Fire and smoke
Fire and smoke damage cleanup
Once the fire department has left, you are dealing with soot, a smell that gets into everything, and often a lot of water. Call to reach an independent contractor that handles fire and smoke cleanup.
Soot, odor and water
Even a small kitchen fire spreads soot well beyond the stove. It settles on ceilings, inside cabinets and on anything with a texture. Wiping it the wrong way smears it deeper, which is why cleanup usually starts with dry sponges and vacuums before any liquid.
Firefighting water adds a second problem. Rooms below the fire may need the same extraction and drying as any other water loss, and smoke odor needs its own treatment once the soot is gone.
Step by step
In the first days
Wait for the all-clear
Go back in only when the fire department says the building is safe.
Don't run the furnace fan
It can spread soot through the ducts until the system has been checked.
Leave soot alone
Wiping or vacuuming with a household machine can set it into surfaces.
Photograph and list
Every room, including the ones that only smell of smoke.
Call your insurer
Then a contractor to secure, clean and dry the house.
Questions
Fire & Smoke Damage: common questions
Can smoke smell be removed?
Usually, once the soot itself is cleaned off. Contractors use cleaning, sealing and odor treatment. Soft items like clothes and curtains may need specialist laundering.
What about the water from the hoses?
Treat it like any other water loss. Carpet, drywall and insulation below the fire may need drying or removal.
Do I need to board up?
If windows, doors or the roof were opened by the fire or the firefighters, yes. Many restoration contractors can secure the house.
Related
Often comes with
- Water Damage RestorationLeak found, water stopped, now what? Extraction, drying and putting the rooms back together.
- Water Extraction & DryingStanding water pumped out, then air movers and dehumidifiers until the readings come back normal.
- Mold RemediationSpots on a basement wall or behind a cabinet: moisture found, growth removed, the area dried.
Basement, ceiling, smoke or mold
Talk it through with a local restoration contractor
A single call reaches an independent contractor who handles water, fire and mold jobs around Minneapolis. They will ask questions, may come out to look, and give you their own price. Hiring them is your choice.
Water where it shouldn't be?
The call goes to an independent restoration contractor that takes jobs in Minneapolis and the nearby suburbs. Have the source, the wet rooms and the start time in mind.
Call (612) 471-0822Calls may be recorded. How the line is paid: referral disclosure. How call data is handled: privacy.