The fire trucks may be gone but without proper immediate response, the real damage and the costs are just beginning. To return your residential or commercial property to its pre-loss condition requires professional restoration. This is not the job for a do-it-yourself property owner.
For results you can have confidence in, the IICRC recommends hiring a certified restoration firm. Restoration to a property can be complex. Proper smoke and odor removal are tasks that require technicians certified in these specific areas.
When selecting a certified restoration firm several factors must be considered:
In the wake of a fire that has covered homes with smoke and ash, its important to begin clean up as soon as possible in order to prevent permanent damage or discoloration from soot residue. The IICRC provides the following tips for fire victims facing clean up:
Professional restoration technicians know that damage increases and restoration costs escalate the longer neutralization, corrosion control and cleaning is delayed. When homeowners prolong the restoration of their home, they extend the effects brought on by the smoke exposure. The following is a timeline of the effects of fire and smoke on a home.
Within Minutes: Acid soot residues cause plastics to yellow; small appliances located close to the source of combustion discolor; highly porous materials (marble, alabaster) discolor permanently.
Within Hours: Acid residues stain grout in bathrooms; fiberglass bath fixtures may yellow; uncoated metals tarnish, counter tops may yellow; finishes on appliances, particularly refrigerators, may yellow; furniture finishes may discolor.
Within Days: In time, acid residues cause painted walls to yellow permanently; metal corrodes, pits and rusts; wood furniture requires refinishing; vinyl flooring requires refinishing or replacement; clothing becomes soot stained; upholstery stains permanently.
Within Weeks: Restoration costs escalate tremendously. Synthetic carpet fibers may yellow or discolor permanently; silver plate is corroded permanently; glass, crystal, china may require replacement due to severe etching and pitting caused by prolonged exposure to acid soot residues.
Cleaning up soot residue must be done as quickly as possible. During combustion, soot residue and volatile vapors are carried by rising and expanding air to surfaces throughout a structure, and are deposited. This process occurs repeatedly until combustion ends, with soot residue building up on surfaces layer by layer. By the time restoration technicians arrive, lacquer-like soot residue may be quite difficult to dissolve and remove.
In addition to removing residue, ridding your home of its smoky odor is necessary. Professionals use this four-step process to remove odors:
Understanding the effects of a fire can help homeowners evaluate the damage to their home. By learning more about residue clean-up and deodorization after a fire, you can minimize the need for costly repair. Fire and smoke restoration experts can help you return your home and furnishings to a pre-loss condition.
See more here:
Fire and Smoke Restoration - IICRC
- Heritage Home Program aims to preserve older homes in Rocky River, Bay Village - Cleveland.com - April 4th, 2025 [April 4th, 2025]
- Fallingwater was Frank Lloyd Wrights most iconic home. Renovations will require more than a trip to Home Depot. - The Philadelphia Inquirer - March 17th, 2025 [March 17th, 2025]
- Girl Scouts lead bottle drive to aid Morgan-Manning House restoration efforts - MSN - January 31st, 2025 [January 31st, 2025]
- Grant will assist with Drane House restoration - Cumberland Times-News - January 13th, 2025 [January 13th, 2025]
- Sutton Stracke Details Her Next Home Renovation Project: I Need To Redo (EXCLUSIVE) - Bravo - January 3rd, 2025 [January 3rd, 2025]
- J&K CM Omar Meets Shah To Discuss Early Statehood Restoration Home Minister Reviews Security Situation In UT - ABP Live - December 21st, 2024 [December 21st, 2024]
- RestoMaster Earns Global Recognition Award 2024 for Exceptional Service in Home Restoration and Remodeling - Benzinga - December 21st, 2024 [December 21st, 2024]
- Driver Opera House restoration nearing completion - 97 Seven Country WGLR - November 29th, 2024 [November 29th, 2024]
- Bid to deliver Paignton Picture House restoration with 900,000 helping hand - Torbay Weekly - November 29th, 2024 [November 29th, 2024]
- State historical commission awards $150k to Heritage Foundation for Winstead House restoration - williamsonherald.com - November 4th, 2024 [November 4th, 2024]
- Refresh your home on a budget with these easy house projects - The Spokesman Review - November 4th, 2024 [November 4th, 2024]
- Inside the ongoing Hinchee House restoration: How volunteers, donations can boost project - KBTV Fox 4 Beaumont - September 29th, 2024 [September 29th, 2024]
- HGTV's Blockbuster Renovation Competition Series 'Rock the Block' To Return In 2025 With New Veterans Versus Rookies Twist | Pressroom - Warner Bros.... - September 29th, 2024 [September 29th, 2024]
- Dayton House to celebrate 20 years since renovation - The Globe - September 29th, 2024 [September 29th, 2024]
- Rock The Block Renewed For Season 6 By HGTV With Returning Vets Jonathan & Jordan Knight Among Others - Deadline - September 29th, 2024 [September 29th, 2024]
- 11 Weirdest Things People Have Found During Home Renovations - Architectural Digest - September 20th, 2024 [September 20th, 2024]
- Creator of a $100M Restaurant Empire Has Taken on Restoring a Greek Village - Barron's - September 20th, 2024 [September 20th, 2024]
- Retired couple 'traumatised' after three-week home renovation turns into two-year 60,000 nightmare - Yahoo News UK - September 20th, 2024 [September 20th, 2024]
- Couple's 'three-week' home renovation turns into 60,000 two-year nightmare - Devon Live - September 20th, 2024 [September 20th, 2024]
- Interview with the couple behind Wrights Eppstein House Restoration - Parametric Architecture - September 7th, 2024 [September 7th, 2024]
- Aldi insider reveals 5 top tips on how to renovate your home on a budget - Hexham Courant - September 7th, 2024 [September 7th, 2024]
- Island neighbors lend a helping hand to a resident in need of major home restoration - KRIS 6 News Corpus Christi - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Loctite, Habitat for Humanity team up for Cleveland home renovation - Crain's Cleveland Business - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- They Had Different Problem-Solving Styles and a Modern House to Restore. How Did They Get It Done? - The Wall Street Journal - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Qualified Remodeler's TOP 500 Residential Remodelers Offers Insights on $500 billion R&R Market - Business Wire - August 17th, 2024 [August 17th, 2024]
- Families forced to leave RV park they call home - Restoration NewsMedia - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Record-setting Concorde set to return to museum home after restoration - BreakingNews.ie - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- HGTV Fans Say They're "Obsessed" with Lil Jon's Home Renovation Show - Country Living - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Home show to highlight local home improvement businesses - The Daily Times - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- The outdoors is the artwork in a Hong Kong home with stunning green views - Post Magazine - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Ant McPartlin and wife Anne-Marie in 'change of heart' over house renovation - Entertainment Daily - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- NYC Going Inc. Announces Major Expansion: Bringing Renowned Home Remodeling Services to All Five Boroughs ... - PR.com - January 13th, 2024 [January 13th, 2024]
- Can higher lodging costs cut restoration losses? - Canadian Underwriter - January 13th, 2024 [January 13th, 2024]
- Regina Hall Surprises Her Friend of 15 Years With a Life-Changing Home Renovation - House Beautiful - January 13th, 2024 [January 13th, 2024]
- Founder and owner of Jericho Home Improvements killed in shooting - KMBC Kansas City - January 13th, 2024 [January 13th, 2024]
- Magnolia's Director of Styling Reveals Waco Home Renovation - House Beautiful - January 13th, 2024 [January 13th, 2024]
- Eerie Discovery During Home Renovation Goes Viral - BNN Breaking - January 13th, 2024 [January 13th, 2024]
- This home renovation could save you thousands of dollars and its easier to install than you might think - Yahoo! Voices - January 13th, 2024 [January 13th, 2024]
- A local property manager organized power restoration in Hallowell after this week's flooding - Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Restoration Hardwares CEO Pays $28 Million for His Second Malibu Beach House - Yahoo Singapore News - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Big Media's Home Renovation Isn't Over - by Claire Atkinson - The Ankler. - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Colorado AG says he will look into Statewide Restoration complaints as fire victims say they were abandoned - KOAA News 5 - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- Gisele Bndchen Reveals the Tool She Uses to Manage 'Incredible' Home Renovation Project - PEOPLE - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- TikTok Famous Tulsa Couple Transforming Lives With Free Home Remodeling Projects - News On 6 - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- 10 Top Home Decor and Renovation Trends for 2024, According to Opendoor - Real Simple - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- Christina Hall Shares "Stunning" Photos of $12M Home Renovation - House Beautiful - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- When is it Time to Call the Pros After a DIY Home Renovation Goes Wrong? - Alberta Prime Times - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- HGTV looks to raise the stakes in home renovation with latest formats - C21Media - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- NC man accused of taking money for home renovations, not completing work - Yahoo News - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- #TBT: Austin's Pioneer Farms preserves & expands the living history of Central Texas' past - KEYE TV CBS Austin - March 24th, 2023 [March 24th, 2023]
- Restoration company warns Sask. homeowners of extreme weather damage ... - February 27th, 2023 [February 27th, 2023]
- 'Bring them home': Restoration efforts have condors returning to Yurok Tribal lands - Herald and News - February 27th, 2023 [February 27th, 2023]
- This restored 1884 Irving Spencer House is the oldest in Portlands Irvington neighborhood - OregonLive - February 19th, 2023 [February 19th, 2023]
- 31 Mid City homes in Baton Rouge will undergo an $8.7 million renovation - The Advocate - February 19th, 2023 [February 19th, 2023]
- PROPERTY MATTERS: Brewery owners looking to expand into waffles, and other development news - Connect Savannah.com - December 14th, 2022 [December 14th, 2022]
- World Champion Filipe Toledo To Present United Nations World Restoration Flagships Alongside Celebrities Jason Momoa, Ellie Goulding and Global Stars... - December 14th, 2022 [December 14th, 2022]
- Restoration Services | ServiceMaster Restore - September 5th, 2022 [September 5th, 2022]
- Faith community still integral in flood recovery efforts - The Mountaineer - September 5th, 2022 [September 5th, 2022]
- Frank Lloyd Wright house reopens to visitors following 'transformative' restoration - Building Design - September 5th, 2022 [September 5th, 2022]
- Apni Party submits memorandum to L-G for restoration of J&K's statehood - The Statesman - September 5th, 2022 [September 5th, 2022]
- 110-year-old historic vessel Battleship Texas moving to Galveston for restoration - KTVZ - September 5th, 2022 [September 5th, 2022]
- Signal Restoration Names Executive VP of Business Development - CleanLink - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Montana attorney general warns of scams and fraud in flood damage restoration - Bozeman Daily Chronicle - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- SWFL gives a new home to threatened wildlife species - Wink News - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Musseling Back from Near Extinction | US Fish & Wildlife Service - US Fish and Wildlife Service - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Pittsfield Looks into the Future of Wahconah Park - iBerkshires.com - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Long Path Ahead for Burma Road Restoration - Newport This Week - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- York couple hopes their mobile repair and restoration business brings value to the community - Daily Press - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Restoration crews busy helping people with storm damage - WANE - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Beirut house installed in London's V&A museum - The National - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Ohio childrens services workers respond to crisis of Cuyahoga kids living in county office building: The Wak - cleveland.com - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Camden Herald letter: Thanks for supporting the Vulcan Locomotive restoration - Courier-Gazette & Camden Herald - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Over $1.4 million in grants announced for coastal communities - Wisconsin Examiner - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Havenwoods State Forest in Milwaukee is the result of 'healing' after a military past - WUWM - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- It was up there with some of the hurricane-force winds Powell residents wait for power restoration after storms - WATE 6 On Your Side - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- This Peugeot 604 Is One Man's Obsessive Restoration - Car and Driver - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Restoration work at Olean Legion thanks to DRI fund - Olean Times Herald - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Renowned Dermatologist - Dr. Matt Leavitt joins Gore Range Capital as an Executive Partner - Business Wire - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Save the Date - Flint Township View - MiHomepaper - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]
- Learn to make the most of your garden at these summer events - OregonLive - July 8th, 2022 [July 8th, 2022]