How Wildfire and Smoke Damage Affect Your Home: What You Need to Know

September 20, 2022

Natural and environmental hazards driven by climate change are becoming key considerations for today’s homebuyers. Each year, wildfires burn millions of acres across the U.S. and cause severe damage to buildings, homes, and communities. Few homeowners can imagine the devastation a wildfire could inflict on their property, but minimizing losses when disaster strikes is possible. Whether you live in an apartment in San Jose or are buying a house in Colorado Springs, it’s crucial to educate yourself on the damage wildfires and smoke can cause.  

What precautions should you take to protect your home against wildfires and smoke damage? 


Wildfires destroy an average of 14,000 homes each year and force tens of thousands of people to evacuate and seek shelter across the U.S. When living in wildfire territory, it’s essential to prepare an evacuation plan for you and your family. If possible, you should fireproof your home in advance of the wildfire season so if you need to evacuate, you’ll be able to quickly and safely leave your home. 


There are a few things you can do to minimize the wildfire and smoke damage to your home:  

  • Shut off the gas at the meter, and be sure to turn off all pilot lights. 
  • Close all windows and doors, leaving them unlocked. 
  • Move furniture away from windows and doors.  
  • Remove flammable window treatments like curtains and shades.  
  • Turn off the air conditioning. 
  • Leave the lights on inside and outside of the house to make it easier to spot.  
  • Bring any outdoor furniture inside, shut off propane tanks, and don’t leave sprinklers on or water running. 
  • Wet down the roof, shrubs, and grass within 15-20 ft. of your home 


“An ounce of prevention is worth pounds and pounds of cleaning. Acquire and store materials such as plastic sheeting or house wrap, so they are easily accessible for use later. If you’re facing evacuation, try to take a little time to seal up the home to prevent smoke intrusion while you are away,”  says Bob Shupe of Cleaner Guys.  


“Using a stapler and some pieces of cardboard as a washer, staple the sheeting material over windows, doors, and accessible vents to prevent smoke/soot from entering the home. If feasible, turn off appliances and mechanical systems that circulate air to further reduce the spread of particulates through the home.” 


What are the dangers of a wildfire to a home? 


If you’re planning on buying a home in wildfire territory, it’s important to ask the right questions to determine your level of wildfire risk. Whether you’re located in a low or high-risk zone, wildfires can cause significant damage to your home, and it’s essential to be aware of the potential hazards to protect it. The risk for wildfires is highest in locations where vegetation and homes meet and increases in extremely dry weather conditions (drought), extreme heat, and during high winds. Even if a home survives a wildfire, there can still be extensive fire and smoke damage. 


If the fire damage is severe, the foundation could crack, causing structural damage to your home. Depending on the intensity of the heat and smoke, there could be damage to the roof, walls, and windows. Appliances, furniture, and other household items or personal belongings can become discolored or burnt, while plants and outdoor spaces may become contaminated by smoke. It’s also important to remember that wildfires can make indoor air quality extremely unhealthy and dangerous, just as it does with outdoor air quality. However, the dangers to a home ultimately depend on the proximity and intensity of the fire and smoke. 


Wildfire damage restoration and repair 

Restoring your home from fire damage can be challenging. Before you start cleaning up, be sure to contact your homeowner's insurance company. You’ll want to inform them of the damages, so they can help you file a claim (most homeowners insurance policies cover damage to your home and belongings caused by wildfire; however, coverage can vary by location and by policy). 


Once it’s deemed safe to return to your home, taking on the cleanup on your own can be dangerous, so it’s best to contact restoration and remediation professionals. Fire damage restoration addresses the damage caused by fire, smoke, and water, and you’ll want professional help to prevent any lasting damage to your home. 


“Don’t touch, move, or disturb anything until the fire department has cleared the scene and the insurance adjuster has done their work,” advises Clarke Contractors. “If you do so beforehand, you risk causing more damage to your home or losing out on part of your claim because you disturbed the original state of the property.” 


Fire damage restoration and cleanup process: What to do and who to contact 


1. Secure and assess the property  


It’s important to first secure your property once the fire department says it’s safe. Depending on the extent of the damage, doors and windows may need to be boarded up to prevent any further damage or theft while your home is unattended. The air quality will be dangerous and unhealthy, so protective gear - such as masks, protective clothing, gloves, and breathing equipment - might be necessary for anyone entering the home. 


The restoration and remediation company will then assess your home and surrounding property. In order to come up with a clean-up and restoration plan, it’s essential to understand the full scope of the damage. 


Guarantee Restoration Services adds, “Ensure that the restoration and remediation company you hire fully understands the insurance process and can work with your insurance company/adjuster as an advocate for you and your property. After catastrophic events, there are a lot of “fly by night” companies, so do your due diligence and vet the company before hiring.” 


2. Remove harmful or unsalvageable items from your property 


Your property will then be assessed for items that can be cleaned and salvaged and items that need to be discarded. This may be one of the more challenging steps in the restoration process for you and your family since you might have to part ways with sentimental items if they’re deemed dangerous to your health. 


These types of household items should be thrown out: 

  • Food and beverages, both perishable and non-perishable. 
  • Burned clothing, bedding, etc.  
  • Medicine and/or cosmetics showing signs of soot, smoke discoloration, or dust from a fire extinguisher. 


3. Extract water to prevent further damage


Due to the fire-fighting process, there will likely be water damage in addition to the fire and smoke damage. If this is the case, the next step in the fire damage restoration process is to remove the water and let your home be dehumidified and dried. It’s best to do this as soon as possible to avoid additional damage to the structure of your home. You want to decrease the chance of mold forming. 


“Insurance companies will always scrutinize secondary damage that could’ve been avoided. And because preventing secondary water damage is the homeowner's responsibility, you’ll want to get a professional out to your home to help,” says Dan Oppedisano of Bedrock Restoration. “Some ways to prevent secondary damage include extracting any bulk/standing water, as well as placing commercial grade dehumidifiers and air scrubbers with HEPA filters.” 


4. Remove debris and demolish areas with irreparable damage 

It’s difficult to continue the restoration process when large amounts of debris are in the way, such as damaged drywall, ceilings, flooring, etc. If it’s unsalvageable or easier to replace than repair, it should be quickly and safely removed so that the restoration process can begin. 


5. Address smoke damage; then clean up soot and other harmful byproducts of the fire 

In order to thoroughly clean up your home after a wildfire, smoke damage and soot residue will need to be cleaned. If not addressed quickly, permanent discoloration or staining may occur. 

Smoke damage restoration and repair: How to clean smoke damage 

Even if your home doesn’t come in direct contact with fire, there can still be severe damage or destruction from smoke. When it comes to smoke damage, the quicker you clean up the smoke and soot, the better. If left unaddressed for too long, smoke can react similarly to acid and destroy different materials in your home. And because smoke particles are so small, they can sneak into cracks throughout the house which could leave harmful contamination and your home smelling of smoke. 


1.  Air out your home 

Make sure your home receives thorough ventilation so lingering smoke won’t further settle into your belongings. Open up all windows and doors to air out your house. To further help with ventilation, you can turn on fans throughout your home. Box fans placed in windows should be facing out to help recirculate clean, fresh air into your home. You’ll want to change the air filters in your home’s HVAC system to ensure clean air is circulating and to fully remove the smoke smell from your home. 


2. Determine if items can be cleaned and salvaged or if they should be thrown out 

Even if some items appear to be salvageable, it may be more costly to restore them than to replace them. While certain items - such as clothes - may be easily cleaned, other items must be discarded. For example, smoke can severely damage appliances or electronics. Even if they appear to be functioning initially, they might stop working shortly after due to damage to sensitive electrical circuits. If you’ve hired a professional restoration and remediation service, they can advise you on what to keep and what to toss out.  


3. Clean surfaces thoroughly 

Use proper cleaning materials and protective gear to remove any loose soot clinging to walls, floors, and other surfaces, saving your ceilings to be washed last. There are plenty of odor-neutralizing cleaning products that you can use to help get rid of the smoke smell in your home that will also tackle the smoke damage. You can use a mixture of warm water and vinegar to clean most surfaces, followed by rinsing with clean water. 


4. Clean bedding, clothing, and other textiles 

Depending on how strong the smoke odor is, washing bedding and clothing regularly may do the trick. However, if the smoke smell is still lingering even after this, you’ll want to have it professionally cleaned with commercial cleaning products. 


5. Clean upholstery and curtains 

When it comes to upholstery cleaning, you’ll want to be sure you’re using the correct cleaning products and tools for the specific material. If you’re going to take a DIY cleaning route, start by washing removable covers and scrubbing the smoke smell out with baking soda. Let the baking soda sit for about 20 minutes. 


6. Deodorize and clean your floors  


If the fire and smoke damage are severe, you may decide to refinish or completely replace the flooring.  



  • Hardwood: With hardwood floors, there’s the possibility that smoke and soot have settled. Mop your floors with hardwood-specific cleaning products. You may have to repeat the process a few times. 
  • Carpet: When cleaning and getting the smoke smell out of the carpet, start by vacuuming to pick up any layers of ash and residue. Then, sprinkle baking soda and let it sit overnight, vacuuming again the next morning. Baking soda is a great deodorizer and will provide some immediate relief from the smoke smell. Having your carpets professionally steam-cleaned can also help to fully remove the odor. 
  • Tile: If the tile is sealed or glazed, it should be resistant to any staining from soot, so you can simply scrub the tile clean with soap. However, if the tile is not sealed or glazed, it can easily stain. You’ll need to use a soft scrub brush (not a sponge) and scrub in small circles to give the tiles a deep cleaning. 


Originally published on Redfin 

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Why Pre-Loss Planning Matters for Lafayette Properties on the Gulf Coast

By Jeremy Cryer • May 27, 2026
On the Gulf Coast, preparation isn’t optional. It’s simply a part of doing business. From hurricane season to heavy rain events and everything in between, properties in Lafayette face a different level of risk than most. And when something does happen, the difference between a smooth recovery and a stressful situation often comes down to one thing: having a plan in place with the right team. Why Pre-Loss Planning Looks Different in Lafayette Pre-loss planning looks a little different here because the risks are different. It’s not just about knowing where your shutoffs are or having a list of contacts. It’s about understanding how quickly a storm can shift, how water can move through a property, and how to respond when multiple buildings or locations are impacted at once. That kind of preparation requires more than a template. It requires local knowledge. At Guarantee Restoration Services, our Lafayette team builds pre-loss plans with that in mind. We take into account the specific challenges that come with properties in Acadiana, including wind-driven rain, tornado threats, and the potential for widespread damage across an entire area. That allows us to create a plan that is realistic, not just theoretical. The Importance of Having a Clear Path Forward “We’ve seen how quickly things can escalate during a storm event. Having a pre-loss plan in place gives our clients a clear path forward instead of trying to figure it out in the middle of the chaos,” said Craig Rose, Mitigation Manager at our Lafayette Branch. That “clear path forward” is what makes the biggest difference. When a storm hits, response times are everything, but so is access. Roads can be blocked, power can be out, and communication can be limited. A strong pre-loss plan accounts for those variables and ensures that response efforts can begin as soon as it is safe to do so. Protecting Operations, Employees, and Tenants It also helps property teams stay focused on what matters most. Instead of trying to coordinate vendors, track down information, or make high-pressure decisions, they can follow a plan that has already been built around their property and their priorities. From a business standpoint, that level of preparation protects more than just the building. It protects operations, tenants, employees, and timelines. Building Trust Before Disaster Strikes “Pre-loss planning is about building trust before there’s ever a problem. Our clients know who to call, what to expect, and how we’re going to support them when something happens,” said Paige Hebert, Business Development Representative in Lafayette. That trust and familiarity matter, especially in a region where large-scale events can impact entire communities at once. You are not just calling a company, you are calling a team that already understands your property, your risks, and your expectations. Be Realistic. Be Ready. Pre-loss planning on the Gulf Coast is not about over-preparing. It is about being realistic and ready. Because when the next storm comes through Lafayette, it is not a matter of if you will need a plan—it is a matter of how well that plan works when it is put to the test. Call us today to schedule your Pre-Loss Planning meeting where 24/7 is not just a number… it’s a GUARANTEE!

How to Respond to Property Damage in the First 24 Hours

By Shawn Folks • May 20, 2026
When a disaster strikes and a loss happens, the clock starts immediately. The first 24 hours after a storm event or a fire loss are the most critical for any property. It is at this time that major decisions need to be made, the damage is either controlled or spreads, and the path to recovery is determined. These decisions are often rushed, unclear, and reactive without a plan in place. This is where having a pre-loss plan makes a measurable and meaningful difference. A pre-loss plan creates a clear starting point for you and your team instead of scrambling to figure out who to call, what steps to take, or how to protect the property. It removes reactive hesitation and replaces it with action to recover. Everyone involved knows their role and understands the process, allowing them to move quickly without second guessing. Speed matters in restoration. Water continues to spread; materials continue to deteriorate, and secondary damage, like mold, can begin in as little as 24 to 48 hours. The faster a response is initiated, the more damage can be contained. Pre-loss planning allows that response to begin immediately, not hours or days later. Other than fast action, it also brings clarity during a very chaotic and challenging moment. Property managers, facility teams, and business owners are not left out in the dark trying to make high-pressure decisions on the spot. Instead, they are following a plan that has already been thoroughly thought through, discussed, and tailored to their specific property’s needs. Communication can become fragmented without a plan. Another advantage to pre-loss planning is coordination. There are several moving parts including emergency services, restoration teams, and insurance carriers. Having a plan streamlines communication ensuring that everyone involved is aligned from the start. At Guarantee Restoration Services, pre-loss planning is designed to support the exact moment the dust settles. It’s not just about preparing documents to sign ahead of time; it’s about setting up our partners and clients to respond with confidence when it matters the most. From established points of contact to documented site conditions and response protocols, everything is built to protect time, reduce damage, and maintain control.  Many people think preparation is about preventing the worst from happening. Rather, it is about being ready when it happens. Because when those first 24 hours hit, you do not want to be figuring things out. You want to be executing a well-formulated, personalized plan for recovery. Call us today...where 24/7 isn’t just a number, it’s a GUARANTEE!
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