Can you save your furniture after a fire?
A house fire can be a very damaging and destructive occurrence. Apart from the sheer emotional trauma and mental anguish it can cause your family, it also eats away at your home and possessions. Unless it’s controlled in time, it is very likely that a house fire consumes all of your furniture and fittings.
If the fire rescue department manages to come in time, however, there may be hope in saving your furniture. However, whether or not your furniture can be saved depends on a number of factors. You should look at the following factors before going ahead with trying to save an item of furniture.
The Extent of Damage
Of course this makes sense. The extent of the fire damage will determine whether your table is still standing with a few burns or is a burning wreck. If the fire spread to only part of your furniture then most items can be salvaged. The burnt part is cut away and craftsman can attach new parts. The final finish makes it hard to determine if there was any damage at all.
Similarly, burns, and scorch marks can also be sanded and polished away. They are not something which can permanently ruin your furniture. However, the extent of damage also depends on the type of furniture. Upholstery will usually be much harder to repair than wooden furniture. At that point, it may be better to throw it away and get new upholstery.
Fire Damage or Smoke Damage
Normally, fire damaged furniture refers to both fire and smoke damage. However, there is one difference among them. Unlike fire damage, smoke damage can be repaired in almost all cases.
Fire damage can eat and burn your furniture to cinder. Smoke damage at its worst damages only the upper surface and leaves stains. There are many techniques and methods available to remove these stains and reclaim your furniture.
How Much Time has Passed
The time between the end of the fire and furniture restoration matters a lot. A house fire leaves a lot of degrading byproducts. Ash, smoke, soot, and cinder are acidic. If you think about restoring your furniture too late, the acidic properties in these substances can damage even furniture that was otherwise relatively safe. Time is of the essence in saving your furniture. After a certain time has passed, it is just not worth it to try saving fire damaged furniture.
The Material
The material that was used to make the piece of furniture in question will also impact whether or not the furniture can be saved. Upholstery, cloth, textile, and leather furniture often takes a lot more damage than wooden or synthetic furniture. The former are natural substances and burn more rapidly. The latter can stand out a fire far longer and actually remain in salvageable states.
Conclusion
Contact Service Team of Professionals (STOP) for all your fire repair needs. Our experts will carefully protect and inspect your furniture for restoration. If it can be saved, we will save it.
