Fire & smoke damage restoration
After a fire, there's the fire damage — and then there's the soot, the smoke odour and the water left behind by firefighting. We secure the property, clean what can be saved, and get your home back to feeling like home.
- ~60 min arrival, 24/7
- IICRC-certified crew
- Insurance-ready documentation
- Fully insured · WSIB
Get help with fire & smoke
Tell us what's happening. A real person from our team will call you right back — day or night.
Signs you need fire & smoke help
- Soot on walls, ceilings and inside cabinets
- Lingering smoke odour days after a small kitchen fire
- Water damage from sprinklers or fire hoses
- Discoloured grout, metal fixtures or appliances
Small fires, big smoke
Even a contained kitchen fire can push soot throughout the house via the HVAC system. Acidic soot can etch surfaces within days, so early cleaning saves more of your belongings.
Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration across the GTA
We provide fire damage restoration in Mississauga, Toronto, Brampton, Oakville, Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Milton, Burlington, Caledon, Halton Hills, Hamilton, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Newmarket, Aurora. Our crews are based in Toronto, which keeps response times short across Peel, Halton, York and the City of Toronto.
Yes — we handle fire & smoke damage, start to finish
StepCare Restore is a full fire and smoke restoration company, not just water. One crew takes care of the whole job, so you don't have to coordinate three different contractors.
- Kitchen and grease fires — soot and grease residue cleaned from cabinets, ceilings and appliances.
- Electrical, dryer and furnace fires — including furnace puff-backs that coat a whole house in soot.
- Smoke damage from a fire next door — common in condos, townhomes and semis.
- Water from firefighting — extraction and drying of what the hoses and sprinklers left behind.
- Board-up and tarping — windows, doors and roof secured the same day.
- Contents — pack-out, cleaning and storage of belongings that can be saved.
- Odour removal — thermal fogging, hydroxyl or ozone treatment so the smoke smell doesn't come back.
- Rebuild — repairs, drywall and painting once cleaning is done.
What can be saved after a fire
Not everything that smells of smoke is lost. Hard surfaces — tile, sealed wood, metal, glass — can usually be cleaned. Upholstery, mattresses, clothing and paper depend on how close they were to the heat and how long smoke sat on them. Anything charred, melted or soaked with firefighting water usually goes. We go through it with you, room by room, before anything is thrown away, and we photograph and list what is removed so you can share it with your adjuster.
What not to do before we arrive
- Don't wipe soot off walls or fabric — it smears and sets the stain.
- Don't run the furnace or central air until the system has been checked; it spreads soot through the ducts.
- Don't eat or drink anything that was near the fire, even if it was sealed.
- Don't throw out damaged items before they are photographed for your claim.
How we handle fire & smoke
Secure
Board-up and tarping to protect the property from weather and entry.
Remove water
Extraction and drying of water from firefighting efforts.
Clean soot
Surface-specific soot removal from walls, ceilings, cabinets and contents.
Deodorize
Thermal fogging, hydroxyl or ozone treatment to neutralize smoke odour at the source.
Restore
Repairs and repainting so the space is ready to live in again.
Fire & Smoke questions
When can we go back into the house after a fire?
Only once the fire department says the building is safe to enter. After that, it depends on smoke, soot and water in the rooms you use — we tell you which areas are safe to use while we work and which should stay closed.
Who inventories our belongings?
We photograph and list the items that are removed or cleaned so you and your adjuster have a record. You decide what you want to keep.
What shouldn't I try to clean myself?
Soot on walls, ceilings and fabric, and anything electronic. Wiping soot usually smears it deeper; electronics should be checked before they are turned on.
How long does fire and smoke restoration take?
A small kitchen fire may take a few days of cleaning and deodorizing. Larger fires that need demolition and rebuild take weeks. We give you a written scope with the expected sequence before work starts.
Can I clean smoke damage myself?
Light surface soot from a very small fire sometimes can be, but wiping soot the wrong way smears it deeper. For anything beyond a small area, professional cleaning saves materials and money.
Do you actually do fire damage, or only water?
Yes, we do fire and smoke restoration. Our crew handles board-up, soot and smoke cleaning, odour removal, contents pack-out, water from firefighting and the rebuild — one team for the whole job.
How fast can you get here after a fire?
We answer 24/7 and typically arrive in about an hour across the core GTA. We can board up and secure the property the same night once the fire department releases it.
Can you get rid of the smoke smell?
Yes. We remove the soot that causes the odour first, then treat the air and structure with thermal fogging, hydroxyl or ozone, depending on the materials and whether the home is occupied.
Do you work with my insurance after a fire?
Yes. We document damage and contents thoroughly and can work directly with your insurer and adjuster.
Fire or smoke damage?
Yes — we handle fire & smoke restoration, 24/7. Soot starts etching surfaces within days, so call now and a real person will answer.