All audiovisual media are sensitive to heat and water. However, it may be possible to salvage some objects that have been exposed to fire. In the first instance do not throw anything away!

Large amounts of water may be used when putting out a fire.

Water damage is very dangerous for magnetic materials as it attacks the binders on tape and can affect the magnetic signal.

Vinyl discs and CDs are quite robust and may be playable once carefully dried.

External packaging and labels may be damaged by fire, smoke or water, but the actual records, tapes or CDs may be recoverable.

Smoke and dirt may adhere to the surface of the tape, disc and CD and cause problems for playback or damage to the object.

Careful handling during the recovery process after a fire may reduce the amount of dirt or debris on items and prevent additional scratching and damage.

For valued items please seek expert advice from a conservator who may be able to assist in salvaging materials damaged by fire.

Video and audio tapes

The magnetic signal may be affected either over a part or all of the tape. This may be noticeable as a faint or distorted sound or an increase in background noise.

DAT recordings or badly affected analogue materials may have no recoverable signal at all.

• Gently brush any loose dirt from the protective cases
• Drain any water from the cases by gently opening the case (do not remove the cassette) and place the case spine up on a draining surface.
• Keep the tapes cool, but do not freeze.

Vinyl discs

Heat may distort the disc, this alters the internal tensions in the disc.

A distorted disc may be able to be flattened again but there will probably be some loss of the quality of the audio content, especially around the site of the distortion.

• Gently brush any loose dirt from the sleeve
• If the disc is wet gently rinse with distilled water if available or clean tap water. Gently dry the disc by dabbing with a lint free cloth, do not wipe or rub dry.
• A distorted disc may be able to be flattened again by placing between two sheets of glass and left in a warm place for a while until the disc appears completely flat. Before attempting to remove the disc it should be left to cool down. This may not completely recover the full quality of the original recording.

CDs and DVDs

Any distortion of the disc can result in a total loss of the content.

CD‐Rs affected by heat may appear intact but the dyes used to record the data may have been affected. In this instance the disc will either work or not.

• Gently brush any loose dirt from the protective cases
• Wipe the protective case with a damp (not wet) cloth
• If there is no obvious damage to the disc open the case and carefully brush the laser side with a soft brush or tissue any loose dirt off the disc.
• Wipe from the centre of the disc straight to the outer edge, do not wipe around the disc in a circular motion.
• When handling the disc be careful of the label side as this is easily scratched and can affect the ability to replay the disc