Is It Possible To Save Electronics After a Fire?

7/19/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO can clean electronics after fire

Is It Possible To Save Electronics After a Fire?

Once the fire's out and the smoke has settled, you'll face a pretty big fire cleanup process. Fortunately, Glendale, AZ, fire and smoke damage cleanup professionals can handle the bulk of that work. Part of your job will be helping to decide what to throw out, what to repair, and what to replace. The professionals will help you with these decisions, providing important safety information and letting you know about the services they provide. When it comes to electronics, there are three suggestions for determining whether they can be salvaged:


Were they plugged in and exposed to liquids (such as water from firefighters?) Electronics, even when they are turned off, suffer wiring damage when water is introduced.
How protected were the circuitry and wiring inside devices? The more protected the insides of electronics, the better the chance of repairing them.
What types of contaminants were introduced to the site of the fire? The extreme temperatures, flames, soot, and the contents of fire extinguishers can cause damage to electronics.


Some electronic devices can tolerate extreme situations better than others. As you work with professionals to sort through your belongings, you may find that certain items are easier to save during fire cleanup efforts than others.

Unplug Them and Leave Them Off

Many electronics and appliances access a little bit of power, even if they are turned off. This trickle of power is often used to keep clocks running or an internal memory up to date. Even modern refrigerators have internal computer systems to protect. After the disaster, unplug everything. Even if your computer looks fine, there may be soot or water inside, so don't turn it back on. Powering up a device could cause new damage.

When You Can't Save Everything

It's possible that many of your electronics can be saved by fire cleanup professionals. Just in case, however, it's a good idea to keep warranty records in a safe, fireproof place. This step can help you when you need to replace items.