What’s a puff back? 
If an oil burner doesn’t ignite quickly, it can puff back. This causes fumes inside the furnace to build up. Soot vaporizes and is released from your home or business by the explosion in the burner chamber. It covers walls, baseboards, and furniture with oily toxic substances.
 Although puff backs are not very common, they can be frequent and send small amounts of soot through the heating vents. One explosion can cause a lot of soot to get through your heating system. These events can lead to extensive cleanup, restoration, and repairs to your heating system.

How To Prevent Furnace Puffbacks

1. All oil-burning appliances should be serviced at least once a year. It is important that you have your oil-burning appliances inspected, cleaned, and maintained by a technician. If your oil-fired heating system is not inspected every year, you could be at serious risk.
2. You should be aware of any smells, sounds or soot coming from the boiler or furnace room.
3. Avoid oil leakage near the oil burner or on the oil pipe system.
4. Keep your eye out for debris. If you find soot or rustflakes in the flue vent connector, your heating system should be serviced.

What Should You Do If Puffback Occurs?

Turn off your heating system immediately after a puffback to prevent any further damage. If you see smoke, carbon monoxide or the danger of a house fire, call 911 immediately. Make sure your heating system is off and your building is secure. Follow these steps next:

1. To help your insurance company, you should take photos and/or videos showing any damage.
2. It is a good idea to hire a full-service restoration firm. They can assess your heating system before you turn on the heat. They will clean up your home or business professionally to remove smoke and other traces of soot.
3. You should clean your belongings. Some fabrics can be washed and dried cleaned. Food that has been contaminated should be thrown away.

Professional Puff Back Cleaning

Your home shouldn’t suffer from a puffback. Puffbacks can affect all areas of your home. A puffback specialist is your best bet. The soot from a puffback can be greasy, toxic and even cause cancer. Because they are so small, it is difficult to remove the soot particles. It’s not enough to vacuum the carpet, and then wash the walls with soapy. Many insurance companies won’t pay homeowners who vacuum the carpet.

Puff Back Restoration Process:

1. A professional in fire restoration can assist you throughout the process. You can rely on many restoration companies such as 911 Restoration of New Orleans to assist you with filing insurance claims.
2. Clean up all surfaces affected by smoke or soot and set up equipment to clean your home.
3. Restoration companies can clean and restore your belongings including clothes, dishes and electronics, as well as curtains, decorations, and even furniture. Many of these items are packed up and cleaned using specialized equipment. Your contents will be returned clean, free of soot and residue.
4. Companies that specialize in restoration can repair your heating system, boiler or water heating. They also have the ability to determine the root cause and prevent it from happening again.

Puff Back Cleaning From The Professionals

If your oil-fired furnace is not working, please call 911 Restoration of New Orleans for immediate assistance.
We can quickly remove oily soot and get your furnace working again. We are specialists in fire and smoke damage cleanup. You can call to get professional assistance with fire damage restoration in New Orleans, (504) 457-7929. Within 45 minutes of receiving an emergency call, our team can reach homes or businesses in New Orleans. Once they arrive, technicians can offer a free visual mold inspection to property owners.