Fire Damage Restoration in Olympia, WA

Fire damage restoration in Olympia, WA starts once the flames are out and the fire department has handed the property back. By then, most homes have three kinds of damage at once: burned materials, smoke and soot spread through rooms the fire never reached, and water from the hoses or sprinklers. Through our referral line (opening soon), you can be connected with an independent fire damage restoration company that secures the building, cleans what can be cleaned and dries out the water left behind.

Who responds to fires in Thurston County

Fire service in the area is split among city departments, fire districts and regional fire authorities. The Olympia Fire Department serves the city, Lacey Fire District 3 covers Lacey and the surrounding area, and the Tumwater Fire Department serves Tumwater. To the south, West Thurston Regional Fire Authority covers Rochester, Grand Mound and Littlerock, and the Southeast Thurston Fire Authority covers Yelm and Rainier. Whichever agency responded, ask it for the incident report number. Your insurer will want it.

The order of work after a fire

1. Secure the property. Board up broken windows and doors, and tarp damaged roofs to keep rain out. In an Olympia winter, rain can do as much damage as the fire if the roof is open.
2. Remove water. Firefighting water is extracted from floors, carpet and the crawl space, and drying starts. See firefighting and sprinkler water damage.
3. Remove debris. Burned materials and items that cannot be saved are documented and removed.
4. Clean soot and smoke. Walls, ceilings, cabinets and belongings are cleaned with methods suited to the type of residue. See smoke and soot cleanup.
5. Treat odor. Smoke odor in framing, ducts and insulation is treated, and some materials are sealed or replaced.
6. Rebuild. Once the structure is clean and dry, repairs can begin.

What not to do in the first days

• Do not enter until officials say it is safe.
• Do not turn on the furnace, air conditioning or fans. They spread soot through the ducts.
• Do not wipe or scrub soot with water. It can smear and set into paint.
• Do not use electrical appliances that were exposed to heat or water until they are checked.
• Do not throw things away before photographing them for the claim.
• Do not eat food or use medicine that was near the fire.

Small fires cause big smoke damage

A pan fire on the stove or a short in an outlet may only burn a small area, but smoke travels through the whole house on air currents and settles as a fine film on walls, ceilings, inside cabinets and in the HVAC system. Protein residue from kitchen fires is almost invisible yet has a strong odor. Synthetic materials leave greasy, dark soot that stains easily. Professional cleaning matches the method to the residue.

Insurance after a fire

Fire is one of the main risks covered by Washington homeowners and renters policies, along with the smoke and the water used to put it out. Many policies also include additional living expenses while the home is unlivable. Start a room-by-room inventory with photos, keep every receipt and ask your adjuster before you authorize major repairs. If a claim stalls, the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner takes consumer questions and complaints.

Choosing a fire restoration company

Ask whether the company handles board-up, water removal, soot cleaning and contents cleaning in house, how it treats odor and whether it works with your insurer directly. Check its Washington Labor & Industries contractor registration on L&I's Verify a Contractor tool before signing anything.

Book fire damage help

To reach a fire damage restoration company, email info@olympiawaterdamagewa.com while our phone line is being set up. Have your ZIP code ready and say whether the roof or windows are open, and whether the home is safe to enter.