Fire damage in Matthews gets worse every day it sits: soot etches glass and metal, odor sinks deeper into drywall and framing, and suppression water starts the clock on mold. Call (888) 755-3821 and we will connect you with a fire and smoke restoration company that serves ZIP codes 28104, 28105 and 28106 for emergency board-up and the start of cleanup.
Properties in Matthews (Union County) range over older homes along the original streets, newer subdivisions, rural properties on the outskirts and small businesses downtown. Cooking fires are the leading cause year-round, with electrical and heating fires rising in the cooler months.
Fire and smoke damage we handle in Matthews
Whatever the construction type in Matthews, the pattern is the same: the visible damage is usually a fraction of what the moisture meter finds. Cooking remains the leading cause of home fires here, as it is nationwide.
- Clothes dryer lint fires
- Electrical shorts in humid attics and crawlspaces
- Small fires that were extinguished quickly but filled the house with smoke
- Lightning strikes and downed power lines during severe storms
- Electrical fires when power is restored to water-damaged wiring after a storm
- Kitchen and cooking fires, the leading cause of home fires
- Lightning-caused attic and roof fires
- Grill and outdoor cooking fires that spread to siding and decks
Soot, odor and water: three clocks running at once
Three forms of damage continue after the flames are out. Soot residue corrodes and stains surfaces progressively. Odor molecules migrate deeper into porous materials. And suppression water, often hundreds of gallons, swells, delaminates and eventually grows mold in everything it touched. Early stabilization changes what can be saved.
That is why restoration companies in Matthews aim to be on site within a day or two of the fire even when reconstruction will take months. Board-up protects the property; extraction and drying stop the water damage; and the first cleaning pass removes the most corrosive residue.
Our fire damage restoration process in Matthews
- Dispatch and assessment. A local crew confirms the property is safe to enter and plans the stabilization.
- Board-up, tarping and security. Windows, doors and roof openings are sealed against weather, animals and intruders.
- Suppression water cleanup. Extraction and drying equipment address the water left by firefighting.
- Soot and smoke removal. Surfaces are cleaned with dry sponges, HEPA vacuuming and the chemistry matched to the type of residue; ductwork is cleaned.
- Contents inventory, pack-out and cleaning. Salvageable belongings are documented, cleaned on or off site and stored; non-salvageable items are listed for the claim.
- Odor removal with thermal fogging, hydroxyl or ozone and sealing of structural surfaces, followed by full reconstruction.
Contents: what is cleanable and what is not
More than most people expect. Glass, ceramics, metal and sealed wood clean well. Many textiles are restorable with specialty laundering and ozone. Electronics that were not exposed to heat can often be cleaned and tested, and documents and photos can be freeze-dried. Items generally not salvageable include food and medicine exposed to heat or smoke, melted plastics, mattresses, particleboard furniture and heavily sooted drywall and insulation.
Pricing, estimates and insurance claims
The cost of fire damage restoration depends on the size of the fire, the type of smoke residue, how far it traveled through the building and how much of the structure and contents can be cleaned rather than replaced.
Fire is a named peril on standard policies. Expect the claim to involve a structural estimate, a contents inventory and, if you cannot stay in the home, additional living expense coverage.
Ask the crew to walk you through the estimate and the claim process; good documentation from day one is the best way to get a claim paid.
Areas we serve in and around Matthews
We route calls from ZIP codes 28104, 28105 and 28106 to restoration companies that work Matthews and Union County every week.
The same crews also serve nearby communities including Indian Trail (6 mi), Charlotte (8 mi), Paw Creek (9 mi), Newell (9 mi), Pineville (10 mi), Harrisburg (13 mi), Midland (13 mi), Mineral Springs (15 mi), Waxhaw (15 mi) and Monroe (16 mi). If you are just outside Matthews, call anyway; coverage areas overlap.
Why Matthews property owners call Water Restoration
- The companies we work with deal with insurance adjusters daily and can bill covered mitigation directly to your carrier
- We route you to a local company that already works in Matthews and Union County
- One number covers water, fire, smoke, mold, sewage and biohazard emergencies
- Restoration companies in the network are independent local businesses; confirm their licensing and insurance and get the scope in writing
- Calls are answered 24 hours a day, including nights, weekends and holidays
Fire Damage in Matthews: FAQs
Will insurance pay for a hotel while my house is repaired?
Most homeowners policies include additional living expense coverage for temporary housing and extra costs while the home is uninhabitable, up to the policy limit. Keep every receipt.
Can smoke smell be removed completely?
Yes, when the sources are addressed: removing heavily contaminated materials, cleaning everything else including ducts, sealing structural surfaces and treating air and cavities with thermal fogging or hydroxyl. Painting over smoke without cleaning and sealing rarely works.
Does my HVAC system need cleaning after a fire?
Almost always. Ducts, the air handler and filters collect soot and redistribute it every time the system runs. Cleaning the system and replacing filters is standard in smoke restoration.
My neighbor had a fire and my place smells like smoke. Can you help?
Yes. Smoke that migrated through shared walls, windows or vents still leaves acidic residue and odor. Cleaning and deodorizing are covered by most policies as smoke damage, and local crews handle these losses regularly in Matthews.
What should I do first after a fire at my Matthews home?
Make sure everyone is safe and do not re-enter until the fire department clears the structure. Call your insurance company to open a claim, then call (888) 755-3821 for emergency board-up and mitigation. Photograph the damage before anything is moved, if it is safe to do so.