4 Important Items To Replace After a Fire

7/18/2019 (Permalink)

Replace your personal products after a fire

Four Items that Require Replacement After a Fire

Fire can ruin most of the contents of a home in a matter of minutes. Items that are not exposed to direct flame or high heat may benefit from content cleaning and restoration. Throw away any burnt or charred items that have significant fire damage. Documenting damage, listing losses and providing proof of purchase, ownership or condition may facilitate the insurance claim filing process. Here are four items that require replacement after exposure to heat, flames, soot and smoke.

Charred Materials

When fire causes blackens any material, chemical changes take place that can cause contamination. It is possible to remove soot and smoke residue from materials indirectly exposed to a fire, but burnt and charred building materials and contents should be disposed of during cleanup.

Food

Fire causes chemical changes to occur that can destabilize food in bags or containers without airtight seals. Rather than risking exposure to contaminants or food poisoning, you should replace damaged food stores. Canned food that was not exposed to flames or high temperatures may be salvageable. Remove labeling, clean the can and create a new label with the contents and expiration date.

Personal Products

Body, face and hair products should be free of contaminants found in burning materials and smoke. Heat also reduces the effectiveness of topical formulas.

Medicine

The temperature ranges on over-the-counter and prescription medications are among the most important factors when determining which items you should throw away or keep and try to use. It’s almost always a good idea to get new, sealed medication that is guaranteed to be effective.
Even if there is no visible charring on an item, a rapid escalation in temperature can alter most chemical compounds. If you are not sure whether to throw items away, check the labeling. Rather than running the risk of re-contamination, rely on IICRC-certified fire damage restoration experts in Batavia,IL.