Is your home heated by an oil furnace or burner? If so, it could be vulnerable to a puff back. A puff back occurs when an oil burner backfires sending soot throughout your home. It can happen all at once, like a balloon popping. Or, it can happen more gradually, as if someone was holding the end of a balloon and letting the air seep out slowly. Unfortunately, there's no guaranteed way to prevent a furnace puffback. Nevertheless, annual inspection and maintenance of your oil burner can reduce your risk. If a puff back occurs at your home soot can cover every surface and may range from light to very heavy. Sometimes the disbursement of soot is so light and fine it appears to be ordinary dust. However, this "dust" reappears hours after being cleaned. There is often a strong odor of oil accompanying a puff back.
Do:
- Contact ServiceMaster Restoration by Wills and notify your insurance agent or company immediately
Don’t:
- Do not attempt to wash wallpaper or flat-painted walls in your home. Improper cleaning with further compound the soot residue.
- Do not use retail cleaning solutions or soap. These will only smear and spread the soot, not fully remove it.
- Do not try to clean carpets or upholstered furniture.
- Avoid touching items in your home. Soot on your hands can easily permeate upholstery, walls and woodwork. This can cause additional damage.
- Don’t wait! Soot travels and will reappear if not immediately removed.
Signs you've experienced a puff back:
ServiceMaster Restoration by Wills is available 24/7/365. We can assist you after experiencing a puff back. We offer emergency services, quick response time, and work with all major insurance companies. For more information about any of our disaster restoration services, call our office!
