Tips you can do to prevent puff backs
Most people are not aware of puff back and the damage that it can do to their home or apartment. Home owners are more concerned about other dangers that can plague their home like water damage and other causes of house deterioration only.
For those of you who do not know what puff back is or never experienced it, you’re plainly lucky. But if you ever experience it, you should know what must be done. In order to not let puff back get the better of you, read along and learn several tips that you can do to prevent the effects of puff back.
For the sake of those people who are not aware of what a puff back is, we will give you two definitions. The most basic and simplest definition is that it is caused by an oil burner which has problems functioning properly. In highly technical terms, a puff back happens when a combustion chamber experiences an explosion caused by the speedy ignition of oil vapors and built-up gas inside.
Well it is not a very good situation to be in. The condition will make a turn for the worse when the fumes go up or ‘puffs back’ on to the heating ducts of your house. You can imagine the damage and harm it can bring to your family if you have an exhaust placed in every room in your house.
Once this happens, the quickest solution is to call up an oil-burning expert or technician in order to repair the furnace. This step should be done in order to eliminate the chances of a puff back from occurring again.
Ironically enough, most people think that puff back is made entirely of dust. Contrary to its name, it is actually a part-petroleum based particle or oil-based particle that puffs back. This is even more dangerous than dust and trickier to dispel because the oil component that causes soot will stick to your house, clothes and furniture.
Restoration services can also be called if you ever experience a puff back. Usually, they employ the same treatment that they use in fire and smoke restoration. Cleaning should be done within 48 hours of the occurrence of puff backs, in order to prevent more damage.
Most restoration services can do thermo fogging which can remove the smoky odors caused by the puff back. Also, they can do a complete structural cleaning of the affected areas of your house. Some even offer cleaning and laundry services for those textile-based components which were affected by the puff back.
Besides contacting the professional restoration services, here are some immediate actions that you can do to prevent more damage from the puff back: use your vacuum with a brush head to clean your furniture which is covered with fabric and upholstery and after this cleaning process, you can cover upholstered furniture with clean sheets to protect them from getting more puff back residue.
Do not attempt to clean your damaged furniture and other damaged items on your own if you do not have the proper cleaning materials. It is better to have a professional clean it up to minimize the damage.
Experiencing a puff back would spell a headache for you. In order to prevent this from happening, you should try these different tips:
- Do a maintenance and annual check on your oil burner
The main cause of puff back is your oil burner. It is recommended that you check your oil burner annually or maybe even more frequently if you have the time. You must make sure that your oil burner is working properly. Malfunctions will lead to oil and soot puffing so make sure that it is in a good working condition. If you see that there is damage, have a professional look at it, or replace it altogether to avoid experiencing more problems. Also, malfunctioning oil burners will pose a serious threat to the safety of your house and your family members.
Remember that maintaining your oil burner will not mean that puff back will not happen at all, but rather it will eliminate your chances of experiencing one.
- Make sure that your oil burner doesn’t have any debris
In checking your oil burner, you must be able to remove all the debris, animal hair and other particles that can cause it to malfunction.
- Install Carbon Dioxide monitors in your house
Puff back and soot increase the carbon dioxide levels in your house and this might be detrimental to your health. Some instances of puff back happen little by little; you might not notice it until all the furniture in your home is covered with soot. Almost unknowingly, it will start with dark, little circles on your furniture and other things that come in contact with it. You might think it’s just normal dust, but if it continues on even after you clean it, maybe it’s time to consider that it can be puff back.
Another way of preventing puff back is by installing carbon dioxide monitors in your house to check the carbon dioxide levels. If the puff back is moving in slowly and unknowingly, chances are it will release carbon dioxide in your house without you knowing it. For example, if you see that the carbon dioxide levels have been steadily increasing, then it’s time to check if your oil burner is still working properly. Carbon dioxide poisoning is very harmful especially to little children so if you detect an alarming rise in your house, you must quickly act to solve the problem.
Increased carbon dioxide levels can lead to nausea and dizziness so if you or any of your family members experience these symptoms, you need to check if the carbon dioxide levels in your home are still at acceptable levels.
Again, you must contact a professional to check the carbon dioxide levels in order to have a professional assessment. This might be an expensive option, but in the long run, it is money well spent.
Most people who experience puff back notice that their fire box is disintegrating. For those instances when the puff back is slowly invading your home, this is another way of preventing more damage to your house. If you notice that your fire box is decreasing in size, it is time to take steps to investigate the situation before it gets worse.
- If you have a maintenance guy, ask him to check the furnace, firebox and oil burner as well
If you have a regular maintenance guy who checks your house on a regular basis, have him check the furnace, oil burner and fire box as well. It is better to have an expert who can provide a professional opinion on this issue. They might see something that you did not detect in the first place. Most home owners do not check these places because they don't know the potential dangers lurking in these places. A professional is always better in these situations because he knows what and where to look for.
- For gradual puff back, check for traces of soot in and around your house
Keep in mind that puff back can happen in two ways. On one hand, it can be gradual, creeping up on your furniture and house in a slow process which makes it harder to detect. On the other hand, it can happen at a fast and devastating speed also. With whatever speed it invades your house, it is sure to bring ample amount of damage to your house.
Puff back and soot residue usually stick to cold areas of your house, metal and oil. For cold spots, you can check your refrigerator, outside walls and ceilings which are located near your attic. Soot is also attracted to metal surfaces like studs and nails tacked in your walls. Lastly, oil will also stick on to other items. So, check every place including the fur of your animals. Once you notice soot in these places, it should be a wake up call for you to do further investigation in order to eliminate this problem.
- Knowledge is power; be well-informed
As we all know, if we have enough knowledge and information about a certain thing, we have more chances of combating it successfully. The same can be said for puff back problems also. Let us all be informed in order to have a better understanding of its causes and prevention methods. This can go a long way in ensuring that puff back is detected early. We suggest that you take steps immediately to prevent further damage from puff backs.
Cleaning up is always difficult. So, it is better to use the above-mentioned tips to avoid the hassles and problems that a puff back might bring to you and your family. Remember that prevention is always better than cure. If you take these extra measures, you will surely be safe from the dangers of it.
