Importance of Getting Rid of Things After Fire Damage

Fire disasters are one of the most dreaded nightmares for homeowners. In the event of one, not only is property lost, but there is always a strong possibility that those inside the premises are suffering from burns or even death.

When the fire is out, there is still a lot that needs to be done before the premises can be safe for use again. In the process of restoring normalcy, you will have to sort through the items and decide what to keep and what to throw away.

The fact, however, is that you will have to get rid of certain things. Here is why this is so important.

Do away with items that can’t be salvaged

Depending on the severity of the fire, you may end with certain items that are completely destroyed, and which you can’t salvage for future use. Since there is nothing you can do with such items, the best things to do with them is to either get rid of them and think about getting proper replacements.

Helps with the cleaning process as it gets rid of smoke

One of the challenges of fire damage cleanup is dealing with the smoke. The fire may be out for days, but you will find that the smell of smoke is still lingering. There could be many reasons for this, including poor after-fire cleaning in Montreal, but a common culprit is usually the burnt items that remain.

One effective of dealing with this problem is to get rid of any burnt item that remain, or any other item that may have soaked up great amounts of smoke during the fire incident.

To avoid hoarding stuff you don’t need

Getting rid of things after the fire is also a great way to ensure that you don’t keep on storing things you no longer need. After fire damage cleanup is always characterized by thorough stripping of the rooms and getting nearly everything out of the room for a proper cleaning process.

During this time, you will discover that you have lots of stuff that you have been keeping for years, but no longer need. Therefore, you will have a great opportunity to sort the needed items from the unneeded, and get rid of the stuff you have been uselessly hoarding for years.

Improve home organization after the fire

Getting rid of things after a fire will also help improve the organization in your home. Since you will do away with lots of things you no longer need, you will end up with fewer items and more space which you can then go and rearrange for a proper organization in the home.

What you must throw away after a fire

There are certain things which you must just throw away after a fire incident in your home. With these, the risks after a fire exposure are so great that you don’t have to negotiate whether you need to keep them. They include the following:

• Exposed non-perishable foods – If you had any non-perishable foods exposed to the heat, smoke, or firefighting chemicals, then these will have to be discarded once the fire is under control. The heat from the fire can activate bacteria within the foods and cause them to spoil or simply make them develop certain undesirable tastes. Fumes from the fires can also contaminate the foods, making them unsafe for human consumption.
• Medicines and cosmetics – your medicines and cosmetics are the other groups of items that you should think of throwing away after a fire incident. After the fire, inspect the products for signs of soot, heat, fire extinguisher dust, or other forms of fire damage. Should you notice any form of interference by the fire, don’t hesitate to through everything away since this is the safest thing for you to do.
• All foods left at room temperature – if there were any foodstuff in the kitchen left open during the fire, then these will have to be discarded once the fire is put out. This is because they could have been exposed to heat, soot, or fire extinguisher chemicals, making them unsafe for human consumption. If there were any foods left in the refrigerator and the power went out for more than six hours, these also will have to be discarded since they may not be safe for human consumption.
• Burned clothing, bedding, and towels – charred or burned clothing, towels, and bedding also need to go. If you notice minor soot stains, you may consider washing them and soaking them in vinegar to help get rid of the smoke odor. The same should also be the case for furniture and mattresses damaged by fire.

What you may keep

Though fires may be devastating, there are certain things that can always be salvaged, and restored for future use. Here is a brief look at some of them:
Glass – Glass is known to be resilient to fires, and even when stained, it is possible to have them cleaned and be made to look pristine again.
Metals – Metals can withstand very high temperatures, and you may not necessarily have to throw them away after a fire. You can simply clean them before sanding and painting them to restore their original looks.
Hardwood floors – You may also get lucky with hardwood floors in the event of a fire at home. If they are not extremely charred or burnt excessively, you can always restore them by cleaning them, sanding, and then applying a suitable refinish to breathe life into them again.

Work with a professional fire damage cleanup crew

If you are faced with the prospects of fire damage, then you should consider working with a professional fire damage cleanup crew for fast, and reliable results. In such cases, you need someone with experience, expertise, and the tools to help you restore normalcy as soon as possible.

Call KBS Maintenance for reputable after-fire cleaning services in Montreal.