How Do I Restore Photos After a House Fire?

After a house fire, photos may be covered in soot, smoke residue, or water from firefighting efforts. Move quickly, but handle each photo with care. Wet photos are fragile, and the emulsion can stick to other surfaces or to each other if they dry in a stack.

Separate dry photos from wet ones. For wet photos, place them in a container of clean, cold water, keeping them face up and not touching. This slows further damage until a professional can work on them. For dry photos, lay them flat on a clean, dry surface, but avoid wiping or brushing off soot, as that can scratch the image.

• Wear gloves to avoid adding oils from your hands
• Keep wet photos submerged in cold water
• Do not peel apart photos that are stuck together
• Store dry photos in a clean, dry container
• Label containers with the date and room where found
• Keep photos out of direct sunlight

If a conservator is not available right away, you can take some temporary steps. Keep wet photos in cold water, changing the water daily to prevent mold growth. For dry photos, store them in a cool, dry place, away from heat and humidity, until you can get professional help.

Do not attempt to iron, microwave, or oven-dry photos, as these methods cause permanent damage. Do not use adhesives or tape to repair torn photos. These actions can make later restoration harder or impossible.

After a fire, you might think about how to protect your photos in the future. Store important prints in fire-resistant and water-resistant containers. Also, consider making digital backups of your most treasured photos and storing them off-site, such as in a cloud service or with a relative.

If you live in Caldwell, keep your digital backups in a separate location from your home. The semi-arid climate with cold winters and hot dry summers means that fire risk can be present, so planning ahead can reduce the impact of a future incident.