If you’ve just had a fire, you and your family are probably still processing it. Before you worry about any of this, make sure everyone is safe and you have a place to stay tonight. The restoration work can wait a day.
When you’re ready to start the next step, SteamPro Restoration is here. Call us any time at (870) 793-4834 — we serve Batesville, Mountain Home, and all of North Central Arkansas.
Fire damage is actually three problems at once
Most homeowners think “fire damage” means the parts of the house that burned. Professional restorers know it’s three overlapping issues, and each one is handled differently:
- Direct fire damage — the areas that burned, including structural framing, walls, flooring, and anything reduced to ash.
- Smoke and soot damage — the oily, acidic residue that coats every surface in the house, including rooms the fire never reached. Smoke travels through HVAC systems and wall cavities and can permanently damage furniture, electronics, drywall, and fabric within days if not cleaned.
- Water damage from firefighting — even a small kitchen fire typically involves hundreds of gallons of water from fire hoses or sprinklers. That water has to be extracted and the structure dried within 24-48 hours or you’re adding a mold problem to the fire problem.
What happens in the first 48 hours
When you call SteamPro, here’s the typical sequence:
Assessment and documentation — we walk the property with you, take photos for your insurance claim, and identify what’s salvageable versus what’s not. We can speak directly to your insurance adjuster so you don’t have to translate between us.
Securing the property — if windows or doors burned out or the roof is compromised, we board up openings and tarp roofs to prevent rain damage, animal entry, and theft.
Water extraction and drying — this is the most time-sensitive step. Truck-mounted extractors pull standing water, and industrial dehumidifiers and air movers dry the structure. This prevents mold, warped hardwood, and drywall collapse.
Soot and smoke removal — every surface in the house gets cleaned, including areas that don’t look damaged. Soot is acidic and etches glass, mirrors, appliances, and metal finishes if left too long. We use HEPA air scrubbers, ozone generators, and thermal fogging to remove smoke odor from porous materials.
Contents cleaning — furniture, clothes, dishes, books, and electronics are inventoried and either cleaned on-site or taken to be deodorized and returned.
Things homeowners don’t know until it’s too late
Don’t try to clean soot yourself. Soot is acidic and smears. A homeowner with a wet rag will etch patterns into paint, wallpaper, and upholstery that are permanent. Professional soot cleaning uses dry sponges, alkaline cleaners, and specialized tools.
Don’t sleep in the house if there’s smoke smell or you’re not sure about air quality. Fire byproducts are toxic, and burned synthetic materials leave behind carcinogens in the air and on surfaces. Stay somewhere else until air scrubbing is complete.
Keep receipts for EVERYTHING — hotel stays, meals out, replacement clothes, pet boarding. Most homeowner policies include “loss of use” coverage that reimburses those expenses, but only if you document them.
Working with your insurance
SteamPro works with every major insurance carrier serving Arkansas. We can bill your carrier directly in most cases, which means you pay your deductible and we handle the rest. We document every room, every action, and every cost so your adjuster has what they need to approve the claim quickly.
Call (870) 793-4834 when you’re ready. We’re based in Batesville and Mountain Home and serve all of North Central Arkansas, 24/7.