Fire damage repair starts the moment the fire department hands your house back. RapidRestore24 handles fire damage repair for homes and businesses in Marietta and across metro Atlanta, from the first board-up to the last coat of paint. We answer our phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you can talk to a real person at 404-445-4561 while the smoke is still clearing.
What fire damage repair actually covers
Most people picture burned wood. In reality, a house fire causes three kinds of damage at once. First, there is heat and flame damage close to where the fire started. Second, smoke and soot travel through the whole house. Third, the water used to put the fire out soaks floors, walls and insulation. A real repair plan deals with all three. Otherwise, the house looks fixed but still smells like smoke, or mold shows up in the walls a month later.
Our fire damage repair work typically includes:
- Emergency board-up and roof tarping to keep out rain, animals and intruders.
- Water extraction and drying where firefighting water soaked in. See our water damage remediation page for how we dry a structure.
- Soot and smoke cleanup on walls, ceilings, cabinets, floors and contents.
- Odor removal from framing, ductwork and the air, not just a fragrance on top.
- Tear-out of drywall, insulation, flooring and trim that can’t be saved.
- Repairs to put the damaged rooms back together, including drywall, paint and finishes.
For the cleaning side in more depth, read our fire and smoke damage remediation page.
Our fire damage repair process, step by step
1. Secure the property
First, we make the house safe and weather-tight. That means boarding broken windows and doors and tarping any opening in the roof. Your insurance policy also expects you to prevent further damage, so this step protects your claim as well as your house.
2. Inspect and document
Next, we walk the whole property, not just the burned room. We photograph the damage, take moisture readings where water was used and note how far smoke traveled. As a result, you get a clear record of the damage for your insurance company.
3. Remove water and start drying
Firefighting can leave hundreds of gallons of water behind. Wet drywall and subfloors start to grow mold within a few days in Georgia humidity. Therefore, we extract standing water and set drying equipment early, before the bigger repair work begins.
4. Clean soot and smoke residue
Soot is acidic and oily. It stains grout and plastics within hours and can etch metal and glass if it sits. We clean salvageable surfaces with methods matched to the type of residue. Meanwhile, contents that can be saved are cleaned or packed out.
5. Tear out what can’t be saved
Some materials hold smoke odor no matter how well they are cleaned, especially insulation, charred framing faces and badly stained drywall. We remove those materials so the odor doesn’t come back on the first humid day.
6. Deodorize
Then we treat the odor at its source. Smoke gets into wall cavities, attic insulation and HVAC ducts. Covering it with air freshener doesn’t work, so we clean and treat the structure and air until the smell is actually gone.
7. Repair and rebuild
Finally, we put the rooms back together. That can mean new drywall, primer that seals smoke stains, paint, trim and flooring. When the job is done, the goal is simple: the house should look, feel and smell like home again.
How long does fire damage repair take?
It depends on the size of the fire and how far the smoke and water spread. A small kitchen fire with light smoke may take days. On the other hand, a fire that damaged structure or several rooms can take weeks, especially if materials must be ordered or insurance approval is slow. We give you a realistic plan after the inspection. Our fire damage repair timeline article walks through each phase.
Why fast action matters
Fire damage gets worse after the fire is out. Soot keeps discoloring surfaces, smoke odor sets deeper into porous materials, and wet building materials begin to grow mold. Because of that, the first 48 hours make a big difference to how much of your home can be cleaned instead of replaced.
What to do right after a house fire
- Don’t go back inside until the fire department says the building is safe.
- Call your insurance company to report the fire and get a claim number.
- Photograph everything before anything is moved or thrown away.
- Don’t turn on electrical appliances, ceiling fans or the HVAC system until they have been checked.
- Don’t try to wipe soot off walls or fabrics yourself; it often smears and sets the stain.
- Throw away food, medicine and cosmetics that were exposed to heat, smoke or soot.
The U.S. Fire Administration has a helpful checklist on what to do after a fire, including how to handle valuables and paperwork.
Working with your insurance company
Most homeowners policies cover sudden, accidental fire, but every policy is different. We document the damage carefully and can work directly with your insurance adjuster on the scope of the repair. We don’t make promises about what your policy will pay; your insurer decides coverage. However, good documentation from the start helps you get a fair answer.
Fire damage repair across metro Atlanta
We handle fire damage repair within about 30 miles of our Marietta base, including Marietta, Smyrna, Kennesaw, Acworth, Vinings, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Dunwoody, Brookhaven and Decatur. Not sure if we cover your area? See all service areas.
Call RapidRestore24 for fire damage repair
If your home or business has fire, smoke or soot damage, call 404-445-4561. Our phone is answered 24/7. Prefer to write? Use our contact form and we will get back to you.