Fire Damage Repair and Restoration in Florida
There is nothing as destructive as fire, and the damage it leaves behind is often devastating. When you’ve experienced a fire on your commercial or residential property, finding someone that can address the damage is often urgent.
At Rescue Clean 911, we understand how difficult it is to live through a fire. There’s the damage to the property, the emotional and physical toll, and often additional challenges such as hose water damage or, unfortunately, loss, that all needs to be addressed before it’s possible to start moving on.
We are a full service fire damage repair and restoration service. Based in South Florida and serving all throughout the Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach region, Rescue Clean 911 works with both commercial and residential properties to help you start picking up the pieces mitigating the damage that fire left behind.
Whether you experienced a fire throughout your house or there is a small kitchen fire that needs to be addressed, Rescue Clean 911 is available to address any of your fire damage repair needs. If you’re ready to get started, or you’d like to learn more about our services, please call us 24 hours a day at 833.CLEAN99 (833-253-2699). We know time is of critical importance, and we are available to help when you’re faced with a fire damage crisis.
Jump to a section:
Contact Us Today
About Us – Rescue Clean 911 for 24/7 Fire Damage Repair
No one expects a fire, and when a fire does occur, the effects are typically quick. Fires spread fast throughout a property and melt or damage anything they come into contact with. One small fire can quickly cause expensive, overwhelming damage. Even if the fire lasting only a few moments, the destruction let left behind can be substantial. The longer it burns, the worse it typically gets.
But the fire itself is only the beginning. After the fire has been put out, there are still potential dangers that need to be addressed, including toxins in the air and structural damage to the property. That doesn’t include the cosmetic and functional damage that has to be taken care of if life on the property is to go back to normal.
Rescue Clean 911 is an experienced disaster restoration company. Our founder, Nick Massimino, has had direct experience with the damage that fire can cause. Before starting Rescue Clean 911, Nick worked as a:
- Firefighter
- Paramedic
- Registered Nurse
It was actually these exact experiences that led him to create Rescue Clean 911. What he experienced in his role in these public service positions was how much people struggle after the disaster has occurred, and how much they need someone that genuinely cares – and knows what they are doing – to help them pick up the pieces.
The only way to move forward after a fire is to clear away any sign of it, make sure the property is safe, and restore it to like-new condition. At Rescue Clean 911, we also know how stressful it is to live through a fire, and how hard the next steps can be. That is why we are there with you every step of the way. We’re transparent about all our services. We keep you posted on everything we find. We are thorough, taking our time with the cleanup process to make sure that nothing remains. Our team understands how vulnerable it feels to live through a fire, and that’s why we make sure that we not only give you your property back, but we also give you peace of mind in the process.
Jump to a section:
Our Fire Damage Repair Services
In many ways, every fire is different. It spreads at different rates, it damages different materials, and it leaves behind different forms of damage. As a full service disaster restoration company, we can address any type and any amount of damage, no matter what needs to be completed.
Before we begin any service, we start with a thorough inspection. It is important for us to identify any area of the property that may have problems that need to be addressed. Sometimes, especially with larger fires, there is damage that you cannot see, and the only way to make sure we fix the property correctly is to find where these areas are.
Once we’ve completed the inspection, we can start working on the fire damage repair. Our services include, but are not limited to:
Fire Damage Removal
Fire can cause substantial damage to different types of materials. Because of how much fire burns, even a tiny flame may mean that at least a part of the property is unusable and needs to be replaced, as burns and smoke cannot be wiped away.
That is why one of the first steps is to remove any unsalvageable items, which can be almost anything the fire touched. These include parts of the home that may have received damage, such as:
- Drywall
- Cabinets
- Furniture
- Personal Items (Photos, Books, etc.)
- Appliances
- Structural Components
- Electrical Wiring
We’ll also look around the home for items that appear damaged by smoke and soot. We can work with you to determine what to keep. Some of these items may be salvageable, and if so, they can be cleaned or repainted and kept. But others may not be, or it may not be safe to take the risk – such as with damaged electrical wiring. In those situations, disposal is often the best option.
We know that removal of all fire damaged items can be stressful. We will treat your property with respect and make sure that we never get rid of anything that is salvageable and important to you. There is no denying that the process can be difficult, but it is also an important step towards moving forward.
Soot Removal and Smoke Remediation
The flames themselves may be the most destructive part of a fire, but smoke and soot are what spread the furthest throughout the property. Smoke and soot can also cause many of their own challenges:
- Smoke can set in to different surfaces, staining walls, furniture, and other items until they are unpleasant to the eye.
- Soot can be damaging. It is acidic, and over time, it can start to corrode the material. This leads to further damage long after the fire is gone if it is not cleaned up.
- Smoke can get sticky. We often think of smoke as a dry cloud, but when it comes into contact with water, it gets sticky and even harder to remove.
But perhaps the most important reason to get rid of smoke damage is because smoke and soot can be potentially toxic. Smoke that lingers in the air can lead to lung irritation, skin irritation, throat damage, and in rare cases, heart disease and death. Because the particles from soot can be near-invisible, it is possible to inhale it over time without realizing it, leading to health complications.
Rescue Clean 911 thoroughly removes all signs of smoke and soot from the air and from surfaces all throughout your residential or commercial property, and because we can always come fast, we are able to help reduce any chance for health problems or additional property damage before it has a chance to affect you.
Odor Elimination
Similar to our smoke remediation service, we are also able to offer odor elimination. Smoke and other fire-related particles can also cause odor issues throughout a property. We make sure that the odor is gone, both by removing all smoke and soot and by applying deodorizers and other treatments throughout the property to stop all different types of smells.
Firefighter Water Damage Removal
Fires are destructive. But so is water. After a fire, the sprinkler system, firefighter hoses, or buckets of water used to put out the fire can also cause their own damage, and that water damage is as urgent – and sometimes even more urgent – than the needs of the fire itself.
As an experienced water damage restoration specialist here in the Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and South Florida area, we are available to come 24 hours a day to thoroughly eliminate any standard water, prevent mold, and ensure that the property is able to dry effectively. The last thing you want is for the water to cause more damage than the fire, which is why our emergency service will be there fast to help.
Biohazard Cleanup
For some fires, the damage is limited to the property. But unfortunately, there are fires where lives are lost of both people and pets. When tragedy has occurred, cleaning up is important for moving forward, and the faster that cleanup has occurred the safer it will be for the property as there may be biohazards that put those in the property at risk.
Biohazard cleanup is also an important service if the fire has damaged an area of the home that may have already housed bacteria and pathogens, such as if there was damage to a sewer line.
Because we are a damage restoration company that has experience biohazards and crime scene cleanup, we can support your property here as well, and of course will always do so respectfully.
Cleanup and Restoration
Finally, we provide a thorough cleanup and restoration. Once all the damaged items have been removed and the smoke/soot have been mitigated, we start putting your property back together.
We replace any burnt drywall, fix any electrical damage, restore any burnt cabinetry (if possible) and more. Our team can work with your insurance company to rebuild your property to like-new condition, giving you back your home or business and making it possible to move forward as though the fire was never there.
Our fire damage restoration service works efficiently, because we know that you want your life to go back to normal. We also care about the final result, with contractors and specialists that genuinely care about making sure your property looks its best once again. Once we’re done, we’ll provide a final assessment to make sure everything is safe, let you know if there is anything you should be aware of, and then make ourselves available for your questions and comments should you have any concerns.
No one expects a fire. The sooner your property is restored, the more it will start to feel like the fire never happened. While this is a stressful time, Rescue Clean 911 of South Florida is a company that cares, and that care is seen in both the quality of work and the way we communicate with you.
Jump to a section:
Cigarette Smoke Damage Removal Service
Full service restoration means helping keep your property safe and ensuring it always looks its best. Sometimes, that means using our experience and services for situations that extend beyond emergencies, helping with issues that are related to our core services and experience.
For example, Rescue Clean 911 is able to provide support for properties that need help with cigarette smoke removal and remediation. Cigarette smoke is often wet, sticky, and builds up over time – especially in properties where there is extensive smoking or poor ventilation. That smoke will stick to walls and cabinetry, causing:
- Unsightly staining.
- Allergies and health hazards.
- Sticky residue.
Eventually, either because someone is selling the property or they would like the property to be less hazardous, properties with considerable smoke will need to be restored. We have all the odor removal, wet smoke removal, and cleanup/restoration service needed to get rid of potentially years of cigarette smoke in any type of residential and commercial property.
About Soot – Residual Damage Caused by Smoke and Soot
Smoke and soot are the results of the incomplete burning of materials containing carbon. When items on a property catch fire, they will not always burn cleanly. A clean burning organic material produces only heat and carbon dioxide, but many of the materials inside homes, such as plastics and synthetic materials, release other elements in the form of smoke and soot.
Smoke consists of gases and tiny particles in the air during and directly after a fire. Soot is the residue that settles on surfaces following the fire, consisting of unburned materials and chemicals. The particulate matter in soot is microscopic – smaller than a strand of hair or an average dust particle. This means that soot can settle into the tiniest pores of household materials like floors, walls, fabrics, and other surfaces. The black staining you see from soot after a fire is only a portion of the true amount. The rest is invisible.
Soot residue is not limited only to the room where the fire occurred either. The temperature during a fire leads to air circulation as the hot air near the flames disperses into the cooler air away from the fire, carrying smoke and soot with it.
Throughout your property, soot found both on and beneath surfaces leads to:
- Corrosion – Soot contains acids that can corrode or etch metals, glass, plastics, fabrics, vinyl, and more. Once the reaction to acid begins, the damage is permanent. It can, however, be stopped by removing all soot particles.
- Staining – The small soot particles trapped in surfaces will cause discoloration no matter how many times the surface is wiped down. Standard cleaning methods simply will not reach the embedded particle. To prevent staining and discoloration, we rely on cleaning solutions that release soot beneath the surface.
- Odors – Soot is partially burned carbon, so it will smell smoke or firewood. When trapped in materials, it continues to let off a smokey scent that can take years to neutralize on its own.
- Electrical Damage – Some of the chemicals in soot are conductive as well as corrosive. When the soot lands on circuit boards of appliances or electronics, the conductive particles cause electrical shorts, instantly making the appliance inoperable. The corrosive nature can also eat away at the sensitive wiring and circuits.
- Health Problems – Inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact with soot can result in respiratory issues, stroke, heart attacks, cancer, and more. Soot particles are small enough to pass through the blood brain barrier, making it possible for inhaled soot to travel from the olfactory passage to the brain and cause neurological damage.
Damage to property and health caused by soot is a long term concern. If not addressed correctly, it will worsen over time. Instead, it needs to be completely removed with the right methods, otherwise particles will continue to corrode surfaces and lead to health issues even if the smell and visual evidence has faded.
Chemical Air Quality Issues After a Fire
In addition to smoke, soot, and ash, a fire can produce chemicals that cause an ongoing health threat and additional property damage. These chemical compounds are contained in the particulate matter of soot or as gases, enabling them to linger in the air or cling to surfaces for many years after a fire.
These chemical compounds are created when the heat of a fire comes into contact with various items inside homes and commercial properties. Plastics, carpets, paints, cleaners, furniture, and more contain a range of chemicals called volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. While many are neutralized and harmless when in the solid form, or when secured in a container (if liquid), the burning fire releases these chemicals into the air.
The intense heat from fire can also cause chemical reactions that turn harmless chemicals into dangerous compounds. Even at low levels, VOCs and other pollutants can be extremely toxic. Some that may be present inside a property after a fire include:
- Carbon Monoxide
- Hydrochloric Acid
- Hydrogen Chloride
- Formaldehyde
- Hydrogen Sulfide
- Alcohols, and More
Because properties are often secured after a fire, the concentration of chemicals in the air make entering the property without safety equipment dangerous. Sealing the property cuts off all ventilation, trapping chemical compounds inside.
The toxins present in the air will depend on what materials were burned during the fire. But as many of these are invisible and odorless, we treat every scene as if harmful chemical compounds are present until we can perform air quality tests.
Jump to a section:
The professional dispatcher, based on the description of your problem will instruct you on how to protect yourself and your family. The technician upon arrival will assess the situation and immediately implement a plan of action. Remember passage of time in minutes + standing water = damage to personal property (flooring, carpets, electrical and furnishings) and the structure of your home (walls, ceilings and sheetrock) and the health of you and your family could also be compromised by mold and mildew!
Cleaning and Restoring Your Belongings After a Fire
After a property fire has burned anything in its path, the structural damage is only a portion of the overall damage. The contents of the home or business are also at risk whether they were directly impacted by the flames or as a result of the settling of airborne particles.
The items throughout your property can experience different types of damage depending on their proximity to the source of the fire, their material, and more. Signs of charring or scorching will be outward signs of damage, but other items may harbor soot, toxic chemicals, and other long term dangers that are not visibly detectable.
Fire can harm all possessions, including those that are valuable or irreplaceable. Safety is the first priority, but advanced cleaning methods make it possible to restore many of the items caught in a fire.
Of the common items that are found across most properties, these guidelines are a general idea of what to expect for each type of item:
- Furniture – Upholstery on furniture is ideal for trapping soot, resulting in staining and odors in the fabric. Soot can also settle in the pores of wood and other materials, or on smooth surfaces. Depending on the type of material, we use one or more of several cleaning methods to remove the residue. Wet and dry cleaning for fabrics can lift residue and staining, while other methods are ideal for heavy soot build up on surfaces.
- Clothing – Clothes, as well as bedding, curtains, towels, and other fabrics can be disinfected if the soot residue is minimal. Either wet cleaning or dry cleaning can often remove soot, ash, and contaminants, although items that have charring are generally not able to be salvaged.
- Keepsakes – With heirlooms, mementos, and other objects that are irreplaceable, we do everything possible to restore them. Wet cleaning, drying cleaning, foam cleaning, and other techniques can provide a gentle but effective sanitization for many types of materials.
- Electronics – The corrosion caused by soot on electronics such as computers, televisions, and kitchen appliances can cause the item to short out the next time it is turned on or if it continues to operate after the fire. Electronics should be cleaned and inspected for corrosion damage before they are put back into service.
- Cosmetics and Medicines – The chemicals in cosmetics, toiletries, and medicines can react with heat or fire to create toxins that can be hazardous if inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the skin. Any item that has evidence of soot, charring, smoke staining, or another sign of fire should be disposed of.
- Food – Both open and sealed food can retain chemicals caused by fire, especially if the fire occurred in the kitchen. Soot and smoke can even get inside of refrigerators. All open and most perishable food should be thrown away, and sealed foods should be inspected carefully for signs of fire damage or contamination.
- Papers, Books, Photos, and More – Water damage from fire extinguishing is another source of damage. The water can impact any household products, but can be particularly detrimental to paper materials. We work quickly to dry out belongings, remove excess water, and dehumidify moisture in the air.
At Rescue Clean 911, we can identify which of your possessions are permanently unsafe and need to be properly disposed of. But with early intervention, some of your items may be able to be cleaned to remove all traces of chemicals, soot particulates, and other debris, especially if they were not burned.
Jump to a section:
What to Do After a Fire
Once the immediate risk of an active fire is managed, you are left with damaged property, belongings, and questions as to what to do next. At Rescue Clean 911, we are here to give you guidance to help you better understand the next steps, and support you through the process. We know you’re overwhelmed, and we’ll use our experience to help guide you towards recovery.
Because there are still many hazards on a property as a result of fire, in addition to any emotional distress, cleanup and restoration is not a task you want to handle alone. But the sooner that the clean up can begin, the less extensive the damage will be and the faster your life can get back to normal, which makes it important to take the right steps to protect your property and your health from any additional damage.
When flames are extinguished, you will want to:
- Find a Place to Stay – After a house fire, a home is generally unsafe due to potential structural damage and the chemicals and soot that remain in the air. A temporary location will help keep your family safe. Stay with friends or family or work with local disaster relief to coordinate housing. If the fire occurred at a business or commercial property, plan to cease operations while cleanup is ongoing.
- Contact Your Insurance Company – Fire damage is almost always covered under insurance, and you will want to start the claim process quickly so that you have the funds for restoration and to cover immediate expenditures. Your insurer will also walk you through what to expect throughout the process.
- Seal Your Property – As property owner, you are still responsible for any damages that occur after the fire, including theft and weather. You will want to seal any openings with boards, tarps, or other means of keeping people, pests, and the elements out of your property until cleanup can begin. We can also assist with this part of the process.
- Contact a Fire Damage Restoration Company – Trusting fire cleanup to Rescue Clean 911 makes it possible to remediate fire damage in the safest and most effective way. We know what damage to look for after a fire and have all of the equipment needed to clean and decontaminate all that we can. We can work quickly and safely to provide structural repairs, soot removal, odor mitigation, and property content restoration.
The process is not a fast or an easy one. In addition to these steps, it is important to pay attention to your own health, both physical and mental. A fire at your home can be a traumatic event, and recovering from a fire at any property brings stress, questions, worries, and hard decisions.
Working with Rescue Clean 911 is one of the best ways to get the support you need after a fire. While we handle the cleaning and safety concerns, you can focus on the other needs of your family, employees, tenants, or yourself.
Jump to a section:
24/7 Emergency Fire Damage Removal and Restoration
Every fire is a traumatic event, no matter how small the fire was or how attached you were to the property. Fire is scary. Nick, our founder and a former firefighter, knows how difficult it can be to experience a fire. Even small flames that are extinguished fast can lead to extensive damage and distress, and the larger the fire is, the more it takes a toll both physically and emotionally.
That is why we consider ourselves more than just a fire restoration company. We address all the needs of your property, but we also do what we can to help restore your peace of mind. We’re licensed, insured, and bonded. We are always transparent with everything from our pricing to our services, giving you feedback along the way of what we have found. We also are here to answer your questions, because we’re sure that you have many during this stressful time.
When working with families, Rescue Clean 911 will always make sure that the property is 100% safe for children, adults, and pets before you are able to re-enter. Because it is your home, we also work fast without sacrificing any quality. You want to get back inside your home and get your life back together, and so we work around the clock to make that happen.
For commercial properties, we can also be discreet – if possible – to reduce the impact this may have on your reputation. We have worked with many different types of businesses and commercial properties, including:
- Restaurants
- Hotels
- Schools and Universities
- Multifamily Housing
- Office Complexes, and More
We offer 24 hour emergency service anywhere in South Florida, including Miami, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, Hialeah, and beyond, we are able to support your commercial or residential property no matter what time a fire has occurred and will continue to work tirelessly until the job is done.
Call Us 24 Hours a Day to Schedule Your Service Right Away
Because every fire is an emergency, every property owner needs to have someone they can trust to call 24/7, any time a fire has occurred. At Rescue Clean 911, we’re the company that so many residents of South Florida trust during their emergencies to help them put their life back together, and we will prove to you the moment we walk into your door how we earn that trust.
If you’ve recently experienced a fire on your property, first make sure that you’re safe, and then give us a call today at 833-CLEAN99 (833-253-2699). You can always fill out our online form as well, but we recommend giving us a call for faster service as we know how dangerous and stressful fires can be. Rescue Clean 911 works throughout Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, St. Lucie, and Martin County, with a team that is always ready to go the moment you need help.
Jump to a section:
What is our process for fire and smoke damage restoration?
We conduct a detailed assessment of the damaged areas
Deploy certified technicians with extensive experience in cleaning fire damage and/or smoke damage
Offer 100% satisfaction on every job
Formulate a step-by-step plan to deal with the different levels of damage
Use the right techniques and equipment to restore a clean home or office
For fire and smoke damage restoration jobs that need immediate attention. After providing you with a free estimate and plan of action, we will begin immediately.
What Our Customers Are Saying
How long will the restoration process take?
Can I clean it myself?
What are some safety concerns?
May I turn on my heating and air conditioning unit?
What can I do to prevent the growth of mold in my home?
How do I keep track of non-restorable items?
Do I need general contractors?
Do my belongings need to be moved away from the premises?
Will I have access to my belongings while they are in storage?
What about special items? (Artwork, computers, electronics, etc.)
Who is responsible for paying for the service?
Ultimately you, the property owner, are responsible for payment. As the property owner, you will need to sign a form authorizing the work and payment. If this is an insurance claim, Rescue Clean 911 generally collects only the deductible amount and bills the balance to your insurance provider as a service to you. If you have a large loss, your mortgage company may be included as a payee on the payment from your insurance company, and you may need to obtain a signature from them as well. If your claim is not covered or you decide not to file a claim, you will be expected to pay in full at the time of service.