Fire out? Stay outside until the fire department clears the house, then call.Call (000) 000-0000
HouseFireCleanupFrom fire cleanup to full restoration
(000) 000-0000
Smoke detector on a ceiling

Situations explained

How to handle smoke damage to electronics

What to do with TVs, computers and appliances after smoke exposure, and what not to do.

Call (000) 000-0000

Soot is acidic and conductive. Inside a TV, laptop or game console, it can corrode circuit boards and cause shorts, sometimes weeks after the fire.

Don't turn them on

Powering on a soot-covered device can short it. Unplug everything in the affected area.

Don't wipe the inside

You can't clean circuit boards with household products. Electronics restoration specialists clean and test them.

Photograph and list them

Note the make, model and approximate age of each device for your insurance inventory.

Back up what you can, later

Once a specialist says a device is safe to power on, back up photos and documents first.

Quick checklist

  • Unplug everything
  • Don't power on
  • Photograph make and model
  • Ask about electronics restoration

General information, not advice for your specific policy or property. Updated October 2026.

Well-kept suburban house with a driveway

You don't have to figure this out alone

From cleanup to complete restoration, one call.

One call connects you with an independent local company that can secure the house, remove water and start the cleanup.

Call (000) 000-0000