Fires are highly destructive. Each year, property owners lose billions of dollars to fire accidents. A house fire can destroy a property and all possessions within minutes.
When house fires occur, recovery often feels like an impossible task. However, it’s possible to salvage some of your personal belongings. Many things can be salvaged after a fire with proper cleaning. Restorerz Emergency Services offers fast, professional fire damage restoration. Homeowners who choose fire damage restoration by Restorerz experience a faster return to normalcy. We make the home livable again, and we help recover some of your personal items.
Explore what can be salvaged after a fire and what to throw away after smoke damage has occurred.
Understanding What Fire, Smoke, and Soot Really Do
House fires do more than burn your possessions. They also deposit smoke particles and soot everywhere. This can lead to:
- Property damage: After an already destructive house fire, smoke and soot deposits will stain your belongings and, due to their chemical composition, can cause corrosion in many materials if not properly cleaned up.
- Bad smells: Smoke smells linger long after a surface cleaning, because the smoke particles penetrate deep into surfaces. Professional remediation helps remove these smells for good.
- Health risks: Some serious health risks homeowners face after a fire include respiratory and chronic breathing issues, eye and skin irritation, food contamination, and other long-term health risks, including cardiovascular disease and an increased cancer risk.
Items Commonly Salvaged After a House Fire
What can be salvaged after a house fire? It all depends on the item’s material. You may be able to salvage certain hard materials, which are the least likely to burn or melt in a fire, and washable fabrics. These include:
- Glass: Glass can usually withstand high temperatures and won’t absorb water or the chemicals used to extinguish the fire. Soak the glassware in a solution of vinegar or baking soda and dish soap to remove soot stains after a fire.
- Metal: Metal melts at extremely high temperatures, but most house fires don’t reach that point. Metal can withstand water and smoke damage. Remove stains from metal objects with vinegar and dishwashing soap, then restore them with sanding and a splash of paint.
- Hardwood floors: You can salvage hardwood floors after a fire because they have a protective coating that keeps smoke and water from reaching the porous wood underneath. Wash the floor with dish soap if the floor isn’t heavily charred, then sand and refinish it.
- Washable fabrics: Fabric materials that don’t catch fire during house fire accidents are generally salvageable because you can toss them into the washing machine. This includes furniture covers, curtains, and clothes.
- Houseplants: If you wash the leaves off well, your houseplants may survive after a house fire.
What To Throw Away After Smoke Damage
It’s hard to know what to do after a fire. Any items that don’t appear damaged may look like they’re salvageable, but that’s not always the case. Below are some products you should discard after a fire accident:
- Stained or melted plastic
- Canned or boxed foods
- Perishable items in the fridge
- Cosmetics
- Medicine
How Professionals Restore Personal Belongings After Smoke Damage
At Resorerz, our process for restoration is as follows:
- Step one: We do an assessment to evaluate the damage and create a restoration plan.
- Step two: Precautions are taken to isolate any unsafe areas and add temporary barriers.
- Step three: We remove standing water and odors, clean, and discard damaged items and materials.
- Step four: We perform repairs to fix structural, electrical, and plumbing damage, and then restore flooring, drywall, and air ducts.
In some cases, your insurance may cover the costs of the entire process, but this depends on the type of policy you have.
Items You Should Leave to the Professionals
Some items that may be okay after a proper cleaning by a professional include:
- Upholstery and mattresses: Expert cleaners have the right tools and techniques to remove soot and smoke particles from these porous surfaces, restoring these personal belongings after smoke damage.
- Electrical devices and appliances: If the fire didn’t burn or melt any components, your electrical devices and appliances may be salvageable, but check with an electrician first. Hidden damage may cause future fire hazards.
Call Restorerz Emergency Services for Restoration After a House Fire
Knowing what to do after a fire is not always straightforward. You may feel overwhelmed by emotions and end up saving things you should discard.
The chemicals firefighters use to put out fires can leave residues, making certain items unsafe to use without professional cleaning. Restorerz Emergency Services will come in with a clear head to sort any belongings not burnt in the fire. We know what can be salvaged and have a process for collecting them and making them usable again.
Contact us today for expert restoration services after a house fire. We serve Southern Californian and Nevada communities, including:
- Glendale, CA
- Van Nuys, CA
- Placentia, CA
- Gardena, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Las Vegas, NV
- And more
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I keep electronics that smell like smoke?
The only electronics you should keep after a house fire are those that have been looked at by an expert. Hidden interior damage can remain from smoke and soot, along with corrosion and potential fire hazards.
Is it safe to stay in the house after a fire?
No, it’s not safe to stay in your home after a house fire until it’s been properly inspected and cleaned. Not only is the structural integrity compromised, but soot and smoke particles are also present, presenting air quality concerns that could be extremely dangerous to your health.
How soon should the cleanup begin?
Start cleanup after a house fire as soon as it’s safe to do so. The faster a specialized cleanup crew begins, the more of your property will be salvageable.