Do Office Electronics Still Work After a Fire?

8/22/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO can clean electronics after a fire

Do Office Electronics Remain Functional Following a Fire?

Electronics are some of the most expensive office equipment. Computers, appliances and other devices can drive up the cost of recovering from a fire, even if an electrical fire was not the cause of damage. If electronics have been affected by fire in a building in Austin,TX, here are some ways to safely determine the most cost-effective approach to repair or replacement.

Have Electronics Tested Off-Site
One of the best safety decisions that a commercial building or business owner can make following a fire is to have trained experts test potentially damaged electronics at an offsite location. All of the following factors increase overheating and short-circuiting risks:

• High heat
• Smoke
• Soot
• Water
  
  

Damaged electronics could spark an electrical fire. Electronics and computer cleanup specialists have access to a clean room and dedicated equipment.

Pursue Cleaning or Replacement
Based on the recommendations of fire restoration experts, business owners can have electronics cleaned or replaced. In some cases, purchasing new equipment or devices may be more reliable and cost-effective than restoring electronics. Make sure that commercial property insurance covers the full replacement value and not actual cash value.

Complete the Commercial Restoration Process
An office cannot resume operations until fire and smoke damage to the affected location have been fully restored. Even after you know which electronics can be salvaged, any appliances, computers or other devices that have been recovered, tested and cleaned should be stored off-site until cleanup and restoration are complete at the original location.
Fire cleanup costs can be considerable, whether an electrical fire or a blaze due to any other cause has affected a commercial building in Austin, TX. A commercial property insurance policyholder can take measures to plan ahead and minimize out-of-pocket expenses by making sure that replacement costs are covered, not just actual cash value. Complete coverage makes it possible to spend less replacing ruined devices.