What is A Puffback?

11/2/2021 (Permalink)

Soot can damage your belongings and leave a lingering odor. If you have a puffback, call our cleanup professionals today!

Imagine coming home one cold, fall evening to discover your living room is covered in soot. This is a reality many Morganton residents face in the cold seasons, often catching them by surprise. These incidents are called puffbacks, and they are more common than you might think. Fortunately, our team at SERVPRO of Alexander, Caldwell, Burke and Catawba Counties has helped hundreds of residents clean their soot-damaged homes, so we're all too familiar with these types of incidents.

Understanding Puffbacks

A puffback occurs when a furnace or boiler backfires and shoots soot into your home. These backfires occur because the heaters do not ignite properly and allow fuel to build up in the chamber. Once they do ignite, it can create anything from smoke to a small explosion, which pushes smoke and soot into the home and damages belongings.

Generally, puffbacks can be prevented with a little maintenance. For example, you should regularly check for oil leaks or soot, and you should make sure your heating system is clean and free of dust.

Cleaning Up a Puffback

Puffbacks are very messy and can be a major disturbance in your Morganton home. Although soot is very difficult to clean, our expert professionals here at SERVPRO of Alexander, Caldwell, Burke and Catawba Counties have both the techniques and the experience to clean and remove soot. If you have a puffback or any other soot-related incident, know that our team is always here to help!