join in the food preparation so fire safety is important. With the speed of deep-frying a turkey, the irresistible flavor, and juiciness that results, turkey frying has become a Thanksgiving tradition for some. But turkey fryers have the potential to cause fire and serious injury, which is why organizations like Underwriters Laboratories and the National Fire Protection Association advises against using them. If you plan to deep-fry your holiday bird, be sure you know how to safely use the fryer, and take these precautions to protect yourself, your guests and your home.

Many first-timers fill the fryer with too much oil or attempt to fry a turkey that isn't entirely thawed. Both mistakes can cause serious fires. U.S. fire departments respond to more than 1,000 fires each year in which a deep-fryer is involved.

Tips to help prevent deep fried turkey accidents

• Keep outdoor fryers off decks, out of garages and a safe distance away from trees and other structures.
• Make sure the turkey is thawed and dry before cooking. Ice or water that mixes into the hot oil can cause flare-ups.
• Watch the weather. Never operate a fryer outdoors in the rain or snow.
• Place the fryer on a level surface and avoid moving it once it's in use.
• Leave 2 feet between the tank and the burner when using a propane-powered fryer.
• Follow the manufacturer's instructions to avoid overfilling. Oil can ignite when it makes contact with the burner.
• Choose a smaller turkey for frying. A bird that's 8 to 10 pounds is best; pass on turkeys over 12 pounds.
• Never leave fryers unattended.
• Purchase a fryer with temperature controls and watch the oil temperature carefully. Cooking oil that is heated beyond its smoke point can catch fire. If you notice the oil is smoking, turn the fryer off.
• Turn off the burner before lowering the turkey into the oil. Once the turkey is submerged, turn the burner on.
• Wear goggles to shield your eyes, use oven mitts to protect your hands and arms and keep an "ABC" or grease-rated fire extinguisher close by. Do not to use water or a garden hose on a fire related to Turkey Fryers.
• Skip the stuffing when frying turkey and avoid water-based marinades.
• Keep children and pets away from the fryer at all times.
• Once finished, carefully remove the pot from the burner, place it on a level surface and cover to let the oil cool overnight before disposing.
• Opt for an oil-less fryer. This uses infrared heat, rather than oil, to cook the turkey.

The information in this article was obtained from various sources not associated with State Farm^® or SERVPRO. While we believe it to be reliable and accurate, we do not warrant the accuracy or reliability of the information. These suggestions are not a complete list of every loss control measure. The information is not intended to replace manuals or instructions provided by the manufacturer or the advice of a qualified professional. Nor is it intended to effect coverage under our policy. Neither SERVPRO or State Farm makes any guarantees of results from use of this information.

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Recovering From Fire Damage

11/13/2018 (Permalink)

The first 48 hours after a fire damage can make all the difference between restoring versus replacing your property and personal belongings. SERVPRO Hicksville/Plainview can help prevent fire damage from creating long-term problems. SERVPRO Hicksville/Plainview provides timely response with mitigation services ranging from fire, smoke and soot removal to contents claims inventory and document restoration. These services can help ensure your property, belongings and memories are restored to preloss condition when possible. SERVPRO Hicksville/Plainview is available 24-hours a day, 365 days a year to help you regain control quickly.

What Kind of Fire Extinguisher You Should Have in Your Home

7/24/2018 (Permalink)

State laws do not require you to have a fire extinguisher at your residence. However, knowing what kind of fire extinguisher to buy in case of a fire is imperative. Not all extinguishers can be used across the different classes of fire. So what type of fire extinguisher should you install into your home or apartment? The two most common areas a fire starts are the kitchen and the garage.
The most common type of fire to start in a kitchen is a class F fire that is fueled by cooking oils and grease. Ordinary water will not extinguish these fires due to oil's hydrophobic tendencies. In fact, using water on a class F fire will cause the fire to spread. Having a CO2 extinguisher in the kitchen can help to protect yourself from this common type of fire.
There are a few potential fire hazards that can be present in your garage. The most common are electrical fires and propane fires. These fires can be efficiently and safely put out with ABC powder extinguishers. However, if you are to use this extinguisher, make sure the area is well ventilated because inhaling the powder can cause harm to you or others.
Always know how to safely operate a fire extinguisher before using and check the expiration date every month. If you or someone you know is having a fire emergency, do not attempt to put out the fire yourself. Call SERVPRO® of Port Jefferson for immediate emergency services.

FIRE PREVENTION FOR BIG KIDS

11/6/2017 (Permalink)

FIRE PREVENTION FOR BIG KIDS

Big kids are curious about fire. Teaching your children about the hazards of playing with matches and other flammable materials, as well as practicing a fire escape plan with your family, can help prevent accidents and injuries.

Top Safety Tips

1. Working smoke alarms reduce the chances of dying in a fire by nearly 50 percent. They are a critical first step for staying safe, but in order to be effective, they have to be working properly. For the best protection, install smoke alarms on every level of your home and in every sleeping area.
2. Consider installing a smoke alarm that has a 10-year battery.
3. Teach kids never to play with matches, lighters or fireworks.
4. Keep candles at least 12 inches away from anything that can burn, and always blow them out when you leave the room or before you go to sleep. Teach older kids not to use candles in their bedrooms, unless supervised by an adult.
5. Use common sense in the kitchen. Limit distractions when cooking and don't leave a hot oven or stovetop unattended.
6. Have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen in case of emergency, and make sure you know how it works. You might be surprised that most people don't know how to use one.
7. Children should know how to respond to the sound of a smoke alarm. Teach them to get low and get out when they hear it. A child who is coached properly ahead of time will have a better chance to be safe. Watch our video to learn more.
8. Practice feeling the door, doorknob and cracks around the door with the back of your hand to see if they are too hot. Help your children practice this step.
9. Together, have your family plan and practice a home fire escape plan with two ways out of your house in case of a fire. It is important to have an alternate exit in case one is blocked by fire.
10. Choose a place to meet outside that is a safe distance away from your home.
11. If you cannot safely escape your home or apartment, keep smoke out of the room by covering vents and cracks around the door and call 911 or your fire department as quickly as possible. Then signal for help at the window with a light-colored cloth or a flashlight.
12. To prevent possible fires, avoid plugging several appliance cords into the same electrical socket.
13. If using gasoline-powered devices, store gasoline in a locked location where children cannot access it. Keep only small quantities in an approved container that has child safety features. 

CARBON MONOXIDE SAFETY TIPS

11/6/2017 (Permalink)

Install Carbon Monoxide Alarms

1. Make sure your home has a carbon monoxide alarm. If you don’t have one, please go out and get one.
2. As with smoke alarms, make sure you have a carbon monoxide alarm on every level of your home, especially near sleeping areas, and keep them at least 15 feet away from fuel-burning appliances.
3. You won’t know that you have a carbon monoxide leak without a working alarm. So test alarms regularly and replace them every five to seven years depending on the manufacturer’s label.
4. For the best protection, have carbon monoxide alarms that are interconnected throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.
5. Carbon monoxide alarms are not substitutes for smoke alarms, and vice versa. Combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are available.

Understand How Carbon Monoxide Can Be Harmful

1. Don’t use a grill, generator or camping stove inside your home, garage or near a window.
2. If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Don’t leave a car, SUV or motorcycle engine running inside a garage, even if the doors are open.
3. Never use your oven or stovetop to heat your home.
4. On the outside of your home, make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove and fireplace are clear of snow and other debris.
5. Carbon monoxide can accumulate in or around your motorboat, so install an alarm on your boat.

Leave the House If the Alarm Sounds

1. If the alarm goes off, immediately go outdoors or to an open window or door for some fresh air. Make sure that everyone inside your home is safe.
2. Call 911 or the fire department. Stay outside or by an open window until emergency personnel arrive to assist you.

Store Gasoline Properly

1. If using gasoline-powered devices, store gasoline in a locked location where children cannot access it. Keep only small quantities in an approved container that has child safety features.
2. Keep gasoline away from any source of heat, spark or flame. Even common household appliances such as water heaters and clothes dryers can start a gasoline fire. Be sure to store your gasoline away from anything that could ignite it.
3. Store gasoline in a well-ventilated area outside your vehicle and living space. The safest place to store the container is in a detached garage or shed.
4. Never mix gasoline with fire. There is no safe way to start a fire with gasoline.

What Causes a Furnace Puff Back?

11/3/2017 (Permalink)

Furnace puff back is a messy and potentially dangerous event in which smoke and soot are released into the furnace. Puff backs often result in oily black "webs" of soot being distributed throughout the house, requiring extensive cleaning and sometimes professional restoration to clean up. Worse than the mess is the potential damage that a puff back can do to the furnace itself. To better understand puff backs you should know what causes them and how they can be prevented.

Puff Backs

Puff backs occur when an oil-burning furnace doesn't ignite when it should. Oil vapors build up in the ignition chamber, causing an explosion when the igniter finally triggers. The explosion blows soot and other debris through the furnace's exhaust system and into the heating system, which carries it into the house. If the furnace is connected to a forced air heating system, the ducts can carry the puff back to every room of the house with an open vent.

Causes

Puff backs are caused by problems with the furnace, which leave oil in the ignition chamber that doesn't get burned. This can be caused by leaks in the oil system, bubbles in the oil line which expand and press oil out of the oil burner nozzle, the shutdown valve on the oil burner nozzle not working properly or a clog in the nozzle. Each of these problems can result in oil leaking out of the nozzle and into the combustion chamber when it isn't in operation. Oil will accumulate in the chamber until it finally ignites with a puff back explosion.

Warning Signs

Most oil-burning furnaces in danger of having a puff back give off warning signs that should indicate a problem with the furnace. Black soot on the furnace, walls or ceiling indicate that oil is burning improperly in the furnace and is leaking out of the unit. Noises such as those made by the combustion chamber while it is burning may continue after the furnace has stopped, indicating that something is still burning within the furnace even though it shouldn't be. Noises at the beginning of the burn cycle, such as a puff or bang, also indicate that unburned oil has pooled and ignited.

Preventing Puff Backs

Preventing puff backs in oil-burning furnaces is largely a matter of performing regular maintenance on the furnace to keep it in proper operating condition. Oil-burning appliances should be cleaned and serviced once per year, ensuring that the service person opens the unit and inspects it for signs of problems or damage. Inspect the furnace periodically for signs of oil leaks, paying attention to any odd smells or soot in the furnace room. You should also look for debris in the flue vent connector which could also be a sign of problems with the furnace.

Even a small fire can cause odors in your Hicksville/Plainview home

7/11/2017 (Permalink)

Any fire in your home is bad. But when you try to clean it up yourself, it can be a disaster. Especially considering that smoke and soot from even a small fire can permanently damage contents throughout a home and cause odors that may resurface for years.

Fire, smoke and soot damages in your home can create unpleasant and permanent problems if not properly addressed. As various materials burn, the smoke produced travels throughout the home leaving odorous residues and deposits on surfaces and in those hard to reach places. Unless fast, professional action is taken, these residues and deposits can cause permanent damage to contents and may result in periodically resurfacing odors. Unfortunately, such damages are often made more severe when unprepared homeowners attempt to perform the cleanup themselves. 

SERVPRO of Hicksville/Plainview professionals are equipped to find sources of smoke odor and to effectively eliminate them from your home. Proper deodorization is vital. 

All your restorable items in affected areas will be professionally cleaned and deodorized to preloss condition. This includes furniture, draperies and upholstery, electronics, art, flooring, walls, ceilings, HVAC air ducts, and so much more.

SERVPRO professionals do not merely cover up lingering odors with a fragrance, they seek out the sources of odor and remove them. Before you risk doing more damage by attempting to clean it up yourself, call your local fire, smoke and soot cleanup and restoration experts at SERVPRO of Hicksville/Plainview (516) 207-0203

How to recognize a puffback in your Hicksville/Plainview home

3/1/2017 (Permalink)

What is a Puff Back?

Most of us have never heard of a puff back. A puff back occurs when an oil burner backfires sending soot throughout your home or business. It can happen all at once (like a balloon popping) or more gradually (as if someone was holding the end of a balloon and letting the air seep out slowly).

How do I know if a Puff Back has occurred?

It is usually quite easy to tell when one has happened. Soot covers all areas of the home or business and may range from light to very heavy. Sometimes the disbursement of soot is so light and fine it appears to be ordinary dust. This "dust" however, reappears hours after being cleaned. There is often a strong odor of oil accompanying a puff back. 

Can I prevent a Puff Back from occurring?

The best defense against a puff back is to have your oil burner inspected annually and kept in good repair.  This is no guarantee against having a puff back, but it greatly reduces your risk. Keep debris, animal hair or anything that could interfere with proper functioning away from your oil burner.

What are the possible health concerns?

While the soot is suspended in the air, occupants are at risk of inhalation exposure. Since the particles are less than 1 micron (m m) in diameter, they potentially can penetrate the deepest areas of the lung. While some studies have looked at the health risks associated with microscopic soot generated from diesel exhaust and factory emissions, none have considered the residential exposure due to furnace puff back. 

What to do if a puff back occurs...

Notify SERVPRO of Hicksville/Plainview  immediately. We will have our qualified disaster restoration specialists assess the damages and set up a crew to clean all affected areas immediately - soot travels and will reappear if not properly cleaned.

Call in SERVPRO of Hicksville/Plainview Professionals Today! (516) 207-0203

SERVPRO of Hicksville/Plainview - Fire Damage

11/2/2016 (Permalink)

Fire damage in a home can be a stressful event for a homeowner. Damage to your personal belongings and home are just some of the concerns you may experience. Timely response and thorough mitigation can alleviate these concerns.

 SERVPRO of Hicksville/ Plainview understand your home is more than four walls. Your home includes your memories and personal belongings. SERVPRO Response Teams are trained in caring for both you and your home. By responding quickly with a full line of fire cleanup and restoration services, SERVPRO of Hicksville/ Plainview can help you restore your home and personal belongings.

So, before you risk doing further damage by attempting to clean up the damage yourself. Call SERVPRO of Hicksville/ Plainview's professionals Today at (516) 207-0203!

Available 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Staying Safe this Summer

6/22/2016 (Permalink)

Each Summer, families and friends across the country enjoy the summer months with barbecues, camping trips, or by cooling off in the pool, lake or beach. In order to enjoy these occasions, it is important to keep safety top of mind to ensure you have fun in the sun. 

According to the United States Fire Administration, just under 8,600 Americans are injured by fireworks and almost 5,000 are injured by charcoal/wood-burning and propane grill fires, annually. A barbecue grill should always be supervised when in use. Keep children and pets a safe distance from the grilling area to prevent accidental burns or tipping of the grill.

If you enjoy lounging by the pool or going for a boat ride to cool off from the summer sun, make sure you exercise caution, especially when children are present. Only swim in approved areas and supervise children at all times when near the water.

Summertime should be a time to make memories and enjoy the great outdoors. The following tips provided by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) , will help keep you safe all summer long.

•When using a charcoal grill, only use starter fluids designed for barbecue grills; do not add fluid after coals have been lit.

•When using a gas grill, ensure the hose connection is tight; check hoses for leaks. Applying soapy water to hoses will easily and safely reveal any leaks.

•Always wear a U.S. Coast Guard - Approved PFD (personal floatation device) when boating, jet-skiing, tubing or water-skiing, air -filled swimming aids, like water wings or inner tubes, are not substitutes for approved PFDs. An adult should always supervise children using these devices.

•Be sure to extinguish all smoking materials and shut down motors and heating devices before fueling a boat, In case of a spill, wipe up fuel and check for fuel leakage and odors.

•When camping, always use a flame retardant tent and set up camp far away from the campfire. Only use flashlights or battery-powered lanterns inside the tent, not liquid-filled heaters or lanterns.

•Always build a campfire downwind from the tent area. Clear vegetation and dig a pit before building your campfire. Always extinguish the fire before going to sleep or leaving the campsite. To extinguish, cover with dirt or pour water over the fire.

•Store liquid fire starter (not gasoline) away from your tent and campfire and only use dry kindling to freshen a campfire.

 •Consider leaving firework use to trained professionals. Stay back at least 500 feet from professional fireworks displays.

SERVPRO of Port Jefferson is Wishing you a Safe and Happy Summer.

Call Today: 631-476-5300

A Fire in one office can damage a whole business

4/21/2016 (Permalink)

In 2004, direct property loss due to fires was estimated at 9.8 billion dollars. However, when one of your properties suffers a fire, only one fire matters. Business documents are priceless, and a reflection of hard work and achievements. Photographs, books, and other personal items have a value to your customers and tenants that cannot be put into words. SERVPRO professionals have the ability to help restore belongings. To your business, there's no such thing as a small fire. Regardless of the size of the event, a fire in one room can damage belongings and surfaces throughout a facility and cause odors that may last for years.

SERVPRO professional understands how events like a fire can disrupt your life. Concerns may range from getting back in business quickly to the expense of replacing tenant's belongings and equipment to the emotions associated with losing a keepsake. Typically restoring an item will save you money versus replacing the item, relieving your tenant's or customer's concern of losing a priceless treasure. SERVPRO consist of a 24-Hour emergency response team, trained in caring for both property and belongings. By responding quickly and help protect property and personal belongings.

Before you risk doing further damage by attempting to clean up the damage yourself call SERVPRO the fire damage cleanup and restoration professionals 1-866-928-7668

Fire Safety

2/19/2016 (Permalink)

10 Key Fire Safety Tips

Though some fires are unavoidable acts of nature or unpredictable accidents, many fires in the home and workplace are avoidable. The following tips, courtesy of the National Fire Protection Association, can help reduce the likelihood of a fire in your business or home. 

1. Watch your cooking - Stay in the kitchen if you are frying, grilling or broiling food. Never allow young children around the stove or oven, especially if they are not closely attended. 
2. Give space heaters space - Keep space heaters at least three feet from anything. 
3. Smoke outside - If you must smoke inside, have a sturdy, deep ashtray. Never smoke in bed.
4. Keep matches and lighters out of reach - Keep matches and lighters in high cabinets, preferably under a child lock.
5. Inspect electrical cord - Replace cords that are cracked, damaged, have broken plugs or have loose connections. 
6. Be careful when using candles - Keep candles at least on foot from anything that can burn. Blow them out before you leave the room or go to sleep.
7. Have a fire escape plan- Make a fire escape plan and practice it at least twice a year.
8. Install smoke alarms - Install alarms on every level of your office or home and inside bedrooms. Interconnect them so they all sound at once.
9. Test smoke alarms - Test alarms once per month. Replace batteries once per year or as needed.
10. Install sprinklers - Sprinklers can help maintain and sometimes even extinguish fires, giving your local fire department a better chance of saving your property.

Fire Escape Planning Tips

The following are several tips that could potentially save your life or the life of a loved one should a fire break out in your home or business. 

• Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home.
• Test smoke alarm batteries every month and change them at least once a year.
• Consider installing a 10-year lithium battery-powered smoke alarm. 
• Practice findings your way out of the house with your eyes closed, crawling or staying low and feeling your way out of the house.
• Remember to escape first, then notify the fire department.