Testing systems following smoke damage in apartments
Testing systems following smoke damage in apartments
My apartment experienced a fire originating from a storage room. I own a large Windows desktop setup and a Mini-ITX machine for my Hackintosh, both placed in the living room adjacent to that storage area. The living room and other rooms only had smoke marks, but I notice warped plastic items such as lens cleaner bottles, TV screen cleaner containers, and the plastic floor lamp.
I have renter's insurance, but I prefer not to replace these PCs if possible—especially since one is a Skytech Prism II with an RTX3090 24GB card. I’ve searched online for advice on smoke damage and found some useful suggestions. I’m curious about whether connecting a longer extension cord and testing the devices outside would be a viable option, what cleaning methods work best for smoke-affected components, and if there are any parts that should be replaced immediately.
I’ve been assembling PCs since 2010 when I started exploring Hackintoshes and gained some experience, but this situation was unexpected; I’m still figuring out what to look for in terms of smoke damage. Thank you.
I recommend bringing the PCs outside and leaving them unplugged, just open the cases and examine them. Remove any loose dust and debris. Canned air might be useful, but follow the instructions carefully. Use a bright flashlight to thoroughly check all parts. There are cleaning products available, though some can be costly. Regardless, start by inspecting, assess the damage, and then decide on next steps.