In Kansas City, hose water nearly always drains down to the basement. We extract the standing water, set up dehumidifiers and air movers, and take moisture readings every day until the floors and framing test dry.
More about Water Damage Restoration
Available 24/7 · Kansas City and nearby areas
Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration in Kansas City, MO
A furnace puffback, a kitchen fire, or an overloaded circuit can leave your home full of soot. Our crew handles fire and smoke damage restoration in Kansas City, MO, from soot cleanup to repairs. Call any time, day or night.
Call (816) 463-495945minutes
IICRC Certified Firm#70120685
We work with all major insurance carriers
Fire damage help
Fire and smoke damage in Kansas City
Soot is acidic. Left on a surface, it keeps staining paint, yellowing grout, tarnishing metal, and over time etching glass. Surfaces that clean up well in the first few days can stain for good if the soot sits.
Smoke spreads beyond the fire. It drifts into closets and basements, and a forced-air furnace can carry it through the ducts to every room. Smoke climbs easily through the open stairwells in older Kansas City brick homes.
Basements catch a lot of the firefighting water. Hose water runs through the floors into finished basements, soaking walls, carpet, and stored things. It has to come out fast to prevent mold.
Homeowners, property managers, and business owners call us after fires all year round. We work across Brookside, Waldo, Westport, Crossroads, River Market, Northland, Midtown, Country Club Plaza, Hyde Park, and Armour Hills.
Call Now (816) 463-4959Fire damage restoration at a glance
What’s included
Securing the house, pumping out the basement, soot and odor removal, and reconstruction.
Typical timeline
A few lightly smoked rooms often take days. Rebuilding a kitchen, walls, or floors takes several weeks.
How cost is set
The soot’s spread, what’s cleanable versus replaceable, the water to dry, and the scope of repairs.
First visit
Call (816) 463-4959A free inspection and estimate before any work starts.
The first 24 hours
What to do after a fire in Kansas City
The Kansas City Fire Department, or the department that responded, decides when it’s safe to go back in. After that, these steps protect your family, your belongings, and your claim.
Not sure what’s safe to touch? Call and walk through it with our crew.
Call (816) 463-4959What to do
Wait for the fire department
Fire can weaken floors and ceilings in ways you can’t see. Stay out until the fire department says it’s safe.
Photograph every room
Take photos and video of every room, closet, and the garage before anything is moved or thrown out.
Call your insurer the same day
Open a claim and write down the claim number and your adjuster’s name. Ask the Kansas City Fire Department for the incident report too.
Keep every receipt
Hotel stays, meals, and supplies may be covered by your policy’s loss-of-use coverage.
Protect the plumbing in winter
If the furnace is off during a cold snap, ask us about keeping pipes from freezing.
What not to do
Don’t wipe the soot
Water and household cleaners smear soot into paint and fabric and can set the stain for good.
Don’t run the furnace
It can pull soot from one room and blow it through the whole house. Leave it off until the ducts are checked.
Don’t eat food that was near the fire
The USDA says to throw out food exposed to heat, smoke, or firefighting chemicals, including food in the fridge, since the door seal isn’t airtight.
Don’t switch on electronics or appliances
Heat, water, and soot can damage them inside. Have them checked first.
Don’t turn the gas or power back on yourself
Leave that to Evergy, Spire or a licensed electrician.
Common fire damage
Types of fire and smoke damage we clean up in Kansas City
Cold winters, older housing, and basements shape the fires we see in the Kansas City area. Each kind of fire leaves residue that calls for a different cleaning method.
Furnace Puffbacks
When a Kansas City furnace misfires, oily soot can blow out of every register at once. Soot can reach every room even if nothing in the house burned.
Kitchen Fires
Cooking fires coat cabinets, ceilings, and even drawer interiors with a yellowish grease film. Wiping alone will not clear it, so it gets degreased.
Electrical Fires
Early bungalow wiring, crowded outlets, and corded space heaters are fire risks inside Kansas City walls.
Dryer Fires
Basement laundry rooms are common in Kansas City, and a clogged dryer vent there can start a fire under the stairs.
Smoke in Duplexes and Apartments
In shared buildings, smoke travels through walls and attics, leaving soot and odor in units with no fire inside. Older brick four-plexes and duplexes are common in many midtown neighborhoods.
Water From Firefighting
Hose water soaks drywall and carpet before draining into Kansas City basements. Remove and dry it fast so mold can’t start.
How we clean
How we get smoke and soot out of your home
A lasting smoky smell means residue is still on drywall, cabinets, insulation, carpet pad, or ductwork. Air fresheners can’t remove it. In brick homes, smoke can also cling to plaster and the inside face of exterior walls.
We check each surface first. A small test shows us how to lift soot without streaking it or damaging the finish.
Loose soot comes up dry. HEPA vacuums and dry soot sponges remove residue before wet cleaning begins.
We remove odor at its source. We deodorize the framing, subfloor, and ducts that absorbed smoke, and we replace saturated insulation. Some treatments require an empty house, so we plan them with you.
What the residue tells us
Dry soot
Usually fromHot, fast fires in wood and paper
How it behavesDusty layer; HEPA vacuums pull it up.
Oily residue
Usually fromSlow fires in plastics, foam, or vinyl
How it behavesTacky coating that streaks under a cloth.
Protein residue
Usually fromFood that burned in a pan or oven
How it behavesClear, sticky film with a sharp odor.
Puffback soot
Usually fromA furnace that misfired
How it behavesFine, oily soot around every register.
What can be saved
What can be cleaned and what gets replaced
We sort it out by material, how close each item sat to the flames, and how soon cleaning starts. These are the common outcomes, and the inspection confirms them for your house.
Glass, tile, metal, and stone
Usually cleanedThey clean well if soot is removed promptly. Left too long, soot can etch glass and pit metal.
Painted walls and ceilings
Usually cleanedMost come clean. Remaining shadows are sealed and repainted.
Drywall
Depends on heat and timingDrywall that only absorbed smoke can usually be washed and sealed. Charred or water-swollen sheets are cut out.
Wood floors, cabinets, and furniture
Depends on heat and timingHardwood floors, built-ins, and cabinets in older homes often clean well. Heat-blistered or smoke-soaked finishes may need refinishing.
Clothing, curtains, and bedding
Depends on heat and timingClothing, linens, and drapes often come back with odor-removal cleaning. Anything melted or burned is lost.
Upholstered furniture and rugs
Depends on heat and timingSofas and rugs with light smoke can usually be deodorized. Those soaked by hoses or saturated with smoke are replaced.
Electronics and appliances
Depends on heat and timingSoot keeps corroding electronics from the inside. A technician should check them before they’re switched on.
Photos and documents
Depends on heat and timingSet photos and papers aside somewhere dry, flat if possible. A document restoration specialist can often save them.
Charred framing
Depends on heat and timingFloor joists and wall studs that are only blackened can usually be scrubbed and sealed against odor. Lumber the fire burned into needs replacing.
Insulation, mattresses, and carpet pad
Usually replacedInsulation, mattresses, and carpet pad trap smoke and moisture deep in their fibers and can’t be cleaned.
Food and medicine
Usually replacedDiscard food that was near heat or smoke, including cans that got hot. Check with a pharmacist about medicine.
Packing out your belongings
If rooms need heavy cleaning or a rebuild, we can pack out your belongings as a separate service. Ask about it during your free inspection.
Items past saving are photographed and logged separately, so your adjuster can see each decision.
Help beyond the fire
Other restoration services we offer in Kansas City
Every job starts with a free inspection and estimate. Fire damage rarely comes alone, so the same team handles what comes with it.
Mold may grow within days on Kansas City basement walls soaked during firefighting. We find the moisture source, contain the area, remove the mold, and dry the space out.
More about Mold Remediation
Spring hail and straight-line winds can open Kansas City roofs to rain. We dry the structure, remove damaged materials, and repair the ceilings and walls inside.
More about Storm Damage
From Crossroads storefronts to warehouses in the Northland, a fire can halt business overnight. We extract, dry, and clean on a plan built around reopening, and we document each step for your carrier.
More about Commercial Restoration
When you’re ready to rebuild, the same crew puts it back together, from drywall to cabinets to the final coat of paint, so there’s no second contractor to hire.
More about ReconstructionDealing with one of these?
Call (816) 463-4959Call and talk to our crew about what happened. The call is free, and so is the inspection.
Our process
What happens after you call
- 1
You call, we send a crew
Call (816) 463-4959 any time, day or night, including weekends and holidays. Tell us what happened and whether the fire department has cleared the house. We’ll send a crew right away.
- 2
We secure the property
We board up broken windows and doors and tarp openings in the roof, so rain and intruders stay out while the work is planned.
- 3
We arrive and inspect
The 24 Hour Flood Pros team traces how far the soot and smoke went, room by room, including closets, the attic, and the ducts. We use moisture meters to find hose water inside walls and under floors. We photograph all the damage for your insurance. The inspection is free.
- 4
We remove water and seal off clean rooms
We pump out standing water and set up drying equipment. Rooms the smoke didn’t reach get closed off with plastic, so soot doesn’t follow us through the house.
- 5
We remove what can’t be saved
Materials that can’t be saved, like charred drywall and soaked insulation, come out. If you need belongings packed out, we can do that as a separate service.
- 6
We clean and deodorize
Soot comes off with dry methods first, then wet cleaning matched to each surface. With the residue gone, we treat the smell in the materials and ducts that soaked it up.
- 7
We make the repairs
When you’re ready, the 24 Hour Flood Pros team fixes the damage. We replace drywall, install cabinets, and finish with fresh paint. Our goal is to make your home look the way it did before.
- 8
Final check with you
Before we sign off a room, we check surfaces in strong light and wipe-test them for leftover residue. Then we walk through with you, with the furnace running for a smell check, and send the final records to your insurance company to close out the claim.
Soot around every vent?
Call (816) 463-4959One furnace puffback can coat a Kansas City house in soot. Leave the furnace off and call us for a free inspection before running it again.
Insurance and claims
Help with your fire damage insurance claim
We work with all major insurance carriers, including State Farm, Allstate, Liberty Mutual, Farmers, American Family, Travelers, and Nationwide. Documentation starts on the first visit, and your adjuster can call us directly with questions.
Your policy decides what’s covered, not us. Our job is keeping the paperwork clear enough that your claim doesn’t stall. We bill your insurance directly for damage your policy covers.
Many homeowners policies also include loss-of-use coverage, sometimes called additional living expenses, for a hotel or rental while the house is repaired. Ask your adjuster what yours includes before you book anything.
If a claim stalls, you can file a complaint with the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance or the Kansas Insurance Department.
What your adjuster will ask for
- The date and time of the fire, and what started it, if known
- The fire incident report from the department that responded
- Photos and video of every room, taken before cleanup
- A list of damaged belongings: what can be cleaned and what can’t
- Receipts for emergency repairs, hotel stays, and meals
What we send them
- Date-stamped photos of each damaged area
- Moisture readings from the firefighting water
- A line-by-line estimate for cleanup and rebuild
- One point of contact for your adjuster
Where we work
Areas we serve around Kansas City
We serve Kansas City and its suburbs on both the Missouri and Kansas sides.
Kansas City neighborhoods
- Brookside
- Waldo
- Westport
- Crossroads
- River Market
- Northland
- Midtown
- Country Club Plaza
- Hyde Park
- Armour Hills
Nearby cities
- Independence
- Lee’s Summit
- Blue Springs
- Grain Valley
- Raytown
- Grandview
- Liberty
- Gladstone
- Belton
- Overland Park
- Olathe
- Kansas City, KS
Don’t see your area listed? Call us and we’ll tell you right away.
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Nearby locations
Looking for a different location?
On the wrong page, or is another location closer to you? Here are our nearest locations.
Wichita, KS
View Wichita fire restoration services →Fayetteville, AR
View Fayetteville fire restoration services →Oklahoma City, OK
View Oklahoma City fire restoration services →Common questions
Kansas City fire and smoke damage FAQs
How fast can 24 Hour Flood Pros get to me?
A crew can be there within 45 minutes. We work 24/7, including nights, weekends, and holidays. If the fire department hasn’t cleared the house yet, we’ll talk you through what to do until it does.
Is it safe to stay in my house after a fire?
Not until it’s been checked, and often not in the rooms closest to the fire. Soot in the air irritates your lungs, and burned floors, ceilings, and wiring can be unsafe. After the inspection, we’ll tell you which areas are safe to use and whether it makes sense to stay somewhere else during the work.
Will the smoke smell ever go away?
In most homes, yes, once the residue is cleaned off and the materials that soaked up smoke are treated or removed. A smell that keeps coming back usually means residue was missed, often in the ducts, the insulation, or inside cabinets. That’s why our final walkthrough includes a smell check with the heat or air running.
Can I clean the soot myself?
A light film on a small area, maybe. Anything more, we don’t recommend it. Wiping soot with water or household cleaners usually smears it into paint and grout and can set the stain. Soot is also acidic and irritating, so it shouldn’t be handled without gloves and a respirator.
Does homeowners insurance cover fire and smoke damage in Missouri and Kansas?
Most standard homeowners policies cover sudden fires, including smoke damage and water damage from putting the fire out. Limits, deductibles, and exclusions vary, so check your policy or ask your agent.
How much does fire damage restoration cost in Kansas City?
It depends on how far the soot and smoke spread, what can be cleaned or has to be replaced, how much water needs drying, and how much has to be rebuilt. One smoky room costs far less than a kitchen fire that reached the attic. The inspection and estimate are free, so you know the cost before any work starts.
How long does fire damage restoration take?
Light smoke damage in a room or two can take a few days. A fire that needs walls, cabinets, or floors rebuilt can take several weeks or longer, depending on the scope, permits, and insurance approvals. Your estimate includes a schedule.
How do I get a fire report in Kansas City?
For fires inside the City of Kansas City, request the incident report from the Kansas City Fire Department. Many nearby cities and counties run their own fire departments, so ask the department that responded.
Do you handle commercial fire damage?
Yes. We restore offices, restaurants, shops, and other commercial buildings, and we plan the work around getting you reopened. See our commercial restoration page for more.
Available 24/7
Get a free inspection
Day or night, weekend or holiday, call (816) 463-4959. A crew can be there within 45 minutes to start your free inspection.
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