What is a Puffback?

10/9/2018 (Permalink)

Destruction to your home can be caused by conditions we may not expect such as a puffback. A puffback is when smoke and soot are released from a furnace. When a furnace is leaking oil and doesn’t ignite when it should, the oil vapors eventually build up and cause an explosion of soot to blow through the furnace and into the air very quickly. The carbon in the soot then strikes other sources of soot, causing carbon chains which take the look of cobwebs in the corners of your walls, ceilings and doorways.

To prevent puffbacks, furnaces should be cleaned every year. Look for signs of oil leaks such as black soot on the furnace, walls or ceiling or unfamiliar noises that are made at the beginning of the burn cycle along with after the cycle has completed. These signs indicate that the oil is not burning properly. It’s also a good idea to look for debris in the flue vent connector. 

Since incorrectly cleaning puffbacks can cause smearing, streaking, or damage to your walls, the job should always be done by a professional.  Should you experience a puffback in your home, call the cleaning and restoration experts at SERVPRO of Kennett Square/Oxford at (610) 268-8620 and we’ll make it "Like it never even happened.”