Beyond Salvaging: Items That Should Be Discarded After a House Fire

5/20/2019 (Permalink)

Fire damage in a Weaverville, NC home

Items That Should Be Discarded After a House Fire

Not every fire will require a significant clean-out. For instance, a small stovetop grease fire may do minimal damage to a kitchen and only require throwing away the pan. However, for more extensive fires that eviscerate whole rooms, you may want to throw away several items due to spoilage and contamination. Thankfully, the list is potentially small for things that may be beyond salvaging.

1. Nonperishables and Perishables

The high heat of a fire, especially one that engulfs entire rooms or levels, will likely result in the spoilage of several perishable and nonperishable items. For instance, canned goods will probably boil during a fire, making any warranty or expiration invalid. Also, if your fridge was damaged during the blaze, the temperature inside likely rose, causing most, if not all, of the food to go bad.

2. Medications

Medications are another item that you should throw away. While they may appear fine, fires produce toxic chemicals that can cling to medications. Therefore, discard any pills and medicines safely. You can contact your physician and alert him or her to your need for refills.

3. Cosmetics

As with medications, fire damage can leave toxic residues on various items, including cosmetics. There is no feasible way to clean cosmetics, and therefore, they should be discarded for your safety.

4. Porous Items

While the general rule is to discard any porous items, it is understandable that some materials may be more sentimental than others. If you would like to hold on to some of these items, then you can contact a restoration specialist in the Weaverville,NC, area. These professionals may be able to help you find a local specialty cleaner who can salvage certain porous items.

While there are many things that you should throw away after a fire, there are pieces of your home that you will likely be able to take with you. Also, if you can find a certified restoration company, you should be able to salvage even some things that seem beyond salvation.