Deductible Assistance • We will work with your insurance
Extensive fire damage is unequivocally one of the most severe losses and stressful situations that a homeowner can ever experience in their home. This type of devastating loss can leave you feeling overwhelmed and unsure, but having clear guidance and support from the right restoration crew can offer reassurance and peace of mind.
At ServiceMaster Restore of Lynchburg, we don't just employ talented experts in the field. Our staff is full of caring professionals who will take the utmost care getting you back into your home as quickly as possible while offering guidance and reassurance each and every step of the way. We offer a complete range of fire-damage restoration services that also include soot, smoke, and odor removal, so, no matter the extent of your damage, ServiceMaster® has your covered.
Most people think big flames and total destruction when they think of a fire-damaged home, but even small fires can cause extensive damage.
At ServiceMaster®, we understand that every fire damage is unique. Our thorough restoration process includes:
Protein fires occur when food from an oven or stove has burned. These fires leave a very strong odor of burned food as well as smoke residue on nearby contents and surfaces.
Complex fires are, as they sound, complex. These occur when both natural and synthetic items inside the home have burned. This combination causes thick, black smoke that leaves smoke and soot residue of contents and surfaces as well as synthetic smoke odors. Complex fires may require emergency corrosion mitigation to protect at-risk surfaces.
Natural fires occur with the burning of natural, not synthetic, materials. When things like trees, shrubs, and bushes burn smoke can penetrate the structure from outside leaving smoke residue and odor.
Oil-fired furnaces and other heating appliances can malfunction causing smoke and soot to be distributed throughout your home.
Although it may be tempting to clean yourself, even small fires should be remediated by a professional. Fires leave behind a biohazardous residue that can cause health issues if not properly cleaned. This type of damage should only be handled by experts with the right training and tools to do the job properly.
Although fire damages should never be handled alone, there are a few things that can be done while waiting for professional mitigation services to begin.
There are also things that should be avoided in the aftermath of a fire.
It's never a quick fix, though we've gathered together a multi-discipline team of contractors and technicians to work in tandem to complete the work as soon as possible. From structural repairs to sand/soda-blasting to odor removal to contents cleaning, our fire damage restoration crew begin as soon as the project scope is determined, and we don't stop until the job is done and both you and the insurance company are satisfied with the results.
Most often, yes. You'll need to check your specific policy for the full scope of coverage, but in general, if the damage was caused by a flame, it's covered. Your best bet is to hire a professional restoration to help you through the claims process. We know how to avoid some common missteps when it comes to making sure the entire loss is documented and covered. Many homeowners and insurance companies forget, for instance, to consider that your HVAC system will need to be cleaned of soot, and, since fires are extinguished using water, many areas of your home may need to be restored due to water damage even if they weren't directly affected by the fire.
Depending on the extent or location of the fire damage, some homeowners can move back in a few days or longer. The fire department will usually turn off electricity and gas to the property right away, and that won’t be restored until a building inspector says that it’s safe to turn those utilities back on. If you experienced significant smoke damage and the home’s occupants include elderly persons, young children, or those with chronic health conditions, you may be wise to stay until the smoke cleanup is complete. Contracting with a company experienced in fire damage restoration can often get you back home sooner, because they’ll have the resources to hire and manage the many tradespeople who will need to work together to make the home liveable again.
DIY soot removal is not recommended. Commercially available products can actually cause permanent damage to surfaces. Soot itself is primarily oil-based, but that residue also contains toxic, possibly biohazard contaminants.
Smoke damage is rarely limited to one area of the house, and it leaves behind residue that can hide in crevices and out-of-reach areas, and a simple "airing out" may not be sufficient. We recommend consulting with a smoke damage technician who can help you troubleshoot the next steps.