What Can I Do About My Fire Damaged House?

A fire damaged house isn’t just about the charred walls you see. The real damage often hides underneath. Two of the biggest problems after a fire are water and smoke. Firefighters use massive amounts of water to put out flames. That water soaks deep into walls, ceilings, floors, and insulation. If it isn’t dried out properly, mold starts growing fast.

At the same time, smoke creeps into every crack. It soaks into wood, drywall, ductwork, and even the insulation you can’t see.  Both water and smoke can turn what looks like a small, manageable fire into a massive, expensive cleanup project.

That’s why even fires that seem “minor” often require professional remediation.

Options for Handling a Fire Damaged House

Depending on how bad the damage is, you generally have four options:

1. Light Cleanup

If the fire was caught quickly, you might be lucky. Light cleanup usually covers surface level smoke and soot. Common tasks include:

• Deep cleaning walls, floors, and ceilings
• Deodorizing to get rid of smoke smells
• Repainting walls and woodwork
• Small fixture repairs

Light cleanup sounds simple, but smoke can be stubborn. A lot of times, you’ll need specialized cleaning equipment to truly get rid of the smell.

2. Partial Renovation

When fire touches part of your house like a kitchen fire, for example—you’ll usually need a partial renovation. This could mean:

• Pulling out damaged drywall
• Fixing or replacing wiring
• Swapping out damaged plumbing
• New flooring and paintwork

Partial renovations can get tricky if smoke or water spread further than you thought. You may not know the full extent of the damage until contractors open up the walls.

3. Full Renovation

Bigger fires often leave homes needing a full gut job. This usually involves:

• Stripping the house down to the studs
• Rebuilding major systems like electrical, HVAC, and plumbing
• Major structural repairs to roofing, beams, or foundations

In a full renovation, you’re basically rebuilding the inside of the house. It’s expensive and time-consuming, but if the foundation and exterior walls are solid, it might be worth it.

4. Tear Down and Rebuild

Sometimes, a fire damaged house is just too far gone. If the fire compromised the foundation, the roof collapsed, or water damage caused severe structural rot, demolition might be the only choice.

Insurance companies often look at the cost to rebuild versus the cost to repair. If repairing your home costs more than a rebuild, they’ll usually lean toward tear-down.

In some cases, homeowners decide to sell the fire damaged house as-is instead of starting over. Companies like Buys Houses can make a fair cash offer, helping you move on without dealing with months (or years) of rebuilding headaches.

Working With Insurance on a Fire Damaged House

Insurance is supposed to help after a disaster, but the process can feel overwhelming.

Here’s what to do right away:

• Contact your insurance agent the moment it’s safe.
• Document everything with photos and video.
• Save every receipt, even small ones for hotels or supplies.

Your insurance adjuster will come out and inspect the property. Be prepared: they’ll want proof of the damage and proof of your expenses. One thing to watch for insurance policies often prefer repairs over rebuilds. It’s cheaper for them. If you think the damage is too extensive, you may want to bring in your own contractor for a second opinion. 

Insurance is supposed to help after a disaster, but the process can feel overwhelming. The Red Cross also offers guidance on what to do immediately after a house fire, from securing shelter to understanding next steps emotionally and logistically.

The Hidden Costs of Water and Smoke Damage

One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is assuming visible fire damage tells the whole story. It doesn’t.

Water damage can weaken framing, cause mold growth, and destroy drywall even in rooms that never caught fire. Moisture spreads fast and it hides inside walls and under floors.
Smoke damage can be just as bad. Smoke particles are tiny. They get inside HVAC systems, crawl spaces, wiring, and insulation. Even if you rebuild a few burned rooms, lingering smoke can leave your entire house smelling like a campfire.

Remediation specialists often need to:

• Tear out all contaminated insulation
• Seal wood framing to block smoke smells
• Replace ductwork
• Use industrial strength deodorizers throughout the home

These hidden problems can turn what looks like a minor fire into a six figure renovation.

You can read more about how big repairs can snowball in our blog on repairing vs. selling a home.

Deodorizing a Fire Damaged House: What It Really Takes

One of the hardest parts of restoring a fire damaged house is getting rid of the smell.
Smoke odors don’t just stay on surfaces  they penetrate deep into wood, drywall, carpet, insulation, and even behind electrical outlets.

Deodorizing a fire damaged house usually isn’t as simple as lighting a few candles or using air fresheners. Professional fire remediation teams use a multi step process, including:

• Thermal Fogging: A chemical fog is sprayed into the home, filling the same spaces that smoke traveled. This neutralizes smoke particles deep inside walls, ceilings, and ventilation systems.
• Ozone Treatment: Machines generate ozone (O₃), which helps break down odor molecules. Ozone treatment is powerful, but the house needs to be vacant during the process because it’s not safe to breathe in high concentrations.
• Deep Cleaning: Every surface must be scrubbed floors, ceilings, inside cabinets, and behind fixtures. Special chemical sponges and degreasers are used to remove embedded smoke residue.
• Duct Cleaning: HVAC systems can carry smoke odors into every room. Professional cleaning of the ductwork is often necessary, and sometimes ducts have to be replaced altogether if contamination is too heavy.

In many cases, even after heavy cleaning, materials like insulation, drywall, or carpet padding need to be completely torn out and replaced.
If you skip proper deodorizing, lingering smoke smells can make a fully repaired house still feel “damaged,” which can kill resale value or make it harder to live in.

That’s why it’s important to work with a restoration company certified by groups like the IICRC, who specialize in fire damage deodorization.

Choosing Between Repairing or Selling a Fire Damaged House

Repairing a fire damaged house can be rewarding if you have the time, money, and emotional energy, but it’s not for everyone.

Here’s what to consider:

• Scope of damage: If most of the home needs repairs, costs add up quickly.
• Insurance payout: Check what’s covered. If your payout is small, rebuilding might not make sense.
• Timeline: Full renovations can easily take 6 – 12 months.
• Market strength: In some hot real estate markets, selling a fire damaged property as a teardown can still bring strong offers.

If you’re leaning toward selling my house vs repairing it, companies like Buys Houses can help you avoid repair costs, inspections, and the stress of waiting months for rebuilds.

Final Thoughts on Handling a Fire Damaged House

A fire damaged house brings a flood of emotions and a lot of decisions. Whether it’s a small fire with minor smoke damage or a devastating loss, the real threats often come from the water and smoke you can’t see at first glance.

The good news? You have options.  You can tackle a cleanup, partial renovation, full rebuild, or skip the hassle and sell the home “as-is.”

If you’re ready to sell your house fast in Pittsburgh, contact BuysHouses.co today for a no-obligation cash offer.