Things You Should Get Rid of After a Fire Disaster

4/25/2022 (Permalink)

If you've suffered a fire, immediately search for 24 hour fire damage repair and restoration to know what items in your home are safe to keep.

After a house fire, you’ll probably be searching for fire damage restoration companies near me or in a hurry to find out what was inside the house that was burned to ashes. You may be able to recover some, but there are some things that you should never bring back after a house fire - even if it means having to do without them for a while. 

Here are five things you should get rid of after a house fire.

Food

Get rid of all remnants of food even if they have not been directly burnt or were located in an area that was not hit by the fire. Smoke and other chemicals could have contaminated all the food items in your home so it is best to not risk consuming them. Bottled food or canned goods may look fine after a fire, but you can't be sure what's growing inside those bottles after they have been exposed to such high temperatures. At the very least, they could lead to a bad smell or taste. But they could also be potentially dangerous to consume.

Medications

Medications, whether they are in tablet or liquid form, can absorb contaminants and smoke from the fire. Not only will they be dangerous to consume, but they may also not be as effective anymore considering the conditions they were exposed to. Even if the medications are expensive, do not be tempted to keep them after a fire to prevent any issues down the road.

Pet Food

Just like human food, it is also not safe to keep pet food that was exposed to smoke and other contaminants from a fire. Even if the pet food is not covered in ash or any dangerous fumes, it is best to get rid of them immediately after a fire.

Burned Textiles

Textiles such as clothing, rugs, bedding, and furniture could absorb so much smoke that most of the time, they are dangerous to keep if not treated properly. Luckily, if you can immediately contact a 24 hour fire damage repair and restoration, you can save your textiles properly and be able to keep them. However, if the textiles have been burnt badly, it is best to throw them out as soon as possible.

Paper Goods

Any paper goods like disposable cups, plates, plastic utensils and even documents should all be thrown out to prevent any further damage. Some of them may have smoke residue left that could be consumed. Or worse, they could potentially ignite another fire. There might be some papers that you want to keep but make sure to store them properly and have them inspected properly to ensure they are safe for storage.

Conclusion

After a house fire, some of us may have to start over with virtually nothing. As much as we want to keep some items, some things are best thrown away for safety purposes. If you've suffered a fire, immediately search for fire damage restoration companies near me to find a 24 hour fire damage repair and restoration company in your area.