Over 60 Years of Combined Industry Experience
Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration in the Southeast MN Area
Experiencing a fire-related emergency in your home can be absolutely devastating. However, all hope is not lost for your structure or contents thanks to our team at Lewis Restoration LLC. We're committed to taking care of the job the right way by showing up as quickly as possible and being extremely thorough. We are committed to making sure that no steps get skipped and no damage gets overlooked. Our fire and smoke restoration team wants to make sure you get your home back better than it was before the fire damage.
- Emergency Board Up & Roof Tarping
- Water Damage Restoration
- Smoke Odor & Soot Removal
- Contents Packout & Cleaning
- 24/7 Emergency Response
- Insurance Claims Assistance
24/7 Response
Within an hour of calling, our team responds and gets to work.
Mitigation
We stop the damage with industry-leading tools and experience.
Restore
Our licensed technicians and builders will restore your property to pre-loss conditions.
Here's What Happens After the Fire is Out
How It Works
Smoke & Soot Cleanup
Smoke and soot can quickly corrode even hard surfaces. We use equipment and products made especially for thorough smoke and soot cleanup and removal.
Cleaning & Sanitization
The walls, ceilings, and floors get completely wiped down and washed. From your appliances being cleaned off to wiping down paintings or photos on the wall, we work to make everything look as good as new.
Deodorization
We have an ozone air cleaner that helps purify the air within the home. We make sure that the home is 100% soot and smoke-free by the time we are finished cleaning it.
Containment & Protection
We cover all unaffected areas before getting to work on the damaged areas in order to prevent any further discoloration or damage. Areas of the home that need to be repainted due to the fire will be painted to match the color of the surrounding walls.
Carpet & Pad Removal
Firefighting efforts usually leave behind a wet, soggy mess, and your carpets and the pads underneath will likely need to be removed as part of the water damage restoration that normally goes hand in hand with fire damage.
Contents Cleaning
Your soft furnishings, clothing, and other belongings will also need to be cleaned professionally according to materials. We'll provide an inventory of both salvageable and un-salvageable contents.
Reconstruction
If there is any damage to the home that needs to be reconstructed, we can take care of it. We can rebuild the structure, remove damaged walls, ceilings, and roof tiles, and restore your property to pre-loss condition.
The Aftermath of a Fire is Terrifying
Some Priorities to Remember If You've Experienced a House Fire
- Do not run inside the building: This may be the first impulse, but it is important to stay away until the Fire Department has declared the building safe.
- Find a place to stay: You will need to think about where you will stay and how many people you need to provide a place for. Keep your receipts for any hotel stay. Temporary lodging is often covered in a fire damage insurance claim.
- Contact the police station: Let them know that you are vacating your property to minimize the chances of looters or squatters showing up.
- Call your utility provider: Ask your utility provider if they can shut down the gas, water, and electric to your home to prevent further damage or danger.
- Contact your insurance provider: You will want to begin communicating the situation they can begin processing your claim.
- Take photographs of the building and fire damage: Try to document what you can, remembering to stay away from the building until the Fire Department declares it safe.
- Start replacing essential documents: Begin the process of replacing your driver's license, birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc.
- Get a copy of the Fire Report: The Fire Department will be able to provide you with either the official information about the incident or a source where you can acquire it.
- Contact a fire restoration company: To begin the process of cleaning up your property, a fire damage restoration company will be able to give you all the advice and resources you need.
At Lewis Restoration, we strive to always offer convenience, dependability, and responsiveness to all of our local Southeast MN customers along with thorough site inspections, personalized solutions, and 24-hour availability. Contact us today for an estimate.
Your Local Fire Damage Experts
Frequently Asked Questions
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.