What Can and Can’t Be Salvaged After a Fire?

9/18/2020 (Permalink)

Canned food needs to be toss right away

Even a small fire in your Doraville, GA, can be devastating and overwhelming. Along with sorting through charred items that you will have to throw away, it can be confusing as to what is and isn’t salvageable. When it comes to high heat, it can severely damage items without them visibly looking damaged.

5 Items to Toss

From burning, melting plastic to stains and smoke damage, some materials aren’t able to withstand the heat and aftereffects of flames. Throw away the following items if they have been in close contact with smoke, flames, soot, or heat.

Non-Perishable Foods – This includes canned, boxed, and shelf-stable goods. If the package has been opened, it is especially important to toss it.
Perishable Foods – Any foods left at room temperature, such as fruits, will need to be discarded. If the heat was constantly high for more than two hours, items in the refrigerator and freezer may also have to be thrown away.

Medicines and Cosmetic – These items often have chemicals or minerals of them that could be affected by extreme heat, resulting in a change of composition.

Burned Fabrics – Clothing, bedding, curtains, and other fabrics with visible fire damage and stains shouldn’t be kept. If there is minimal staining, a professional fire restoration specialist may have the tools to restore your belongings.
Damaged Mattresses and Furniture – Although wood furniture may be salvageable if there are only stains, flames from a fire can degrade their structural soundness.

Salvageable Items
As you look at the damage, it may seem like nothing can be saved. Luckily, with the right help, you may be able to salvage more than you thought. Nonporous surfaces are the easiest to rescue, such as glass and metal, and may only require thorough cleaning and deodorizing. Hardwood floors that have barely been affected can also be restored.
While the first thought may be to throw away everything in sight after a fire, take a moment to inspect the damage. Although the items above should never be saved, you may not have to face a total loss.