Fire Restoration near you

Don't go back in until the fire department, or the authority it hands the site to, says it's safe. Calgary's guidance is plain: don't enter your home until the fire department or your insurance company tells you it's safe to do so. A fire-damaged house can hide weakened floors and ceilings, damaged wiring, gas hazards and toxic residue, and access may be limited while the cause is investigated.

Home insurance usually pays for most fire restoration, so the claim shapes every step. The Insurance Bureau of Canada's claim steps start with documenting everything: a complete list of damaged or destroyed items, with the proofs of purchase and photos you have. Next, report the claim to your insurance representative with complete, accurate details as soon as possible, and file a proof of loss if your insurer asks for one.

An adjuster assesses the damage and the scope of work, and the Montreal fire service suggests contacting one on the day of the fire. If you can't live at home, keep receipts for lodging, meals and other extra costs, since many policies cover additional living expenses; ask your insurer what yours includes and for how long. Before signing with a restoration company, confirm with your insurer how the work will be approved and paid.

Once the site is released and the insurer is involved, a restoration crew works from the outside in: secure the building, stop further damage, then clean from the top down. Calgary notes that your insurer can arrange to secure the property to prevent further loss, and that you should see to securing it yourself if you can't reach your insurer.

Belongings that were near the fire, or that absorbed smoke, heat or water, fall into three groups: things that can be cleaned on site, things that go to a cleaning facility and things that are a total loss. Hard, non-porous items such as dishes, metal and glass usually clean well, and clothing, linens and curtains can often be professionally laundered or dry-cleaned. Mattresses, upholstered furniture, stuffed toys and anything charred or soaked with dirty water are harder to save.

Every item, saved or not, belongs on the inventory for your claim: what it is, where it was, roughly when it was bought, with photos. Restorers often pack out the contents of affected rooms, clean them off site and store them during the rebuild; ask for a room-by-room list of everything that leaves the house. In Montreal, the fire service notes that you need its permission before moving belongings into storage.

Soot and smoke residue are a mix of fine particles and chemicals from everything that burned, including plastics, finishes and furnishings. That's why cleanup crews wear respiratory protection, and why children, pregnant women and people with asthma or heart or lung conditions should stay away from the site until it's clean.

In an older home, the fire and the firefighting can also break up materials that were harmless while intact. Health Canada notes that asbestos was mainly used to insulate homes before 1990 and advises against disturbing it, and says a home built before 1960 probably contains lead-based paint, which sanding or heat turns into toxic dust and fumes; even small amounts of lead dust are dangerous to infants and children. In a home from that era, have suspect materials tested before demolition and cleanup, and leave any asbestos to a qualified specialist (see our asbestos removal page).

Structural repairs, new framing, electrical and plumbing work and anything beyond cosmetic cleanup usually require a building permit from your municipality, and rebuilt work generally has to meet today's code requirements rather than those in force when the house was built. That can mean upgrades the old house didn't have, so raise it with your insurer early. Where the fire affected the structure, a structural engineer may need to assess what can stay and what must be replaced, and a licensed electrician should inspect wiring damaged by heat or water before power is restored.

Alarms that went through fire, smoke or water can't be trusted, and the rebuild is the time to bring coverage up to date. Health Canada recommends smoke alarms in each bedroom, in the hallway outside the bedrooms and on each level of the home, including the basement, and replacing any smoke alarm more than ten years old. For carbon monoxide, Health Canada says the most important place for an alarm is in hallways outside sleeping areas, and recommends alarms that carry a Canadian certification mark.