Fire Damage Restoration in Englewood, CO

A fire damages a building three ways. Flames destroy what they touch. Smoke and soot travel through the whole house, staining walls and leaving an odor in everything porous. And the water used to put out the fire soaks the structure. Restoration has to deal with all three, in the right order.

What fire damage restoration includes

• Emergency board-up of windows and doors and roof tarping
• Removal of standing water from firefighting
• Drying of walls, floors and framing
• Removal of charred and badly damaged materials
• Soot cleanup on walls, ceilings, cabinets and hard surfaces
• Smoke odor treatment
• Contents sorting, cleaning or pack-out
• HVAC inspection, since ducts can spread soot and odor
• Documentation for your insurance claim
• Repairs and rebuild

Common causes of house fires

Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S., according to the NFPA. Other common causes include heating equipment, electrical problems, dryer lint and candles. Even a small kitchen fire can send soot into every room through the HVAC system.

How fire and smoke cleanup works

• Secure the property. Board up openings and tarp roof damage to keep out weather and intruders.
• Remove water. Extract firefighting water and start drying right away.
• Remove debris. Clear out charred materials that can't be restored.
• Clean soot. Use the right method for each surface: dry sponges for light soot, wet cleaning for greasy residue.
• Treat odor. Remove odor sources, clean air ducts and use deodorization methods suited to the space.
• Restore. Repair or replace drywall, insulation, flooring, cabinets and paint.

A note on ozone: Some companies use ozone machines for smoke odor. The EPA warns that ozone can harm health. If ozone is used, the space must be empty of people, pets and plants and aired out before anyone returns.

What affects the cost

The size of the fire, how far smoke traveled, the type of soot (dry, wet or protein residue from cooking fires), the amount of firefighting water, contents cleaning and the rebuild scope all affect cost. A stovetop flare-up in one kitchen is very different from a fire that reached the attic.

DIY or call a pro?

After a very small fire, such as a pan fire put out with a lid, you can often clean light soot from hard surfaces yourself. Ventilate the area, wear gloves and use a dry chemical sponge before any wet cleaning. Our smoke damage cleanup guide explains the steps.

Call a pro for anything larger, when firefighting water was used, when smoke reached other rooms or the HVAC system, or when the smell won't go away.

Fire damage and insurance

Fire is a covered peril in standard homeowners policies. Call your insurer right away, ask about additional living expenses if you can't stay in the home, and make a list of damaged items. Don't throw away damaged belongings until the adjuster has seen them or you've photographed them. Our insurance claim guide has a checklist that works for fire losses too.