Pentax 1000 survived house fire

Pamela Libby · 04-16-2021, 07:08 PM - **1 Like**

Several weeks ago my home was destroyed by a major fire. The structure inside was nearly hollowed out by the flames, with the miraculous exception of my beloved craft room, home to my prized Pentax 1000. It survived, but it's covered in heavy black soot, so are all my lenses. How can i safely clean them at home? (no other damage to Pantax or lenses)
THANK YOU
("CRZE4PENTX") ~Pamela

**mattt** · 04-16-2021, 07:18 PM - **1 Like**

If you have any type of insurance coverage I would send them out to be cleaned professionally. Smoke has many corrosive components and even if you cleaned the surface you may end up with issues down the road.

**sergysergy** · 04-16-2021, 07:23 PM

Sorry to hear about the fire, Pamela. Maybe alcohol will work?

**Michail_P** · 04-16-2021, 11:40 PM

Very sorry to hear about that fire. I will agree to the professional cleaning idea ... I’ve tried alcohol on other “smoked” stuff but wasn’t really effective. Idk the chemistry involved but since the smell is so persistent, there must be something...

**ramseybuckeye** · 04-17-2021, 03:52 AM

Ther are companies that specialize in fire cleanup, but I don’t know that they have the knowledge of cleaning gear, they maybe do but I would want proof of that because most are using pretty low paid labor, but maybe they have specialists. A few years ago we had a small fire in the house, the cleanup company brought in a large ionizing machine that ran for several days that did get rid of the smoke smell.

**ProfessorBuzz** · 04-17-2021, 05:28 AM

Sorry to hear this.

Paul the Sunman · 04-17-2021, 03:57 PM

Originally posted by Pamela Libby

Several weeks ago my home was destroyed by a major fire. The structure inside was nearly hollowed out by the flames, with the miraculous exception of my beloved craft room, home to my prized Pentax 1000. It survived, but it's covered in heavy black soot, so are all my lenses. How can i safely clean them at home?

Wow Pamela, that's awful. I'm sure you must have very many issues to address more urgent than cameras and lenses.

I hope you were fully insured. Depending on the details of your insurance policy, the insurer may prefer to replace rather than clean/repair. You should talk to them about what is covered and their preferred practice.

**PJ1** · 04-17-2021, 04:00 PM

Sorry to hear about your fire. I hope you were insured and that you can work out something for the K1000.

**DWS1** · 04-17-2021, 06:40 PM

Very sorry for your loss. Your insurance will probably cover the camera gear but only up to the current market value at the time of the fire. I suspect the cost of professional cleaning would exceed it's value. They will just include the market value of your camera gear in the payment for personal property loss.

MarkJerling · 04-17-2021, 07:19 PM - **1 Like**

Hi Pamela

Sorry to hear! I have had some success with surgical alcohol with soot damaged items but the problem is that the soot can be quite abrasive, so you may well see micro scratches to the surfaces of the lens elements, even if you can clean them.
Another problem may be heat damage which may not, at first glance, be visible.

Like other here, I'd make it my insurer's problem.

Kind regards,
Mark

SharkyCA · 04-19-2021, 05:34 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by MarkJerling

Hi Pamela

Sorry to hear! I have had some success with surgical alcohol with soot damaged items but the problem is that the soot can be quite abrasive, so you may well see micro scratches to the surfaces of the lens elements, even if you can clean them.
Another problem may be heat damage which may not, at first glance, be visible.

Like other here, I'd make it my insurer's problem.

Kind regards,
Mark

Took the words out of my mouth Mark, I would be more inclined to worry about heat damage and go for replacement of all the gear with salvage rights, sorry for your loss!

Pentaxxoid · 05-22-2021, 08:20 AM

How is the clean up? I would really be interested in knowing how it went.
I had to clean up soot off white plastic surface after a minor fire long time ago. I have limited background in chemistry, but was unable to find any method for chemical removal of soot using household solvents (a variety of alcohols, acetone, mineral spirit, vinegar and other acids, alkali, etc.). Nothing worked. Soot is mostly carbon, and that is not soluble in anything (I would love to be wrong). The only way I can think of is pressure washing. Water is obviously a no go, but pressure washing can be done with dry ice. The equipment cost is outside the household range, and I do not think the abrasive nature of the method would suit optical equipment.

**rm2** · 05-22-2021, 09:49 AM

What a terrible experience to have to go through. A friend of mine recently lost just about all his belongings on a fire. He shared some videos in Facebook, and I couldn't stop watching them, over and over. I was shocked. I ended up buying our first extinguisher, and as a family, we went through an article with advice on preventing and dealing with fires.

I hope you and your loved ones are OK. On a positive note, something like this helps puts things in perspective. Material things can go as if with wings. Threasure your relationships. They are worth much more.

04-16-2021, 07:08 PM - 1 Like	#1
Pamela Libby New Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 2	Pentax 1000 survived house fire Several weeks ago my home was destroyed by a major fire. The structure inside was nearly hollowed out by the flames, with the miraculous exception of my beloved craft room, home to my prized Pentax 1000. It survived, but it's covered in heavy black soot, so are all my lenses. How can i safely clean them at home? (no other damage to Pantax or lenses) THANK YOU ("CRZE4PENTX") ~Pamela

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04-16-2021, 07:18 PM - 1 Like	#2
mattt Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Niagara Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,907	If you have any type of insurance coverage I would send them out to be cleaned professionally. Smoke has many corrosive components and even if you cleaned the surface you may end up with issues down the road.

04-16-2021, 07:23 PM	#3
sergysergy Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,175	Sorry to hear about the fire, Pamela. Maybe alcohol will work?

04-16-2021, 11:40 PM	#4
Michail_P Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Kalymnos Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,006	Very sorry to hear about that fire. I will agree to the professional cleaning idea ... I’ve tried alcohol on other “smoked” stuff but wasn’t really effective. Idk the chemistry involved but since the smell is so persistent, there must be something...

04-17-2021, 03:52 AM	#5
ramseybuckeye Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hampstead, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 17,294	Ther are companies that specialize in fire cleanup, but I don’t know that they have the knowledge of cleaning gear, they maybe do but I would want proof of that because most are using pretty low paid labor, but maybe they have specialists. A few years ago we had a small fire in the house, the cleanup company brought in a large ionizing machine that ran for several days that did get rid of the smoke smell.

04-17-2021, 05:28 AM	#6
ProfessorBuzz Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 1,903	Sorry to hear this.

04-17-2021, 03:57 PM	#7
Paul the Sunman Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,846	Originally posted by Pamela Libby Several weeks ago my home was destroyed by a major fire. The structure inside was nearly hollowed out by the flames, with the miraculous exception of my beloved craft room, home to my prized Pentax 1000. It survived, but it's covered in heavy black soot, so are all my lenses. How can i safely clean them at home? Wow Pamela, that's awful. I'm sure you must have very many issues to address more urgent than cameras and lenses. I hope you were fully insured. Depending on the details of your insurance policy, the insurer may prefer to replace rather than clean/repair. You should talk to them about what is covered and their preferred practice.

04-17-2021, 04:00 PM	#8
PJ1 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Toowoomba, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,486	Sorry to hear about your fire. I hope you were insured and that you can work out something for the K1000.

04-17-2021, 06:40 PM	#9
DWS1 Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Arkansas, USA Posts: 1,169	Very sorry for your loss. Your insurance will probably cover the camera gear but only up to the current market value at the time of the fire. I suspect the cost of professional cleaning would exceed it's value. They will just include the market value of your camera gear in the payment for personal property loss.

04-17-2021, 07:19 PM - 1 Like	#10
MarkJerling Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: May 2012 Location: Wairarapa, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 20,408	Hi Pamela Sorry to hear! I have had some success with surgical alcohol with soot damaged items but the problem is that the soot can be quite abrasive, so you may well see micro scratches to the surfaces of the lens elements, even if you can clean them. Another problem may be heat damage which may not, at first glance, be visible. Like other here, I'd make it my insurer's problem. Kind regards, Mark

04-19-2021, 05:34 AM - 1 Like	#11
SharkyCA Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Carleton Place, Ontario, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 806	Originally posted by MarkJerling Hi Pamela Sorry to hear! I have had some success with surgical alcohol with soot damaged items but the problem is that the soot can be quite abrasive, so you may well see micro scratches to the surfaces of the lens elements, even if you can clean them. Another problem may be heat damage which may not, at first glance, be visible. Like other here, I'd make it my insurer's problem. Kind regards, Mark Took the words out of my mouth Mark, I would be more inclined to worry about heat damage and go for replacement of all the gear with salvage rights, sorry for your loss!

05-22-2021, 08:20 AM	#12
Pentaxxoid Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2020 Posts: 92	How is the clean up? I would really be interested in knowing how it went. I had to clean up soot off white plastic surface after a minor fire long time ago. I have limited background in chemistry, but was unable to find any method for chemical removal of soot using household solvents (a variety of alcohols, acetone, mineral spirit, vinegar and other acids, alkali, etc.). Nothing worked. Soot is mostly carbon, and that is not soluble in anything (I would love to be wrong). The only way I can think of is pressure washing. Water is obviously a no go, but pressure washing can be done with dry ice. The equipment cost is outside the household range, and I do not think the abrasive nature of the method would suit optical equipment.

05-22-2021, 09:49 AM	#13
rm2 Site Supporter Join Date: May 2007 Location: Hudson Valley - NY Posts: 778	What a terrible experience to have to go through. A friend of mine recently lost just about all his belongings on a fire. He shared some videos in Facebook, and I couldn't stop watching them, over and over. I was shocked. I ended up buying our first extinguisher, and as a family, we went through an article with advice on preventing and dealing with fires. I hope you and your loved ones are OK. On a positive note, something like this helps puts things in perspective. Material things can go as if with wings. Threasure your relationships. They are worth much more.