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Small shop fire - need advice on cleanup
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Author:  Chris aka Sniggly [ Wed Nov 10, 2010 8:17 am ]
Post subject:  Small shop fire - need advice on cleanup
The short version - my shop is located in a 2 and a half car garage and a dryer caught on fire and tried to burn down EVERYTHING. I was home and was able to put it out. With the exception of some missing hair on my hands and arms, and some smoke inhalation issues...I'm good.

But the shop is a mess and it smells. Soot everywhere. I've done the standard google reading but would like to hear from someone that has first hand experience or professional advice on how to get the smell out and how best to clean.

Thanks for the input.

Chris
Author:  Mark Fogleman [ Wed Nov 10, 2010 8:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Small shop fire - need advice on cleanup
Sorry to hear that. Your homeowner's insurance policy may include the services of a Smoke Damage service like Servpro, etc. Worth the deductible.
Author:  truckjohn [ Wed Nov 10, 2010 8:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Small shop fire - need advice on cleanup
I really do feel for you.... We lost an apartment to a small kitchen fire...

We spent the next 3-weeks straight at the laundry mat cleaning everything we owned....

Personally -- for your possessions.. The typical policy doesn't give you much of anything on your stuff.. Even if you can document what you had... Don't wait around for the insurance company to decide what to do unless you really need to file a claim... They will happily waste months dawdling around before they raise one finger... In the mean while, you can't do anything, and everything you own gets ruined by soot..... If you need to file a claim -- get the Fire Dep't guys in to file a report, get the adjuster in as soon as possible, then get to work cleaning up your stuff as quickly as you can.....

Even a small house fire creates a massive mess.... and it STINKS... and that soot/smoke is super-duper corrosive.

You will have to clean each and every item.... The reality is that soot got on everything in the whole garage.... it may have even got into the house.....

Windex and paper towels seems to work fine on the soot on most hard, smooth things....
Everything metal will corrode -- get some WD-40 or something along those lines and wipe down everything good....
Be prepared that it will likely rust anyway....

On the wood -- you will likely have to plane off that layer of soot... as sanding will grind it into the wood....

Thanks
Author:  John A [ Wed Nov 10, 2010 8:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Small shop fire - need advice on cleanup
I am really sorry to hear that - want the lint screen clogged or the vent clogged ? Why did the dryer catch on fire ?

We are buying a new house now - and we currently have sprinklers - the new house county does not require it - but we may have them installed anyway for an extra 10K.

Good luck to you - and i am very happy to hear there were no serious injuries.
Author:  Bill Hodge [ Wed Nov 10, 2010 9:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Small shop fire - need advice on cleanup
That's a bummer Chris, sorry to hear that. Glad it wasn't worse though! There are companies that specialize in post fire cleanup. Most homeowner's insurance if I'm not mistaken will recommend a good one and cover it's cost. Best to you!
Author:  Michael Smith [ Wed Nov 10, 2010 10:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Small shop fire - need advice on cleanup
The smoke damage companies use very powerful ozone generators to help get rid of the smell after all is cleaned by hand. I believe you can rent them at some rental yards. Very sorry to you are having to deal with this.
Author:  JimWomack [ Wed Nov 10, 2010 10:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Small shop fire - need advice on cleanup
Wow Chris, that sucks. Let me know if I can do anything to help.
Author:  Stuart Gort [ Wed Nov 10, 2010 10:57 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Small shop fire - need advice on cleanup
What a bummer!

All I know is that the residual smells from fires like this are very tenacious and they permeate everything. I'd try to get some professional help...or at least find out how much it costs.

Sorry.
Author:  Bailey [ Wed Nov 10, 2010 11:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Small shop fire - need advice on cleanup
Went through a house attic fire a couple years ago that smoked up the whole house. All exposed attic insulation needed removing...all blackened wood sanded off or removed/replaced. .Ozone system fans were placed in the attic and inside home for 2 days. The complete attic was then sprayed with a sealer to encapsulate the odor and trap it within the plywood roof and rafters. All walls/ceiling/fixtures in the house were wiped down with soap water and fabreeze...then repainted/carpet shampooed/all cloths/bedding/drapes, rugs etc. taken to professional cleaners.
New insulation reinstalled in attic...a little drywall fix patching damage from the firemen accessing the attic to put the smoldering fire out and wallllahhhhhh. Done. Homeowners insurance took care of this for us. Otherwise...cost would have been near $6000.00 if I'd done it all myself. A shop shouldn't be this extensive. Unfortunately your wood might have absorbed the odor and will take some time to go away. Might make you seal the inside of those guitars when using your Odor stock.

I just listed the sequence of what needed to be done in my house. Your shop could be a lot easier. Expect some slight odor for quite a while even when done....but it will diminish in time. The more you keep your shop open...the quicker the odor will go away.

The odor also got fixed into my brain memory and I could smell smoke odor for months when nobody else could. I smelled smoke everywhere I went for a couple months..

Kent

Tough problem....I'm SORRY!!!!
Author:  Dave Anderson [ Wed Nov 10, 2010 11:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Small shop fire - need advice on cleanup
Wow Chris,It's good you were there to put it out or it could have been catastrophic!!!
I don't have any experience getting rid of the smell but just wanted to wish you good luck.
Hope it didn't stink up all that sweet smelling BRW !
Author:  John Killin [ Wed Nov 10, 2010 12:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Small shop fire - need advice on cleanup
Dang Chris,

I don't have any advice on the post fire cleanup, but hang in there with the insurance if you go that route. Once they agree to the claim, keep all your receipts and just stay on them. In your unique case (wood storage and all) professional help might not be enough. But itemize all of your cleaning expenses. Oh and that carpet will have to be replaced (I'm just saying).

And if you need help, let me know.

John
Author:  Kent Chasson [ Wed Nov 10, 2010 12:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Small shop fire - need advice on cleanup
After everything is stripped and cleaned, some people use KILZ primer to seal all surfaces to get rid of the smell. http://www.masterchem.com/masterchem/v/ ... 05d103RCRD

Good luck.
Author:  Chris aka Sniggly [ Wed Nov 10, 2010 4:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Small shop fire - need advice on cleanup
Thanks for all the good vibes....and yes...it could have been so much worse.

I didn't lose any equipment in the shop and I've been vacuuming for the last couple of days. Still not done. I considered at great length getting the insurance company involved but decided not to. This boils down to good cleaning and some paint work. I have the time on my hands during this time of year so....I'm on it.

Based on the information given...I think I'm headed in the right direction!. Thanks so much...I really appreciate it.

Chris
Author:  Chris aka Sniggly [ Wed Nov 10, 2010 4:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Small shop fire - need advice on cleanup
John Killin wrote:
Dang Chris,

I don't have any advice on the post fire cleanup, but hang in there with the insurance if you go that route. Once they agree to the claim, keep all your receipts and just stay on them. In your unique case (wood storage and all) professional help might not be enough. But itemize all of your cleaning expenses. Oh and that carpet will have to be replaced (I'm just saying).

And if you need help, let me know.

John



You know what.....I had to cut out a huge section of the carpet in front of the washer and dryer. Probably a 6x6 area. It caught on fire too. gaah I appreciate the offer brother but I think I got it. The worst part is over....you the part where you run back and forth from the kitchen sink with bowls of water....and only 10 percent of the water makes it to where it was supposed to go?....cuz yer so amp'd up? You should've seen the inside of the house. My wife was speechless....literally.
Author:  Rob Warren [ Wed Nov 10, 2010 4:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Small shop fire - need advice on cleanup
Chris aka Sniggly wrote:
you the part where you run back and forth from the kitchen sink with bowls of water....and only 10 percent of the water makes it to where it was supposed to go?...



Glad to hear you didn't get hurt Chris, but, as a fire equipment specialist, let me be the first to point out that EVERYONE should have at least one fire extinguisher handy, and most importantly know how to use it! Bowls of water being thrown on energised electrical equipment is a recipe for even more disaster.
Author:  Chris aka Sniggly [ Wed Nov 10, 2010 4:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Small shop fire - need advice on cleanup
Rob Warren wrote:
Chris aka Sniggly wrote:
you the part where you run back and forth from the kitchen sink with bowls of water....and only 10 percent of the water makes it to where it was supposed to go?...



Glad to hear you didn't get hurt Chris, but, as a fire equipment specialist, let me be the first to point out that EVERYONE should have at least one fire extinguisher handy, and most importantly know how to use it! Bowls of water being thrown on energised electrical equipment is a recipe for even more disaster.



Amen Rob - I'm a believer. I did manage to get it unplugged before I went after it with bowls of water. Destroyed the wall receptacle but hey...that's much easier to replace than a house is. I discovered later that the breaker did it's job too.

I did not have a fire extinguisher in my shop. That will be rectified before this weekend comes.
Author:  John Killin [ Wed Nov 10, 2010 5:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Small shop fire - need advice on cleanup
Chris aka Sniggly wrote:
I did not have a fire extinguisher in my shop. That will be rectified before this weekend comes.

I just hung mine up in my garage.

Chris aka Sniggly wrote:
You should've seen the inside of the house. My wife was speechless....literally.

Well at least you can tell her that you got rid of that Zebra wood smell. laughing6-hehe Really she was probably speachless 'caues laundry was being done while she wasn't home.

Seriously, I'm glad everyone is OK and that the damage wasn't worse.
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