How To Salvage Smoke Damaged Computers

9/24/2020 (Permalink)

Before discarding them, take the appropriate measures to see if they can be rescued.

An electrical fire within your business affects more than just the immediate burn area. The soot generated by flames floats everywhere, contaminating digital devices such as printers, copiers, and, most devastatingly, computers. Thankfully, you may be able to salvage equipment by treating it correctly.

How Does Smoke Damage Computers?
Ash harms workstations in three ways:
1. By causing circuits to short out, a failure triggered by smoke’s magnetic charge.
2. By causing overheating, a result of black film buildup.
3. By eating through inner components, a byproduct of smoke’s inherent acidity.

Hire a professional to periodically report upon your building’s power system, as doing so can help avoid an electrical fire. Otherwise, you may find yourself needing a commercial fire restoration service to return normalcy to your office in Stillwater, OK.

How Should Smoke Damaged Computers Be Cleaned?
Attempt to salvage data by removing memory cards and hard drives, then inserting them into unaffected machines. With any luck, your information will still be accessible. Remember that using the cloud and performing regular backups are great ways to circumvent this tense situation from transpiring.

To begin the computer cleanup process, have staffers save and power down those that are currently running. This step is critical, as premature usage causes permanent destruction. Remove all plugs to be certain nothing can turn back on. Take a soft, dry towel, and wipe away the exterior soot.

Next, use a can of compressed air to blow out ports and vents. If corrosion or other imperfections are visible, deliver the item to an expert that can analyze its condition.

Remember that PCs are often covered under warranty, so check your records. Replacing those that have been compromised is always preferable to rehabilitation. It may be time for an upgrade anyway.

Smoke from an electrical fire poses a serious threat to computers, but those that are directly affected can often be saved. Before discarding them, take the appropriate measures to see if they can be rescued.