What Should I Throw Away After a Fire?

5/23/2022 (Permalink)

After a Fire, What Should I Throw Away?

After you've had a fire in your Greenwood Village, CO, home, many of your belongings can be damaged by smoke, water and heat. Some items may be obviously ruined, but you might be wondering whether to throw away other things that don't have visible signs of damage. You should still discard certain household items after a fire for safety reasons.

Room-Temperature Perishable Food
It's possible to save refrigerated food after a home fire. If the refrigerator stayed tightly closed and did not sustain fire damage, the food inside should be safe for about four hours without power.
Check inside an intact refrigerator and evaluate the condition of the interior. Discard any food that:

• Has a strange smell or color before or after preparation
  
• Was above 40 degrees for more than 2 hours
  
• Was frozen but no longer has ice crystals in it
  
• Has the smell or appearance of smoke
  
  

Damaged Nonperishable Food
While cans of food may remain intact after a fire, it's best to throw away anything that was near the flames. High heat can cause the food inside to spoil or taste bad, and fumes can penetrate sealed cans or glass containers. Any food with apparent signs of damage or exposure, like rusted and bulging cans or containers covered in extinguisher dust, should be discarded immediately.

Cosmetics and Medicine
It may be hard to discard expensive medications, but if they show any signs of fire damage, it's safest to get rid of them. Call your doctor right away if you need to replace prescription medication. Inspect cosmetic packages for signs of exposure to high heat, like warped packaging or a smoke smell.
A professional fire restoration company can help you sort your belongings and determine what is salvageable and what should be discarded. When it comes to consumable items, it's best to err on the side of caution when deciding what to throw away after a fire in Greenwood Village, CO.