The Short Answer: The smoke damage restoration process involves emergency response, damage assessment, smoke and soot removal, odor elimination, and complete restoration of your property. Professional restoration requires specialized equipment and IICRC-certified techniques to fully remove smoke particles and return your home to its pre-loss condition.
Smoke damage goes far beyond what you can see. After a fire, smoke particles penetrate walls, furniture, HVAC systems, and porous materials throughout your home. These particles contain toxic chemicals that continue causing damage long after the flames are out. Without proper smoke damage restoration, you risk permanent staining, corrosion, and an unpleasant odor that lingers for months.
RestoPros’ smoke damage restoration services follow a proven process developed from years of fire damage restoration experience.
Why Immediate Action Matters
Every hour that passes after a fire allows smoke residue to cause further damage. According to the Institute of Inspection, smoke and soot begin causing permanent damage within 24 to 48 hours.
- Within minutes: Smoke particles settle on surfaces throughout the affected area
- Within hours: Acidic soot begins etching into metals, glass, and finishes
- Within days: Smoke odor penetrates deeper into porous materials
- Within weeks: Yellowing, corrosion, and permanent staining set in
RestoPros offers 24/7 emergency response because timing directly affects restoration outcomes. The faster our team arrives, the more of your property we can save from significant damage.
Phase 1: Emergency Response and Assessment
Securing Your Property
When RestoPros arrives, our first priority is preventing further damage. This includes board-up services, tarping damaged sections, and addressing any water damage from firefighting efforts.
Detailed Damage Assessment
Our certified technicians inspect every area of your property. Smoke travels through air currents, which means damage often extends far beyond the fire’s origin point.
We assess visible soot and smoke residue, smoke penetration into structural elements, HVAC contamination, damage to belongings, and air quality levels. This assessment becomes the foundation of your insurance claim documentation.
Phase 2: Smoke and Soot Removal
Understanding Smoke Residue Types
Different fires produce different types of smoke residue. Our technicians identify the residue type to select the right cleaning methods.
Professional Cleaning Methods
RestoPros uses specialized equipment and advanced techniques matched to each residue type. Our smoke removal process includes vacuuming, dry sponge cleaning, wet cleaning with professional-grade solutions, and content cleaning for salvageable belongings.
Attempting smoke removal without proper training often pushes soot deeper into materials, causing permanent damage.
Phase 3: Odor Removal
Smoke particles are microscopic. They penetrate deep into porous materials like drywall, carpet, and wood. Surface cleaning alone cannot reach these embedded particles, which is why smoke odor often returns after DIY attempts.
RestoPros’ odor removal services use multiple advanced techniques:
- Thermal Fogging: Creates heated fog that penetrates the same spaces smoke reached, neutralizing odor at the molecular level
- Ozone Treatment: Produces O3 molecules that break down odor-causing compounds in unreachable areas
- Hydroxyl Generators: Create hydroxyl radicals that safely neutralize odors
- Air Scrubbing: Filters continuously remove smoke particles from the air
We verify odor elimination before completing the job. If you can still smell smoke, we’re not done.
Phase 4: Cleaning and Complete Restoration
Surface and Content Restoration
After smoke and soot removal, affected surfaces need thorough cleaning. Smoke residue contains toxic chemicals that pose health risks if left behind. We clean walls, ceilings, flooring, cabinets, fixtures, and all affected surfaces.
Many personal belongings can be saved with professional cleaning. Items that cannot be saved are documented for your insurance claim.
Structural Repairs
Smoke and fire often cause structural damage requiring professional repair. RestoPros’ rebuild services handle drywall replacement, painting with odor-sealing primers, flooring replacement, and HVAC cleaning or replacement.
The goal of the entire smoke damage restoration process is returning your home to its original condition. RestoPros handles everything from debris removal through final repairs.
Insurance Assistance: We Work for You
RestoPros Is Your Advocate
Some restoration companies work as preferred vendors for insurance carriers, meaning their loyalty is divided. RestoPros works directly for you, the homeowner. We document all damage thoroughly and provide accurate estimates based on what your home actually needs.
Our insurance assistance includes:
- Detailed documentation with professional photography
- Direct communication with your insurance company
- Accurate repair estimates that reflect full restoration needs
- Support if your claim is underpaid or denied
Throughout the restoration process, we create records that strengthen your insurance claim: before and after photos, air quality readings, itemized scope of work, daily progress logs, and final completion verification.
Trust RestoPros for Smoke Damage Restoration
Smoke damage requires professional restoration work using specialized equipment and proven techniques. Surface cleaning cannot reach embedded smoke particles, and improper methods cause permanent damage. RestoPros’ certified technicians follow IICRC safety standards throughout the smoke damage restoration process, from emergency response through complete restoration.
We work for you, not your insurance company. Our team documents everything, advocates for full coverage, and restores your home to its pre-loss condition.
Contact RestoPros for 24/7 emergency response. You can also find a RestoPros location near you to speak with local fire restoration experts.