Puffbacks, Soot and Smoke

What is a puffback?

A puffback is a sudden explosion of soot into the air caused by a furnace or oil burner malfunction. Many times the force of the explosion causes the duct system to vibrate, which loosens up accumulated soot and blows it into the circulating air. Unless this soot is removed quickly, while utilizing professional cleaning agents and methods, permanent damage may occur and soot will spread throughout your entire home. Puffbacks are most common during the late fall months, when the furnace is being turned on after a long summer.

How do I know if I have a puffback?

A puffback will most likely occur gradually, before you ever realize your furnace or oil burner is malfunctioning. A puffback can be present in various forms and some are easier to detect than others. In severe cases, either light or heavy soot will cover a majority or all of the home. If the soot is light and fine, it may look very similar to dust. However, once cleaned, this "dust" keeps reappearing. Sometimes “soot webs” may appear; these webs look similar to cobwebs, but are darker in color and may also be accompanied with a strong oil scent. In other instances, the puffback may be very faint and occur over an extended period of time. You may start to notice soot on your hands after touching walls or flat surfaces, or see streaking after cleaning an area. Either way, the longer the soot is left on any surfaces, the longer it takes to clean.

What should I do after a puffback?