Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services Near You
Cleanup and structural drying after a fire — including the water that put it out
After the fire, the water from putting it out is the next problem — certified crews dry, clean smoke and soot, and document everything.
Not sure who to call first? See the correct call order guide →
The service
What you get when you call for fire and water damage restoration
- Emergency board-up and water extraction
- Structural drying alongside smoke and soot cleaning
- Removal of unsalvageable materials and contents inventory
- Odour treatment
- Full documentation for your fire claim
A home secured, dried and documented — the foundation of a fire claim that gets paid.
Call now if
- Firefighting water has soaked floors, walls or contents
- Smoke or soot residue throughout the home
- The home is unsafe or unlivable and you need a plan
Answered 24/7 · costs explained before any work · no obligation
Is this your situation?
Signs you need fire and water damage restoration
- Firefighting water soaking floors, walls or contents
- Smoke or soot residue on surfaces
- A persistent smoke smell
- Charred structure alongside water damage
- A home that is unsafe or unlivable
Recognize more than one? Call (888) 840-6512 and describe what you're seeing — the pro tells you what it is before anything is agreed.
How the work is done
Fire and Water Damage Restoration, step by step
Every crew in this network works to IICRC S500, the written industry standard — so the sequence is the same whoever arrives.
- 1
Secure
board-up, safety check
- 2
Extract and dry
firefighting water out, structure dried
- 3
Clean
smoke and soot from surfaces
- 4
Remove and inventory
contents and materials
- 5
Document
the complete claim package
Why this line
Three ways to handle fire and water damage restoration — two cost more than they look
Calling companies yourself
- Dial down a list until someone answers
- Each one scopes and quotes differently
- License and insurance checks are on you
- Nights and weekends go to voicemail
Waiting to see
- Mold starts within 24–48 hours on wet material
- Hidden moisture keeps spreading
- Insurers question delayed mitigation
- A drying job becomes a rebuild
One call to this line
- Describe it once — routed to a pro covering your ZIP
- IICRC-certified, licensed and insured companies
- Costs explained before anything is agreed
- Answered 24/7, menu first, then a person
Pros in this network carry
Insurance and paperwork
Fire and the water used to fight it are covered perils on nearly every policy, including temporary housing. The crew's inventory and documentation drive the settlement — ask on the call.
The complete claims guide →Answered right now
Two minutes on the phone beats an hour of reading.
Your arrival window, your scope, your ballpark — before anything is agreed.
Call (888) 840-6512Understanding the problem
About fire and water damage restoration
After the fire trucks leave, most homes face two damages at once: smoke residue and the hundreds of gallons of water used to extinguish the fire. Fire and water damage restoration handles both — extracting firefighting water before it feeds mold, drying the structure, removing smoke-damaged materials, and restoring what the combination ruined. The water half is the most time-critical: soaked drywall, insulation, and flooring start the mold clock within a day, even while everything still smells of smoke.
Quick answer
Fire and water damage restoration handles both problems a house has after a fire: smoke and soot residue, and the hundreds of gallons of water used to extinguish it. Typical cost is $3,000–$25,000 over about a week. Water comes first — soaked drywall and insulation start growing mold within 24–48 hours while everything still smells of smoke. Call (888) 840-6512 to reach a certified water damage restoration company in your area; the line is answered 24/7.
Common Causes of Fire and Water Damage Restoration
- Water from firefighting soaking floors, walls, and contents
- Kitchen and electrical fires with sprinkler or hose response
- Smoke and soot residue spreading beyond the burn area
- Roof openings from the fire letting rain in afterward
- Burst or melted plumbing during the fire event
- HVAC systems distributing smoke and moisture through the home
Your first moves before the crew arrives
- 1Safety and assessment. Structural clearance, electrical safety, and a scope of both burn and water damage — documented for the claim.
- 2Extract firefighting water. Standing water out within the first day; everything porous it touched gets moisture-mapped.
- 3Dry the structure. Air movers and dehumidifiers run until wood and drywall hit dry standard — before smoke work begins.
- 4Remove what can't be saved. Burned materials, saturated insulation, and smoke-permeated porous items are removed and documented.
- 5Smoke and soot remediation. HEPA filtration, surface cleaning, and odor treatment on the dried structure.
- 6Rebuild and verify. Reconstruction, final moisture and air-quality verification, and the documentation package for your insurer.
What Fire and Water Damage Restoration Looks Like
Fire and Water Damage Restoration by City
Fire and Water Damage Restoration Questions
Why does fire damage always come with water damage?
Because extinguishing a fire pumps hundreds — often thousands — of gallons of water into the structure.
Fire hoses deliver over a hundred gallons a minute, and everything below the fire floor gets soaked: ceilings, walls, insulation, flooring. In most house fires, the water and smoke damage together exceed the burn damage itself.
What should be done first after a house fire — smoke or water cleanup?
Water first, almost always. Smoke residue is stable for days; wet drywall and insulation start growing mold within 24–48 hours, and standing water keeps wicking upward into materials the fire never touched.
The professional sequence: safety clearance, water extraction, structural drying, then smoke and soot remediation on the dried structure.
Does homeowners insurance cover fire and water damage restoration?
Fire is the classic covered peril — flames, smoke, and the water used to fight the fire are all normally covered, including resulting damage.
Document everything before disposal, keep receipts for emergency measures, and get the restoration scope in writing; fire claims are large, and organized documentation is what keeps them moving.
How long does fire and water damage restoration take?
The water phase — extraction and structural drying — typically runs 3–7 days. Smoke remediation and repairs extend the timeline: minor kitchen fires may wrap in 1–2 weeks, while significant structure fires run months once reconstruction joins.
The mistake that stretches every timeline: letting the water phase wait while smoke gets the attention.
Can I stay in my house during fire and water restoration?
Often not initially: smoke residue is a respiratory irritant, wet materials breed mold fast, and power may be compromised. For contained kitchen fires with quick water cleanup, staying is sometimes workable.
Your insurer's additional-living-expense (ALE) coverage typically pays for temporary housing when the home isn't habitable — use it rather than toughing out air you shouldn't breathe.
What does soot and smoke cleaning involve after a fire?
Soot is acidic and keeps etching metal, glass and finishes for as long as it sits, so cleaning starts before rebuilding. The work is sequenced: dry sponge removal of loose soot, then chemical cleaning matched to the residue type — protein, wet smoke and dry smoke each behave differently — then sealing surfaces that cannot be fully cleaned, then odor treatment of the air and HVAC.
Anything the fire service wet down is also a water damage job running in parallel, which is why fire and water restoration is usually quoted as one scope.
Who do I call right now for water damage?
Call (888) 840-6512. The line is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and connects you with an IICRC-certified water damage restoration company that serves your area. Describe what you can see — where the water is coming from, how long it has been there, and whether it smells — the more specific you are, the faster the right company is on the line.
If the source is a pipe or an appliance, shut the main water valve first. Have four things ready and the call goes quickly: the address, when the water started, what is wet now, and whether you have filed an insurance claim.
Still not sure which of these is your situation? (888) 840-6512 · toll-free · answered 24/7
HearthDry is an independent resource. We do not perform restoration work. We connect homeowners with licensed, IICRC-certified third-party contractors. Cost ranges are estimates only. Verify contractor licensing before hiring.