How to Decide What to Discard After a House Fire

1/27/2021 (Permalink)

Damage that remains after a house fire can be devastating, and while there are many household items that a professional fire remediation company can assist with, there are certain items that are best discarded. Here’s how to determine what to keep and what to discard.

What items have a good chance of being salvaged

The contents inside your home may seem unsalvageable after a fire with all the smoke damage that can occur.  Fire damage cleanup professionals can restore many of your belongings, depending on the level of damage, including:

• Furniture
• Rugs and carpets
• Clothing
• Documents
• Books
• Purses
• Pots and pans
• Photo albums
• Art
• Decor
  

The professionals at SERVPRO of East Phoenix follow a fire repair process that can, unbelievably, bring your smoke damaged belongings back to their previous state. Depending on the level of damage, and if the damage was caused by flames, smoke, or chemicals used to extinguish a fire, many homeowners are pleasantly surprised but what can be salvaged.

What items are best discarded

Regardless of how large the fire was, there are some things that you should discard following a blaze. High heat can harm cosmetics, medicines, and food and these items simply can’t be restored, nor can you ensure they’re safe to use. You should get rid of any perishable items in the fridge and freezer if your appliances lose power for a significant amount of time. Even non-perishable food could be harmed during a fire; any open containers in the cupboard or on the counter should thus be thrown out as heat, water, smoke, and chemicals can all contaminate food . To be safe, you should throw away any sealed or unsealed food items that come into contact with these contaminants. Also, you should get rid of everything inside your refrigerator if it smells smoky or shows signs of soot damage. Examine your medicine cabinet following a fire. Any items that show signs of smoke discoloration or soot should be thrown out. Check for odors; if there is a smoky odor, chanced are the products are damaged and should be tossed.

Work with fire remediation specialists to decide what is salvageable

While it may not seem like it following a fire, you do not have to throw away everything in your house that shows damage. Fire remediation professionals can remove soot from furniture and even clean family heirlooms. SERVPRO of East Phoenix will help you determine what should stay and what should be discarded. House fires are traumatizing. If you experience a house fire, contact SERVPRO at 602-507-6163 to help get the fire remediation process started. We’re available 24/7 to help.