What to Do After a House Fire: A Step-by-Step Guide

A house fire is one of the most disorienting experiences a family can go through. Even a contained fire that affects a single room leaves behind smoke damage, structural concerns, and an overwhelming amount of immediate decisions. Knowing what to do — and in what order — reduces the chaos and helps protect your insurance claim.

Immediately After the Fire Is Extinguished

Do not re-enter until cleared by the fire department. This isn’t a precaution — it’s about structural integrity. Heat compromises joists, load-bearing elements, and subfloor in ways that aren’t obvious. Firefighters will tell you when it’s safe.

Get a fire report number. Before the fire department leaves, ask for an incident number. Your insurance company will require this.

Contact your insurance company the same day. Most policies have notification requirements. The sooner you call, the sooner the claims process begins. Your adjuster will be assigned and will guide you through the next steps.

The First 24 Hours

Secure the Property

After a fire, your home is vulnerable to weather intrusion, theft, and further structural damage. Emergency board-up and tarping is typically the first thing a restoration company does — and it matters immediately. Smoke-damaged walls exposed to rain become moldy walls.

If your insurance company hasn’t already dispatched a contractor, call a restoration company directly. Board-up is almost always covered and can happen same-day.

Document Everything

Before any cleanup starts, document the damage as thoroughly as possible. Take photos and video of every room, including ceilings, walls, flooring, and the contents of each space. This documentation is the foundation of your insurance claim.

Make a written list of every item you can identify that was damaged or destroyed. Include model numbers and approximate purchase dates where you can. Your insurer will ask for this.

Arrange Temporary Housing

If your home is uninhabitable, your homeowner’s insurance policy almost certainly includes Additional Living Expenses (ALE) coverage — also called “loss of use.” This covers hotel stays, rental accommodation, and even increased meal costs while your home is being restored.

Ask your adjuster to confirm your ALE coverage and daily limits as soon as possible so you can start making housing arrangements without worrying about the cost.

The Cleanup and Restoration Process

Why You Should Not Start Cleanup Yourself

Soot and smoke residue are toxic. Soot contains carbon, heavy metals, acids, and other combustion byproducts. Wiping soot incorrectly can grind it deeper into surfaces and permanently stain materials that could have been cleaned properly. Smoke odour penetrates porous materials — drywall, wood framing, insulation, furniture — and requires professional treatment to neutralize.

Professional fire restoration companies have specialized cleaning agents, thermal fogging equipment, and ozone treatment systems that are not available in hardware stores.

What the Restoration Process Looks Like

A typical fire restoration project involves several phases:

1. Emergency mitigation — Board-up, tarping, water extraction if firefighting water remains
2. Assessment and scoping — Documenting damage, establishing what can be cleaned vs. what must be replaced
3. Contents pack-out — Removing salvageable belongings for off-site cleaning and storage
4. Demolition — Removing unsalvageable materials (drywall, flooring, cabinetry)
5. Structural cleaning — Cleaning smoke from framing, concrete, ductwork
6. Odour treatment — Thermal fogging and/or ozone treatment for deeply penetrated smoke odour
7. Reconstruction — Rebuilding the structure and finishing

The timeline varies significantly based on the extent of damage. A contained kitchen fire might take 4–8 weeks. A whole-floor fire can take months.

Working With Your Insurance Company

Understand Your Rights

Your insurance company has an interest in managing claim costs. You have the right to:

• Have a public adjuster represent your interests (separate from the insurer’s adjuster)
• Get independent estimates from contractors of your choosing
• Request an itemized breakdown of any proposed settlement

You do not have to accept the first offer. If you believe your claim is undervalued, you can dispute it.

The Restoration Company and Insurance

Reputable restoration companies work directly with insurance companies every day. A good contractor will document everything thoroughly to support your claim. Be cautious of any contractor who asks you to sign over your insurance rights or who discourages you from communicating directly with your adjuster.

What Comes Next

The months after a house fire are genuinely difficult. People often underestimate the emotional weight of the process — the temporary housing, the decisions, the waiting. Lean on your restoration contractor for guidance and lean on your adjuster for answers about coverage. You don’t have to navigate this alone.

YEG Restoration has helped hundreds of Edmonton families through fire recovery. We handle emergency board-up, complete restoration, and work directly with all major insurers. Call us any time — someone always answers.