Fire & Smoke damage Restoration

rebuild your property
after a fire

Damage to property and contents doesn’t end when the fire is extinguished. Chemicals contained in the soot residue will continue to degrade materials and finishes, and water used in the fire suppression will continue to permeate porous materials.

As a result, mold can begin to form within 24-48 hours. Connecting with us immediately will help our teams respond to your situation with mitigation and remediation services that stabilize and secure your property. After the controlled removal of damaged contents and building materials, we will begin the process of reconstruction and return your property to its pre-loss condition.

(gentle music) – When we got out here, it was about 8:00 p.m. The fire was still actively going. We did not have any clearance to go into the space yet. So our crews sat here until about midnight. When they finally got the fire out, they knew the scene was safe, and we were able to go in. At that point, they just asked us to do the standard board up. They didn’t have power. They didn’t have lights. There was no way of protecting the property. (gentle music continues) (lock clicks) heavy board up in this whole area. This is the actual unit where the source was. Again, this is multi-family, so we had about 24 residents who were impacted and had to be pulled out of the building, but only one unit had severe damage, a lot of smoke damage and some char in some neighboring units. (gentle music continues) (metal door rattles) This was the source unit. Back bedroom had an electrical fire. So this is a about a 200 unit multi-family property. This loss came in in February, so it was frigid temperatures at the time too, so we had a lot of people that were sitting out here in blankets. We only had four units that were directly affected by the fire. The rest all had smoke odor. The key was getting these residents who were not directly affected by the fire with structure damage back in their units quickly. This is the neighboring unit, a lot of smoke. Exterior had some damage, but the inside, a lot of it was pretty salvageable. So we still had to gut the whole ceiling, the back bathrooms to get all the insulation outta here to make sure we didn’t still have a smoke odor. The flooring had to come out. A lot of the reason why the flooring came out wasn’t necessarily because of smoke, but because the fire department doused this thing with water to put the fire out. All this glass, everything that’s destroyed, this will all come out during the rebuild phase. But you know, the key during the mitigation side of it is to ensure that we deodorize it and protect the neighboring units from any secondary damages. We had a crew of about eight here. Almost everybody that was out here is a fire restoration technician. So they’ve gone through the IICRC Standardized Testing. They know how to mitigate, how to clean fire. They know how to board up. We have trainings with our carpenters who help show them how to board these properties up properly and make sure that they’re safe and secure. (door rustles) (latch and lock clinking) So once the scene was released, we had to move really fast to get out here and start deodorizing AND cleaning. This included HEPA and charcoal filters, some hydroxyl units, stuff like that, to start the process. Overall, the experience has been great for them. We did get some text messages and emails from our client telling us how impressed they were. This was actually one of our first jobs that we did with them on a larger scale, and it’s gone fantastic, and the reviews that we’ve gotten from them have been phenomenal. It felt good knowing that we were able to help out not only the property owners and the property management but the residents who are displaced as well. We take pride in that. When we show up here, we wanna make sure that we take care of everybody and not just our clients who call us on the job. (gentle music fades)

Steps to Take After A Fire

  • Contact the insurance and mortgage companies or the business property owner.
  • If fire professionals have given you the okay to enter the property, you may be able to retrieve important items you need immediate access to. If you do not have permission to enter, conditions are not safe yet. Do not enter the property.
  • Contact the police department and your utility service providers if the area is to be left vacant.
  • Don’t attempt to clean up or make repairs to your home or business. It’s highly recommended that you hire a professional for all repairs and restoration.

First Onsite Fire and Smoke Damage Recovery Process

Our qualified professionals have decades of experience restoring properties that have been impacted by fire and soot damage. Here are some of the actions you can expect from our teams when we arrive at your site.

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Assess the Damage
First Onsite Fire Damage Assessment
1
Assess the Damage

As soon as the property is safe to enter, we’ll be able to assess any damage, including fire, soot, and water damage. This will allow us to build a roadmap that determines the size and scale of a project, providing a scope of work and an estimated timeline for completion.

Secure the Property
Fire Damage Secure the Property
2
Secure the Property

If the fire is extensive, we will secure all entrances to the property, board up windows, and cover any major gaps in the structure.

Water Extraction
First Onsite Water Extraction
3
Water Extraction

Hundreds to thousands of gallons of water are used to put out the fire. For any standing water, we’ll extract it and begin the drying process.

Controlled Demolition
Fire Damage Demolition
4
Controlled Demolition

Depending on the situation, we may demolish any major structural damage and remove the debris.

Clean
Fire Damage Soot Cleaning
5
Clean

Clean every surface affected to remove any remaining soot, toxins, oils, and odor-causing residues.

Reconstruction
Reconstruction and Restoration Services
6
Reconstruction

Depending on the extent of the damage, the property will be repaired and rebuilt back to its pre-fire condition.

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The Benefit of Hiring First Onsite For Fire and Smoke Restoration

Recovering from fire and soot damage is a complicated process; it will require a team that can work with you every step of the way. We start when your site is cleared by the authorities and continue to work with you through cleanup, remediation, and reconstruction.

Our local teams benefit from the support of our national network, allowing us to deploy the necessary equipment and personnel tailored to your specific situation, regardless of your location. Our goal is to restore your property to its original state while adhering to industry standards, codes, and guidelines, all while implementing the best, data-supported practices.

Our call center is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and you can ask for our fire and smoke recovery services at any time.

First Onsite Property Restoration Company

REDUCE YOUR DOWNTIME WITH A PRE-LOSS PLAN

Creating a disaster response plan allows us to respond even more quickly and effectively. By meeting with you before any damage occurs, our teams can familiarize themselves with your property, identify important points of concern, and develop a customized plan tailored to your facility’s unique requirements. This preplanning helps us to equip you with the necessary resources to react rapidly when the need arises.

  • Create a response plan for any disaster
  • Establish a point of contact dedicated to you
  • Speed up response time and the restoration process as well as reduce the amount of downtime
  • Access to resources like storm preparation tips and lunch and learns

Let us help you prepare for the unexpected

When disaster strikes, knowing what to expect can make a world of difference. Discover what our specialists have to say about preparing for disaster, expediting recovery, and everything in between. We’re here to help, always.

FAQs

Emergency response services, structural cleaning and repairs, smoke and soot removal, contents cleaning, odor removal, and reconstruction.

Call your local restoration company. A restoration company offers services that can help a property and its contents be restored to pre-disaster conditions after times of crisis.

Smoke Damage Restoration is the process of restoring a home or commercial property that has been exposed to smoke and soot. Soot contains harmful odor causing particles in the air and on surfaces that can cause harm to people and damage to materials. A restoration company will help determine what contents can be cleaned and restored, make conditions safe for to begin repairs, and restore damaged property to its previous condition.

Smoke damaged wood once cleaned and/or sealed, can safely and effectively be painted in most situations.

While the restoration of fire damaged wood is possible, in most cases it is more cost effective, and much faster to replace it.

The time it takes to remove soot damage depends on the extent of the damage, the size of the affected area, and the type of materials involved. When the fire is burning heat and pressure can drive soot into cavities and crevices within the structure and finishes. Understanding the extent of the smoke pressurization and migration through the structure is key to a successful restoration and establishing the extent of the repairs necessary. Many factors can impact the speed of recovery. Our experienced Project Managers will ensure the work is done correctly and completely in the most efficient way.

Knowing what materials burned, if the fire was oxygen feed, hot burning or an oxygen starved smoldering fire will determine the methods used to clean and deodorize the property.