After a fire, the smoke and soot can do more damage than the flames themselves — and it starts setting into walls, carpet, upholstery, and ductwork within hours. The first 24 to 48 hours largely decide what can be saved. Here is what to do first, from the restoration team at Terry’s Cleaning & Restoration in Goshen, Indiana.
Immediate steps
- Make sure it is safe — only re-enter after fire officials confirm the structure is sound.
- Call your insurance company to open a claim, but do not start cleaning before the adjuster or contractor reviews it.
- Call a restoration company right away. The sooner a crew documents and stabilizes the loss, the more structure and contents we can save.
- Do not use your HVAC, run air cleaners, or wipe walls with water — you can push soot deeper into porous materials.
Why speed matters
Smoke odor and soot residue are acidic. Left in place, they continue to corrode finishes, discolor walls, and set into fabrics. Deodorization is far more successful early than after weeks of residue settling. That is why we are called first on so many Michiana smoke-loss jobs.
What professional restoration covers
- Structure cleaning of walls, ceilings, and hard surfaces.
- Deodorization using ozone and thermal fogging to remove smoke and other odors at the source.
- Contents — carpet, upholstery, air ducts, tile, and hardwood to rescue what can be saved.
Our fire, smoke & specialty restoration service handles structure cleaning, deodorization, and power washing. As an IICRC-certified family firm serving Michiana since 1990, we also work with your insurance company on the mitigation file. For 24/7 response, call (574) 533-5626.