Now that the worst is over, it is important that you know what to do after a fire has damaged your home. A raging fire does not only cause detriment to you but to your house structure and properties as well. But before you start grieving for your losses, you should first take a look around your house and see which items can still be saved. Who knows, something valuable to you might still be salvageable.
It is essential to note that if the fire has been extinguished by water, your items may suffer not just from fire damage, but from water damage, too. In general, most items that incurred fire damage can still be saved. However, you need to follow some guidelines in keeping and discarding fire-damaged items for safety's sake.
When it comes to food, the rule is simple: When in doubt, throw it out. Eating charred food may be detrimental to your health, since it has already reacted with chemicals that may have made the food unsafe for consumption. This also applies to kitchen utensils that have acquired some degree of fire damage. Food items that are placed inside porous packaging should also be thrown away. Canned and jarred foods may be safe to eat, but be aware of dented or bulging cans, since these may have been exposed to the fire. In this case, you need to throw them out. The reason behind this is that the fire may have activated bacteria that cause food spoilage, making the food exposed to direct fire no longer fit for consumption.
Refrigerated and frozen food must be discarded if you notice that it has an off-smell, visible soot, or different flavor. In case of power outage of more than 4 hours, it is advisable to discard all refrigerated food. Frozen food can be kept as long as it still feels cold and hard, with ice crystals covering it.
Medicines and cosmetics must be discarded if you suspect that it has been contaminated and damaged by fire. Observe if there is soot or dust covering your medicine. If so, discard them.
For clothes and textiles, they can still be reused as long as they are not completely burnt. However, you should thoroughly clean and disinfect these items before reusing. Better yet, send these clothes that acquired fire damage to a dry cleaner so that the dry cleaner can remove the grime and smoke from your clothes.
Once you have decided on the thing that you are going to save, it is important that you clean and disinfect these items to avoid health hazards. Cleaning and disinfecting applies to all materials that you have salvaged from fire damage. It may be advisable to hire a professional restoration company to the work for you. These people know how to deal with fire damage, and even the water damage that comes with it. Also, they can help you assess the damage for insurance purposes. Some restoration companies even deal with insurance companies themselves.
Knowing which items you can save after fire damage can greatly help you recover valuable items, as well as cut down on the cost of having to buy new stuff for your home.
