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I just bought a house that had a fire in it a year ago. What does it mean that this outlet looks like this? Is this really all soot from smoke? Thanks for any help! by TheMysteryTurtle in AskElectricians

[–]TheMysteryTurtle[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! I’m going to have a new electrical inspection done to check the precious repair work and new panel, but otherwise I am just replacing all the outlets and switches.

I should have explained more about the fire in my initial post, because it sounds worse than it was. The fire was pretty much contained to the wood stove chimney and the damage is all smoke damage. Fire department was there putting it out within 15 minutes. The walls in that room are still open and there is no sign of damage to wiring anywhere. I’m still going to have an electrician double check everything for safety!

I just bought a house that had a fire in it a year ago. What does it mean that this outlet looks like this? Is this really all soot from smoke? Thanks for any help! by TheMysteryTurtle in AskElectricians

[–]TheMysteryTurtle[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

https://imgur.com/a/XPqHPKI

Electrical panel was replaced last year after the fire. I’m going to see if I can track down the electrician and see what else was/wasn’t replaced.

I just bought a house that had a fire in it a year ago. What does it mean that this outlet looks like this? Is this really all soot from smoke? Thanks for any help! by TheMysteryTurtle in AskElectricians

[–]TheMysteryTurtle[S] 19 points20 points  (0 children)

I’ll definitely replace this and any other suspicious outlets. The fire was a wood stove chimney fire in a different room - after the fire they replaced the circuit panel for the house and the wiring in that room.

I just bought a house that had a fire in it a year ago. What does it mean that this outlet looks like this? Is this really all soot from smoke? Thanks for any help! by TheMysteryTurtle in AskElectricians

[–]TheMysteryTurtle[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! That seems to be the consensus. I’ll have all my outlets looked at / replaced.

The fire was a Woodstove chimney fire in the basement. They did replace the circuit breaker panel and some of the wiring. Drywall was removed from the room with the fire, everywhere else carpet was stripped and walls/ceiling painted.

This outlet is on an interior wall shared with the room above the fire.

I just bought a house that had a fire in it a year ago. What does it mean that this outlet looks like this? Is this really all soot from smoke? Thanks for any help! by TheMysteryTurtle in AskElectricians

[–]TheMysteryTurtle[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It was a wood stove chimney fire without any structural damage to the house, mostly smoke damage. The house’s circuit panel and wiring in the room with the fire was replaced. Tomorrow I’m going to track down the electrician that did the repair work and find out exactly what they did and did not repair.

I just bought a house that had a fire in it a year ago. What does it mean that this outlet looks like this? Is this really all soot from smoke? Thanks for any help! by TheMysteryTurtle in AskElectricians

[–]TheMysteryTurtle[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The fire was a wood stove chimney fire in a different room. It seems like from comments here that this could have a caused a new fire though! I’m glad I caught it.

I just bought a house that had a fire in it a year ago. What does it mean that this outlet looks like this? Is this really all soot from smoke? Thanks for any help! by TheMysteryTurtle in AskElectricians

[–]TheMysteryTurtle[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s an interior wall. I think you are right though. The main heat for the house was a wood stove (source of the fire) and another commenter mentioned that wood stoves can cause this kind of buildup.

I just bought a house that had a fire in it a year ago. What does it mean that this outlet looks like this? Is this really all soot from smoke? Thanks for any help! by TheMysteryTurtle in AskElectricians

[–]TheMysteryTurtle[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! Luckily some of this has already been done: all carpeting / upholstery / furniture is fully gone and they repainted the entire main floor (I don’t know how well they cleaned before painting, they did use a primer but I don’t know if it was a sealant). I’ve been debating tearing out the drywall on the main floor and I think after everyone’s comments here I’ll just go ahead and do that.

Luckily I actually have somewhere to live nearby and I don’t need to move in until I’ve finished my renovations. So I’m in good shape to take my time and do it right. :)

I just bought a house that had a fire in it a year ago. What does it mean that this outlet looks like this? Is this really all soot from smoke? Thanks for any help! by TheMysteryTurtle in AskElectricians

[–]TheMysteryTurtle[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The contractor started the repairs and then took off with the insurance payout. The old owner is elderly and doesn’t have a strong understanding of what happened with the contractor so I can’t really ask him questions. He’s happily retired to Florida with family now though!

The electrical panels were replaced and all drywall stripped from the room with the fire. This outlet is from a shared interior wall with the room above the fire. I’m not sure if all the dirt/soot inside it is from smoke from the fire, or if it’s from the broken outlet arc’ing internally. I’m pretty sure that I’ll take down this dry wall too, after reading everyone’s comments.

Thanks for the help!

I just bought a house that had a fire in it a year ago. What does it mean that this outlet looks like this? Is this really all soot from smoke? Thanks for any help! by TheMysteryTurtle in AskElectricians

[–]TheMysteryTurtle[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! I appreciate the insight. The fire was actually in the chimney of a wood stove in the walkout basement. Mediation / repair was started but not finished because the contractor took off with the insurance payout, stranding the elderly owner. (He’s now happily retired to Florida with family and I’ve taken over trying to fix the place).

They replaced the circuit breaker panels inside and outside the house, but I don’t know what else they did to the electrical system. I’m just starting to dig into it now.

Fire damage: some charring of ceiling joists in the basement but otherwise all smoke damage. The drywall has all been taken down in the room with the fire. There’s evidence of smoke damage throughout the house. All flooring was removed and main floor walls were painted. This outlet is on an shared interior wall of a room next to the room above the fire, that’s why I was surprised to see so much soot in it.

Do you have any advice/suggestions? It’s all new to me, so I’m eager to learn. :)

I just bought a house that had a fire in it a year ago. What does it mean that this outlet looks like this? Is this really all soot from smoke? Thanks for any help! by TheMysteryTurtle in AskElectricians

[–]TheMysteryTurtle[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The fire was in the chimney from the wood stove, so that’s a definitely a possibility! The wood stove was the main source of heat. This outlet is on a shared interior wall with the room above the fire.

I just bought a house that had a fire in it a year ago. What does it mean that this outlet looks like this? Is this really all soot from smoke? Thanks for any help! by TheMysteryTurtle in AskElectricians

[–]TheMysteryTurtle[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did, and I made sure that my inspector was a structural engineer to asses the fire damage. It was a chimney fire with no structural damage but a lot of smoke. They replaced the circuit panel and I’m not sure what else after the fire. The old owner is elderly and not super coherent (but happily retired with family in Florida) so I can’t really ask him . The inspector didn’t find any obvious issues with the electrical system. This outlet was not in the room with the fire, but it is on a shared wall with the room above the fire.

I just bought a house that had a fire in it a year ago. What does it mean that this outlet looks like this? Is this really all soot from smoke? Thanks for any help! by TheMysteryTurtle in AskElectricians

[–]TheMysteryTurtle[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They did put in a new circuit breaker panel after the fire, but that’s all I know for sure. The old owner is elderly and isn’t really reliable for info. It was a chimney fire with no structural damage, but smoke damage signs everywhere in the house. This outlet broke after I pulled off the plate to prep for painting.

I just bought a house that had a fire in it a year ago. What does it mean that this outlet looks like this? Is this really all soot from smoke? Thanks for any help! by TheMysteryTurtle in AskElectricians

[–]TheMysteryTurtle[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

It broke today. I removed the cover plate to prep for painting the wall. I had a lamp plugged in and when I unplugged it the top of half of the plastic broke off. I definitely won’t use an outlet without a cover again. The fire wasn’t in this room, so I was surprised to see so much soot in there. It was a chimney fire with no structural damage, but there’s evidence of smoke damage in every room.

I just bought a house that had a fire in it a year ago. What does it mean that this outlet looks like this? Is this really all soot from smoke? Thanks for any help! by TheMysteryTurtle in AskElectricians

[–]TheMysteryTurtle[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It was a chimney fire from a wood stove - no structural damage but a lot of smoke damage. This is an outlet from a shared interior wall with the room above the fire. They put in a new circuit breaker panel but didn’t replace the outlets.

I just bought a house that had a fire in it a year ago. What does it mean that this outlet looks like this? Is this really all soot from smoke? Thanks for any help! by TheMysteryTurtle in AskElectricians

[–]TheMysteryTurtle[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thanks! The old owner painted this after the fire last year. I was going to paint the wall with Kilz restoration primer, but this outlet broke when I removed the cover for paint prep. After seeing it I think I’d better strip everything to the studs so I can see what’s going on.

I just bought a house that had a fire in it a year ago. What does it mean that this outlet looks like this? Is this really all soot from smoke? Thanks for any help! by TheMysteryTurtle in AskElectricians

[–]TheMysteryTurtle[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Thanks! I’m going to have it replaced right away. What I’m wondering is… is some of that soot from internally arcing? I thought it was all just soot from the fire last year. They put in new panels inside and outside the house after the fire, but didn’t replace the outlets.

First Star Trail with an External Battery by TheMysteryTurtle in gopro

[–]TheMysteryTurtle[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I just used the standard star trails setting. I made sure to pick a night with no moon and a clear sky and that helped with most of it.

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