IICRC Certified Service
Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration in Toronto & the GTA
Fire damage restoration is a multi-phase job — emergency board-up, soot and smoke cleaning, odour neutralization, water damage from fire suppression, HVAC decontamination, and full reconstruction. Even a small kitchen fire leaves acidic soot residue that corrodes metals, etches glass, and penetrates porous materials within hours. The cleanup must start fast and follow a specific sequence to save what can be saved.
Why Fire Damage Is Never Just About the Fire
Most homeowners assume the fire itself is the damage. In reality, the fire is usually the smallest part of the restoration scope. The bigger issues are soot, smoke odour, and water damage from the fire department's suppression effort — often thousands of gallons that soak floors, ceilings, and basement spaces that never saw flame.
Soot is acidic and starts chemically attacking surfaces within 24 hours: copper and brass tarnish, aluminum corrodes, fabric fibers break down, drywall yellows and stains permanently. Protein fire residue (from kitchen grease fires) is particularly destructive because it coats every surface with a thin, invisible film that traps odour for years if not properly removed. The restoration has to be started fast and done in the right sequence.
Our Fire Damage Restoration Process
Emergency Board-Up & Stabilization
Broken windows, fire-ventilated walls, and damaged roofs get boarded or tarped same-day to secure the property against weather, theft, and further damage. We coordinate with the fire department once the scene is released.
Water Extraction & Structural Drying
Firefighting water gets extracted immediately. This is often overlooked in fire restoration and is how secondary mold damage happens — wet drywall and insulation from suppression water grow mold within 48 hours if not addressed in parallel with the soot cleanup.
Content Pack-Out & Inventory
Salvageable contents are inventoried, photographed, and moved off-site to our climate-controlled cleaning facility. Unsalvageable items are itemized for insurance. Every item gets a unique tag and tracked through cleaning to return.
Structural Soot Cleaning
Different soot types require different cleaning methods. Dry chemical sponges for light soot on walls. Wet cleaning with degreasers for protein residue from kitchen fires. Abrasive cleaning for heat-etched surfaces. Each material type gets the correct approach — done wrong, you set the soot into the surface permanently.
Odour Neutralization
Smoke odour has to be neutralized at the molecular level, not just masked. We use a combination of ozone generators, hydroxyl generators, thermal fogging, and encapsulant sealers depending on the severity. See our odour removal page for the full detail.
HVAC Decontamination
Ductwork gets cleaned and sealed, or replaced if contamination is severe. The HVAC is how smoke odour persists in fire restoration done cheaply — skip this step and you will be chasing ghost smells for years.
Reconstruction
Drywall, flooring, cabinetry, electrical, plumbing, paint — whatever the fire took, we put back. Our in-house crew handles reconstruction so there is no handoff between restoration and rebuild. Same project manager from first call to final walk-through.
Types of Fire Damage We Handle
- Kitchen grease fires — leaves protein residue that requires specialized cleaning and aggressive deodorization
- Electrical fires — often localized flame damage but widespread smoke throughout the home via HVAC and open doors
- Chimney and fireplace fires — creosote residue and smoke damage focused on one side of the home
- Dryer fires — lint combustion plus synthetic fabric smoke, usually in basement laundry rooms
- Furnace puff-backs — oil furnace malfunction that sprays oily soot through the entire ductwork system
- Candle and cooking fires — small-scope flame damage with disproportionate smoke and odour impact
- Structural fires — extensive reconstruction involving framing, roofing, electrical, plumbing, and full interior rebuild
Working With Your Insurance Adjuster
Fire claims are typically the largest and most complex claims in residential insurance. We work directly with your adjuster from the first site visit, provide the detailed scope of work they need for reserve setting, and document everything through the restoration process. For major losses we often bring in independent building consultants to verify scope on both sides — that keeps the claim moving instead of stalling on scope disputes.
Additional living expenses coverage (ALE) usually kicks in if the home is uninhabitable during restoration. We help you document that you are displaced and work with the adjuster to arrange accommodation.
Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration Emergency?
Available 24/7 across the GTA
Related Services
Why Choose Us
24/7 Emergency Response
We answer the phone day and night. Fast dispatch across Scarborough, Toronto, and the GTA.
IICRC Certified
Our technicians follow IICRC S500/S520 standards for all restoration work.
Insurance Claim Help
Complete documentation and direct communication with your insurance company.
Complete Restoration
From extraction to final repairs — we handle everything, no subcontractors.
Advanced Equipment
Industrial pumps, commercial dehumidifiers, thermal imaging, and moisture detection.
Free Estimates
On-site assessment and estimate at no cost. No obligation, no pressure.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
After the Fire, the Clock Starts Again.
Soot gets more corrosive by the hour. 24/7 emergency response for fire damage across Toronto and the GTA.