Fire and smoke damage
After a fire, the damage is three things at once: what burned, what the smoke coated, and what the water from putting it out soaked. A kitchen fire that was out in minutes can leave soot through the whole house and a flooded floor below. We handle all three, from the emergency board-up through the cleaning and the rebuild.
What fire restoration covers
- Emergency board-up and roof tarping to secure the house
- Water from firefighting extracted and the structure dried
- Soot and smoke residue cleaned from walls, ceilings, cabinets and contents
- Odor treated at the source, including in the HVAC system where smoke traveled
- Charred and smoke-damaged materials removed and documented
- Repairs and rebuild of the damaged areas
Soot spreads further than the fire
Smoke travels through the whole house and settles on every surface, including inside closets and ductwork. Soot is acidic and stains permanently if it sits on some materials for more than a few days. Cleaning early keeps a lot of contents and finishes.
The water is the second loss
Fire departments use a lot of water. The floor below the fire and the rooms around it are often wetter than the fire room is burned. That water is extracted and the structure dried the same as any other water loss, or mold follows.
Questions about fire and smoke damage
The fire was small. Do I still need restoration?
If smoke reached other rooms or water was used to put it out, yes. The visible burn is usually the smallest part of the loss.
Can smoke smell be removed, or just covered?
Removed, when the source materials are cleaned or taken out and the air and ducts are treated. Covering it with fragrance does not last.
Can you secure the house tonight?
Yes. Board-up and tarping is an emergency service; call the line.