Lessons Learned: What Will Not Burn in a House Fire

3/15/2022 (Permalink)

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with SERVPRO — your Amarillo fire damage restoration experts.

A house fire is devastating for anyone living there. Fire rips through the property, destroying everything in its wake. When you look at a fire-damaged house, it can be difficult to believe that anything could have survived. However, not all household and precious items burn in an inferno. 

According to the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST), the average temperature inside a room during a house fire is around 1,800°F. While this extreme heat is hot enough to melt furnishings, destroy wooden structures, and, unfortunately, cause death, it won’t burn everything. 

5 Things in Your House That Can Withstand Fire

After the fire department has left and the house has cooled down, you may find precious items in among the rubble that’s left behind. 

Here are some items that won’t burn in a house fire.

Jewelry doesn’t burn in house fires 

Precious metals and gemstones typically survive house fires because they have high melting temperatures. For example, gold melts at 1,943°F, meaning house fires rarely destroy gold jewelry. Diamonds have an even higher melting point of 7,280°F. 

What’s the lesson learned? After a house fire, carefully check the areas where you kept jewelry. The chances are that gold necklaces, rings, and brooches have survived the inferno.

Steel filing cabinets and safes

Documents or precious items stored in a steel filing cabinet or safe are likely to survive the house fire. Steel has a melting temperature of at least 2,500°F. Therefore, you may find that your business files and documents are safe in your home office. Additionally, easily combustible items like banknotes or legal documents kept in a safe won’t burn in a house fire. 

Silverware

You will probably find that silverware — knives, spoons, and forks — survived the house fire. Most flatware is made from stainless steel; therefore, it won’t melt in a blaze. However, you can expect that wooden or plastic handles won’t endure extreme temperatures. 

Cookware 

You may be able to salvage cookware as you go through the rubble during the aftermath of a house blaze. Cast iron pots and pans or steel cookware are designed to withstand extremely high temperatures. Unfortunately, glass lids, rubber handles, silicone seals will burn during a fire.  

Tools

Hand tools are made from carbon steel so that they endure heavy use. So, you may be able to salvage your DIY tools from the garage or home workshop after a house fire. However, it’s unlikely that power tools — many of which have wires and plastic casings — will still be around once the fire dies.

Although your home may resemble a disaster zone after a dreadful fire, you may still be able to retrieve precious items from the debris. Typically, stainless steel and precious metals don’t burn, and it’s possible to restore gemstones after fire damage. 

Has Your House Suffered Fire Damage? Contact SERVPRO ASAP

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with SERVPRO — your Amarillo fire damage restoration experts. We can handle every part of the fire cleanup process, including emergency services, smoke odor removal, storage, sanitization, and restoration. 

We’re available 24/7 at (806) 331-4555.