Don’t Throw it Away!
If your documents, photographs and heirlooms have been damaged in a fire, often times they can be at least partially salvaged. Even after fires, most of the damage is the result of the water used to extinguish the fire. With care, wet documents and objects can be handled without causing further damage. This guide will provide you a few tips and resources for salvaging your personal records.
Remember, the most important thing is not to throw your records and heirlooms away just because they have water, smoke, or even fire damage!
Water Damage
It is important to treat records for water damage first. After 48 hours, mold can start to grow on wet materials.
- For photos, legal documents, and personal records, you can interleave pages or papers with plain white paper towels to draw out water. If you have a lot of wet items, wrap them in freezer paper and place in a freezer until you have more time.
- For computers and electronic storage devices, set objects in a clean environment to dry for at least 24 hours. You may want to put a fan in the room to circulate air, but do not blow air directly onto the materials. Do not put disks in the freezer, but allow to air dry.
Smoke Damage
Smoke smells may be reduced by placing objects in a sealable container along with a container of non-clumping, unscented kitty litter. Do not put the kitty litter directly on the object. Leave container with object and kitty litter sealed for at least 24 hours. You may need to change the kitty litter a few times for extremely smoky materials. Do not treat materials in this way if they are still wet.
Fire Damage
- For paper materials damaged by fire, you may brush off soot with a soft paint brush, careful to brush away from you, and not inhale any particles. Place documents in manila folders to protect them from tearing or cracking, and minimize handling. If materials are particularly fragile, you may take a digital photograph to capture important information.
- For computers damaged by fire, make sure the object is completely dry, then place in a sealable container. If the case of the computer is damaged, there may be a chance the data on the hard drive can be at least partially recovered at a later date.