Before

After

Before and After Puff-Back

Puff backs are messy expulsions of soot and smoke caused by improper furnace ignition. When an oil burner doesn’t ignite immediately, excess oil builds up within the combustion chamber. This fuel can ignite explosively, similar to the backfiring of a car. Depending on how much fuel has built up in the chamber, the result can range from a small explosion to a cloud of oily smoke. Our team was called out to a home where this scenario played out. The before photo shows extensive soot on the surfaces of counter tops and appliances.  The after photo shows how thorough the cleaning process is when completed by SERVPRO technicians.