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Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration

4 Items To Throw Out if Damaged by a Home Fire

3/30/2021 (Permalink)

Fire Damaged Kitchen Cabinets. The fire damage restoration process can be difficult to go through, especially when it involves getting rid of items that you care for.

If you've experienced a fire in your Fountain Valley, CA, home, there are several steps you'll need to take next. Regrettably, one of them is to throw away affected items. Once it's safe to return to your house, you'll want to immediately check for things that have been contaminated by the fire. If you're unsure of what to inspect, here are four items to throw out if damaged by a home fire.

1. Food
Unfortunately, one of the main items you'll need to throw away after a home fire is food. Inspect all of your food, not just the items that are perishable or lying out. Even your canned goods could have been spoiled by extreme heat. It's also important to check your fridge in case it lost power. Here are some warning signs to keep in mind:

An unpleasant odor
Bulging
Charred items

2. Medicine
Similar to food, you don't want to consume something that could be contaminated by high heat. Take a good look at each of your medicines. If anything looks charred, throw it out immediately. You'll also want to look for general signs of heat and smoke exposure.

3. Cosmetics
Cosmetics may not be consumed like food or medicine, but most still have contact with your skin. Therefore, you should inspect all of your makeup and skincare products. Make sure nothing is warped or charred. If something is, no matter how expensive the product was, throw it out.

4. Clothes
While clothes are a bit less concerning than edible items, you should still take care to throw away contaminated pieces. Look and sniff for any burn marks or distinct odors. You may be able to salvage unburnt items, so ask an expert if you're uncertain. Take special care to inspect the clothing of children.

The fire damage restoration process can be difficult to go through, especially when it involves getting rid of items that you care for. However, fire damage isn't something to shrug off. Take the necessary precautions and do a thorough inspection.

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