Eric Allison is a seasoned professional in property restoration, serving as the primary contact and founder of Preferred Restoration Services, LLC, based in Tustin, California. With a career spanning over two decades, Eric has developed extensive expertise in addressing fire, water, and mold damage, ensuring properties are restored to their pre-loss condition.
When things burn, they go through combustion. This creates smoke, heat, soot, and often water from sprinklers or fire hoses. Even if the fire damage looks small, the smoke damage may be big. Electronics are sensitive. Just a little smoke, moisture, or dust can cause failure.
Smoke has tiny particles that stick to surfaces. Inside your electronics, these particles land on wires, chips, and printed circuit boards. This can cause:
Short circuits
Corrosion of metal parts
Blocked cooling fans
Soot is black and sticky. It can melt into plastic or coat electrical parts. Some smoke also contains acid. This acidic material eats away at parts, especially when mixed with humidity or moisture. That makes electronics fail even faster.
Even if your device didn’t catch fire, high heat can warp pieces inside. Combined with humidity from water or steam, this raises the risk of leakage, damage, or data loss.
Laptops and desktops
TVs and home cinema systems
Refrigerators, ovens, microwaves
Smoke detectors
Air conditioners and compressors
Game consoles and routers
All of these contain sensitive electronics, wiring, and metal parts. Even slight contamination can cause a failure later.
Smoke carries an awful odor that sticks around. Even if a device turns on, that smell may never leave. More importantly, it means smoke contamination is inside. This hidden damage is a hazard—especially for breathing or for devices that heat up during use.
Yes, many home insurance policies do cover damage from fire and smoke. If your electronics were affected by:
Soot or smoke
Heat or flames
Water damage from fire hoses
You may be able to file a claim. Contact your insurance company right away and take photos of the damage.
Some policies cover fire damage restoration or replacement of damaged equipment. Keep all receipts and check if your electronics had an active warranty.
You may be tempted to plug in your laptop or TV to see if it still works. Don’t! Smoke and dust inside the machine can cause a short circuit or spark a second fire. Let a trained restoration team handle the cleanup.
Always unplug the item. Do not turn it on, even for a second.
Move it to a dry room with good airflow. This helps with moisture and odor.
Call a fire damage restoration or electronics restoration service. They’ll use tools to remove:
Soot
Corrosion
Dust and contamination
Lingering odor
They might also use anti-static cleaners and take apart the device for deep cleaning.
Only power up the device if the experts say it’s safe. Ask them to test for:
Data safety
Short circuits
Internal leakage
Wiring damage
If your home also had a flood or used water to fight the fire, your electronics face both water damage and smoke damage. That means more corrosion, mold, and risk of short circuit.
Electronics near a fire might be okay on the outside but ruined inside. Devices like compressors, fridges, or AC units often have hidden damage that gets worse over time.
Professionals use special tools to:
Clean soot and acid residue
Dry out moisture
Deodorize and filter air
Replace damaged wire or metal parts
Recover important data if possible
Restoration teams also work with your insurance company to file claims and show what was saved or lost.
Early alerts give you more time to act and call 911.
Old or bad wire can start fires. Update your home’s electricity system to prevent sparks.
Don’t leave cooking food alone
Keep flammable stuff away from heat
Avoid overloading plugs and extension cords
Don’t place devices on the floor. This protects from both water and flood damage.
Yes, smoke leaves behind soot, acid, and moisture that damage metal, wires, and internal parts.
Most home insurance covers electronics harmed by fire, smoke, or water during a fire.
No. It’s best to call a restoration expert to avoid causing more damage or losing your warranty.
The smoke odor shows your laptop has contamination inside. This can mean hidden damage too.
Call your insurance company, take photos, and contact a fire damage restoration team to inspect everything, including your electronics.
Smoke may not seem powerful, but it can cause serious harm to your electronics—even ones far away from the actual flames. From short circuits to corrosion, the risks are real. If you’ve had a fire or even a close call, have your electronics checked out by professionals and talk to your insurance provider about what’s covered. Protecting your devices starts with knowing the dangers of smoke—and acting fast.
Visit your nearby local emergency responder or contact us today for more information.
2650 Walnut Ave. Ste. Y
Tustin, CA 92780
