The Different Types of Fire Damage

4/2/2024 (Permalink)

SERVPRO ad with images of different types of damage caused by a fire.

Dealing with fire damage can be a long process. The fire could have been small, but its smoke did most of the damage. Conversely, most of the damage could have been from the fire itself. Lastly, another layer of damage could have been caused when the fire was extinguished. Here are the main types of fire damage that are commonly dealt with.

Flame Damage—This could be from an electrical outlet that caused damage that led to a full-blown kitchen fire.

Smoke Damage—Smoke is literally in the air and can (and will) get into everything. Even after the rebuild is completed, the property can still have a lingering smell of smoke unless it is dealt with correctly.

3rd Party Damage - This type of damage comes from any in-house sprinkler system used to put the fire out or from the Fire Department themselves when they get to the scene.

Heat Damage—Even though a part of the structure might not have actually caught fire, it was probably severely heated. This can cause structural damage and possible swelling that you might overlook right away.

After a fire, you could simultaneously deal with flame, smoke, water, and heat damage.  FEMA has some great information on what to do after the fire.  The best way to ensure this is taken care of promptly and properly is to contact the team at SERVPRO to get on the job!