Puff Back

11/30/2016 (Permalink)

Soot from a puff back should be cleaned by a professional.

A puff back can turn your home into a smelly mess, covering the place in black soot. So what causes puff backs and what can you do if it happens to you?

Puff backs happen when the ignition fails to light properly, oil fumes accumulate in the chamber of the furnace. These fumes will cause a small explosion when the pilot light finally ignites and will blow every little piece of dust and soot in your baseboard heating system or duct system all over EVERYTHING in your home. Drapes, blinds, furniture, bedding, clothing, floors, carpets, dishes, appliances, you name it, the soot will find its way in.

The biggest problem with soot is that it is not easily cleaned. You cannot clean soot with a regular sponge, towel, paper towel, etc. The cleaning of soot requires special sponges and cleaning products that are used by professionals. In addition to this stick sooty mess, an odor will also be present which is similar to that of an oil smell. This odor is difficult to remove and requires the services of a professional to remove as well. A professional certified home restoration company such as SERVPRO of Southwest Brooklyn is experienced with handling puff back situations. A puff back can occur in large proportion such as the situation just mentioned or in small proportion, over a period of time. If you notice black soot accumulating on carpet around heating vents or baseboard, or on surfaces inside your home, chances are you are experiencing a small scale puff back.

If you experience puff back in your home call your insurance company then call SERVPRO of Southwest Brooklyn at (718) 375-2388 to clean it up.