(fire damage in small areas of the house with water sprinklers and smoke detectors)
(extensive fire damage in a house with no water sprinklers)
Cost to recover from fire damage varies greatly by region (and even by zip code).
Get free estimates from damage restoration professionals in your city.
Fire and smoke recovery after a house fire can be a stressful process. It’s essential to have an idea of what it entails and the costs involved in the process to ensure it gets done properly, as well as efficiently as possible.
Fire damage recovery projects are complex jobs that require specialized professionals to get your home back to its original state, and therefore can’t be done as DIY projects. The total fire damage recovery cost depends on the extent and location of the damage, and ranges from as low as $800 to as high as $12,000, or more. However, the majority of Americans spend an average of $4,000 for home fire recovery. Insurance coverage also reduces the out-of-pocket amount that a homeowner pays for fire damage recovery.
When a fire occurs in your home, or a section of your home, it is advisable to ensure the safety of anyone in or around the area first before calling for assistance from your local fire department. Acting quickly can help minimize the amount of damage by allowing the firemen to get to the sight as soon as possible.
Once the fire is over, your insurance adjuster will need to take photographs of the damage before you can move or clean anything. The photographs will be used to evaluate the extent of the loss incurred for compensation. However, ventilation can help to draw smoke and dust out before any cleaning is done.
Once fire and smoke damage to a home has been reported, and claims issues have been discussed with the insurance company, the restoration of the home may begin. This is usually done by a fire restoration company. A representative typically inspects the premises to establish the type and extent of the damages and determine how much cleaning and restoration is needed before they begin.
Home fires fall into two categories:
Restoration costs depend heavily on the type of smoke damage, which should be determined before the commencement of the clean-up.
A home that has been damaged by fire and smoke over a large area costs more to restore, while a home where fire and smoke damage was restricted to a small part costs much less. Once fire and smoke damage has occurred, the restoration process needs to start as soon as possible, as in some cases water used to put out the fire may lead to further damage if left alone too long.
The cost of fire damage recovery is also affected by the method of fire extinguishing employed, as they also cause mild to severe destruction in the process. Water from hoses soak materials and destroy walls, but its damage can be reduced by up to 90% if sprinklers are used. Other methods such as chemical extinguishers cause deposition of toxic residues on objects that need to be cleaned. Fire extinguishers which normally use carbon dioxide are available for around $200-$500, and cause the least damage as they don’t have leave residue, while also being less toxic.
There are several damages associated with a home fire for which restoration is required. The table below shows the common damages, causes, solutions, and their associated costs:
Type of Damage | Causes | Problems | Solutions | Costs |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fire damage | Fire | Burnt down parts of home | Structural repairs and replacements | $2,000 -$5,000 |
Water damage | Water mist extinguishers Extinguishing water sprinklers | Soaked carpet Dry walls Other materials | Dehumidification Structural dying Deodorization | $1,000 -$4,000 |
Smoke and soot damage | Fire | Soot on surfaces and materials | Soot-removal film Air duct cleaning Odor removal Structural repairs and replacements | $2,000 -$6,000 |
Chemical damages | Fire extinguishers | Chemical residues on surfaces and materials Contaminated interior air | Ozone treatment Application of chemical sealers and additives | $1,000 -$2,500 |
Home fire sprinklers can reduce the destruction potential of a home fire by up to 90%, which in turn may reduce your homeowners’ insurance premiums. They work by preventing the fire’s spread to other parts of the home by spraying it with water. They also lower the water usage in putting the fire out as they use 8.5 times less water than conventional fire horse reels. Nationally, on average the cost of installing home fire sprinkler systems is $1.61 per square foot of space under sprinkler.
Smoke detectors 2 trigger alarms that alert occupants of a fire to escape safely. There are two basic types of smoke detectors 2; Ionization smoke detectors 2 which use a small amount of Americium-241 in a chamber to detect smoke and cost $15-$60, and photoelectric smoke detectors 2 designed with a light-sensitive, electric sensor 2 costing $20-$80. A qualified $65-$85 electrician can install any of the smoke detectors 2 in around one hour for.
Fire extinguishers help in fighting fire before the fire department arrives and can help reduce destruction. Multi-use home kits cost $35-$75 with no additional installation cost.
Cost to recover from fire damage varies greatly by region (and even by zip code). To get free estimates from local contractors, please indicate yours.