Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration in Philadelphia & Delaware Valley
Emergency board-up, soot removal, smoke odor elimination, and complete structural restoration. IICRC-certified. All insurance accepted.
Fire damage restoration requires careful assessment, controlled cleanup, and attention to both structural and environmental impacts. We address fire, smoke, and soot damage through targeted cleaning, debris removal, and stabilization to prevent further loss.
A fire is one of the most traumatic events a property owner can experience. In its aftermath, the physical and emotional toll of the damage can feel overwhelming. But fire damage is not the end of your property's story — and New Image Restoration has helped hundreds of Philadelphia-area homeowners and businesses recover completely from fire and smoke damage.
Here's what most people don't realize: the visible fire damage is often not the most destructive part. Smoke and soot travel throughout your entire property — through HVAC systems, into wall cavities, across every porous surface — within minutes of a fire. Soot is chemically active and acidic, and it continues to cause corrosion and permanent staining the longer it sits. The water used to fight the fire causes its own damage layer. And smoke odor, if not properly treated at the molecular level, can persist in a structure for years.
Fire damage restoration requires a specific, coordinated sequence of professional interventions: emergency securing of the property, rapid soot and smoke cleanup to stop ongoing damage, contents pack-out and restoration, structural repairs, and final odor elimination. New Image Restoration handles every phase — from the first board-up nail to the final walkthrough.
What We Handle
Types of Fire Damage We Restore
Kitchen & Cooking Fires
The most common residential fire source. Kitchen fires range from minor appliance damage to extensive structural fires with ceiling collapse. Even 'small' kitchen fires produce protein smoke — one of the most difficult odor types to eliminate — that permeates the entire home.
Electrical Fires
Faulty wiring, overloaded circuits, and failing appliances cause fires that often start inside walls before becoming visible. Electrical fires require electrical system inspection and repair before restoration work can safely proceed.
Heating Equipment Fires
Furnace fires, chimney fires from creosote buildup, and space heater fires are common in older Delaware Valley homes. Chimney fires in particular can spread to attic framing rapidly.
Candle & Accidental Fires
Unattended candles and accidental ignition sources cause significant residential fires. These fires often start in bedrooms or living areas and may involve significant soft content damage alongside structural damage.
Commercial & Industrial Fires
Commercial fires involve additional complexities: code compliance for reconstruction, coordination with commercial insurers, business interruption documentation, and often significantly larger affected areas requiring multiple crews.
Wildfire & External Fire Exposure
Homes adjacent to wildfires or neighboring structure fires often suffer significant smoke damage without direct fire contact. Smoke infiltration through exterior openings, HVAC systems, and building envelope gaps requires the same professional remediation as interior fire smoke.
Why Professional Matters
Don't Risk DIY Restoration
Fire and smoke damage restoration is not a DIY situation — not even partially. Soot wiped incorrectly with household cleaners spreads and permanently bonds to surfaces. Disturbing smoke-damaged contents without proper documentation destroys the value of your insurance claim. Attempting odor removal with consumer air fresheners masks odor temporarily while it continues to off-gas from materials. And entering a fire-damaged structure without safety assessment risks injury from structural instability, electrical hazards, and toxic air. Professional fire restoration requires IICRC FSRT certification, specialized chemical cleaning agents, industrial odor treatment equipment, and established insurance documentation protocols. Our team brings all of these to every fire damage project.
Step By Step
Our Fire Damage Restoration Process
Emergency Board-Up & Site Securing
We secure your property immediately — boarding windows and doors, tarping roof openings, and preventing unauthorized entry. This protects against weather damage, theft, and additional structural compromise.
Damage Assessment & Documentation
Our FSRT-certified technicians assess structural integrity, smoke spread, water damage from firefighting, and content losses. We document everything — photos, written scope, content inventory — for your insurance claim.
Contents Pack-Out & Inventory
Salvageable contents are carefully cataloged, photographed, packed, and transported to our climate-controlled facility for professional cleaning and odor treatment. Non-salvageable items are documented for insurance replacement value.
Soot & Smoke Cleanup
Using chemical sponges, alkaline cleaners, and HEPA vacuums, we remove soot from all surfaces using the correct method for each surface type. Stained surfaces that can't be fully cleaned are sealed with encapsulant primer.
Smoke Odor Elimination
We deploy thermal foggers, ozone generators, and hydroxyl generators to neutralize smoke odor at the molecular level — not mask it. HVAC systems and ductwork are cleaned and filters replaced.
Structural Repairs & Reconstruction
Damaged structural elements, drywall, roofing, windows, and flooring are repaired or replaced. We restore your property to pre-loss condition — matching existing finishes and materials throughout.
Contents Return & Final Walkthrough
Cleaned and restored contents are returned and placed. A final walkthrough with you confirms that all odor, soot, and damage have been fully remediated to your satisfaction.
Why New Image Restoration
The New Image Advantage
Emergency Board-Up 24/7
We secure your property within hours of the fire — preventing weather damage, theft, and vandalism while restoration planning proceeds.
Smoke Odor Elimination
Thermal fogging, ozone, and hydroxyl treatment eliminate smoke odor at the molecular level — permanently, not just temporarily.
Contents Restoration
Professional pack-out, ultrasonic cleaning, and odor treatment restores fire-damaged belongings that many assume are total losses.
Insurance Claim Expertise
We've handled hundreds of fire damage insurance claims. Our documentation maximizes your coverage and prevents costly underpayment.
IICRC FSRT Certified
Our Fire and Smoke Restoration Technicians hold IICRC certification — the industry credential that ensures correct, safe restoration methods.
Full Reconstruction Capability
From emergency services through final reconstruction, we're your single point of contact — no juggling multiple contractors.
Real Projects
Our Fire & Smoke Work
Kitchen fire — ceiling collapse, smoke damage, and full restoration
Residential fire — structural assessment and complete restoration
Insurance Coverage for Fire & Smoke
Fire damage is covered by virtually all standard homeowner's and commercial property insurance policies. Your policy likely also covers additional living expenses (hotel and meals) while your home is being restored, and contents replacement for items that cannot be salvaged. We work directly with every major insurer — State Farm, Allstate, USAA, Liberty Mutual, Erie Insurance, and all others — and have established relationships with adjusters throughout the Philadelphia region. We begin documentation before any work starts and advocate for the maximum coverage your policy allows.
Learn About Our Insurance ProcessCommon Questions
Fire & Smoke FAQ
Need Fire & Smoke Help Right Now?
A fire changes everything — but it doesn't have to end your life in your home or the operation of your business. New Image Restoration has restored hundreds of fire-damaged properties throughout the Delaware Valley back to full function and beauty. Call us at (610) 795-2629, 24 hours a day — we'll answer, we'll respond, and we'll be there.
Other Services
Related Services
Water Damage Restoration
Water damage spreads fast. Our certified technicians respond 24/7 to extract water, dry affected areas, and restore your property to pre-loss condition — all while working directly with your insurance.
Learn MoreStorm Damage Restoration
Nor'easters, hurricanes, and severe storms cause roof damage, fallen trees, and water intrusion. We board up, tarp, and restore — 24/7, every season.
Learn MoreDisaster Cleaning
After a disaster, thorough cleaning is essential for safety and recovery. We handle biohazard cleanup, debris removal, odor elimination, and complete sanitization of affected areas.
Learn More