Morgantown, WV's #1 Fire Damage Restoration Experts

Only after the fire department or another official tells you the building is safe to enter. Fire can weaken floors, ceilings and stairs, and the electrical system may be damaged. Even after you're cleared, wear sturdy shoes, don't turn on damaged lights or appliances, and stay out of rooms with sagging ceilings. Once you have the go ahead, call us and we'll walk through the property with you.

Get your family somewhere safe for the night, then call your insurance company to open a claim. Take photos of the damage from outside and from any area you've been cleared to enter. Don't start scrubbing walls or throwing things away yet, because that can make soot worse and remove proof your adjuster needs. Call us and we'll explain the next steps and set up a walkthrough.

Yes, in most cases, when the residue causing it is cleaned or removed. Smoke odor comes from tiny particles stuck to surfaces and soaked into porous materials like insulation, carpet pad and unfinished wood. Sprays and candles mask it for a little while. We clean the affected surfaces, remove materials that can't be cleaned, filter the air with HEPA air scrubbers and deodorize so the smell doesn't return when the weather turns humid.

Because soot smears easily and can set into paint and grout. Some residue is dry and powdery, and some is oily and sticky, and each needs a different cleaning method. Rubbing with a wet rag or household cleaner usually spreads it into a gray haze that's harder to remove. We test the surfaces first and use the right method for each one, which saves a lot of painted surfaces.

Usually the property owner is responsible for the building, and tenants are responsible for their own belongings. Owners typically turn to their property insurance, and tenants to their renters insurance, but the lease and the policies decide the details. We work with landlords and property managers on cleaning and drying the structure, and our photos and scope help both owners and tenants document their losses.

Often, yes. Smoke from a neighboring unit can come through shared walls, outlets, vents and gaps around pipes, and it leaves residue you may not see right away. A light film on the walls and a lingering smell are both signs. Let your landlord know first. We can assess the unit, clean the affected surfaces and document the damage for the owner's claim and for your renters insurance.

Yes. Firefighting water is part of most fire losses, and it needs to be dried as quickly as a burst pipe. We extract standing water, remove soaked insulation and drywall that can't be dried, and run air movers and dehumidifiers. We take moisture readings until the structure is dry, so you aren't dealing with mold on top of fire damage a few weeks later.

It depends on how much of the building was affected. Cleaning up after a small kitchen fire may take a few days. A fire that sent smoke through the whole house or several apartments, with water damage on top, takes longer. After the walkthrough you'll get an honest timeline, and we'll update you as each area is finished. Repairs by your contractor come after cleanup is done.

Fire is a covered peril on many homeowners and commercial policies, but your insurance company decides what is covered and how much. Call them as soon as you can to open a claim. We document the damage with photos and a written scope, work with your adjuster and help with the paperwork. We won't promise coverage, but we'll make sure your claim has the information it needs.

It depends on how far the smoke and soot spread, what kind of residue the fire left and whether there's water damage too. A small kitchen fire costs far less than a fire that affected an entire house or several units. After the walkthrough, we explain the scope so you know what work is planned before anything starts. That scope also goes to your insurance company for the claim.

Some can and some can't. Hard items like dishes, metal and glass often clean up well. Soft, porous things like mattresses, upholstered furniture and stuffed toys hold smoke deeply and may not be worth saving, especially if they also got wet. We help you sort through items and take photos of what can't be saved, which your adjuster will want for the contents part of your claim.

Not until the system has been checked. Running the HVAC system can pull soot into the ductwork and blow it into rooms the fire never touched. If the system was running during the fire, the ducts may already hold residue. We can tell you what we see during the walkthrough, and our air duct cleaning service can clean the ductwork so the smell doesn't come back through the vents.

Often it is. Kitchen fires burn food and grease, and that leaves a sticky, smelly residue that's hard to see on light colored walls and cabinets. People clean the stove and the wall behind it, then notice the smell weeks later inside cabinets and closets. A quick assessment tells you how far the residue spread, and some small jobs really are a short cleanup.

Your property is clean, dry and ready for repairs. We walk through it with you, go over what we cleaned and what we removed, and give you the photos and written scope. Rebuilding work like new drywall, cabinets or roofing is done by the contractor of your choice. Our records help that contractor and your adjuster see exactly what condition the building is in.

Yes. We clean up after fires in offices, shops, restaurants and other commercial spaces in Morgantown. Smoke spreads through shared ventilation and drop ceilings in commercial buildings, so we check beyond the room where the fire started. We work in sections when possible to keep part of the business running, and we document everything for your commercial insurance carrier.

Because heat and humidity bring trapped odor back out of porous materials. Smoke residue soaks into drywall, insulation, wood and fabric, and when the air warms up in summer, the smell rises out again. That's why a house can seem fine in winter and smell like a campfire by July. The fix is finding and cleaning or removing the residue, not airing the house out.

Yes. We serve all of Morgantown, including Suncrest, Evansdale, South Park, Sabraton and the neighborhoods around WVU, along with Westover, Star City and the Cheat Lake area. Our office is in Charleston, and Morgantown is part of our regular service area. Call (304) 395-3925, tell us where the property is and we'll set up the walkthrough.

Yes. Our phone line is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including nights, weekends and holidays. We'll ask what happened, tell you how to keep the property secure and protect what's left, and get the walkthrough on the schedule. Having a plan that first night makes the next morning a lot less overwhelming.