Acidic soot etches surfaces within hours. Smoke particles smaller than PM 2.5 saturate HVAC, attic insulation, and porous finishes. We test, document, and remove smoke damage to IICRC S700 — for fires that touched your home and fires that didn't.
Most homeowners think smoke damage is about odor. The smell is the signal — the actual damage is invisible. Combustion releases ultra-fine particles that bypass furnace filters, deposit on every porous surface, and degrade indoor air quality for months if not remediated.
Pacific Palisades smoke damage restoration is the work of measuring what entered your home (particle counts, soot pH, surface contamination), removing what's salvageable, replacing what isn't, and confirming clearance with third-party air sampling.
Different fires produce different soot. Wet soot from low-oxygen fires behaves differently than dry soot from high-temp protein fires. We classify before we clean.
Powdery, dry residue. Smears easily — chemical sponges (dry-cleaning sponges) work without water. Common from wood-frame fires.
Sticky, thick black residue. Penetrates deep into porous materials. Requires solvent cleaning, ozone treatment, often replacement of insulation and drywall.
Invisible greasy film, severe odor. Often missed visually — only detected by smell. Requires alkaline degreaser cleaning + thermal fogging.
Thick, oily residue. Toxic byproducts (formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide, dioxins). Requires PPE-grade containment + hydroxyl generator odor remediation.
Light wildfire smoke is a different smoke damage scenario than heavy structural saturation. We classify Pacific Palisades smoke damage before we scope.
Visible soot on hard surfaces, persistent odor, HVAC contamination. HEPA cleaning, ozone treatment, HVAC decontamination. Contents typically restored in place.
Heavy wildfire smoke, kitchen fire spread, contents pack-out required. Insulation replacement, drywall sealing/repaint, HVAC duct cleaning, contents ozone chamber.
Active fire damage in structure, complete pack-out, full demolition + rebuild. HVAC replacement, attic re-insulation, drywall removal/replacement throughout.
Every step photo-logged for your insurance carrier. Independent third-party clearance verification at the end.
Particle sampling, soot pH testing, HVAC inspection, surface contamination mapping. Before-state documented.
Plastic sheeting, negative-air machines, HEPA filtration prevent cross-contamination during cleaning.
Dry-chemical sponge for non-porous, HEPA vacuum, alkaline degreaser for protein-fire residue, solvent for wet smoke.
Ozone or hydroxyl generators, thermal fogging, sealing with odor-blocking primer (KILZ, BIN) where needed.
Camera inspection of ductwork, replacement of contaminated insulation, evaporator coil cleaning, filter upgrade.
Independent third-party industrial hygienist confirms airborne particle counts at safe levels. We don't write our own clearance.
Smoke damage from a covered peril is fully covered — even when your home didn't burn. We document the loss for your adjuster.
Smoke saturation from nearby wildfire is covered as a fire-related peril. Standard HO-3, HO-5, and FAIR Plan policies typically pay for cleaning, contents ozone, HVAC decontamination, and odor remediation.
Direct fire = fully covered. Includes structure, contents, ALE while displaced. We've worked extensively with major California carriers + FAIR Plan.
Hundreds of 90272 homes that didn't burn still absorbed massive smoke. This is its own loss, separate from physical fire damage. Air sampling documents exposure for your claim. See Fire Damage Restoration page for combined claims.
FAIR Plan covers smoke damage with stricter scope limits. We've handled many FAIR Plan smoke claims in 90272 — we know which line items get pushback and how to document them.
From canyon properties to PCH-adjacent estates — we respond fast across all 90272 for smoke damage cleanup, soot removal, and full restoration.
"We called them for Commercial Fire Damage Removal and Emergency fire damage restoration after our building suffered major smoke damage. Quick response and reliable service."
"Their emergency crew came within an hour, assessed the damage, and began work immediately. They monitored levels for several days. I was impressed with how thoroughly they documented everything for insurance purposes."
"Instant wasn't the cheapest, but they were the most thorough. No regrets — they did amazing work."
Acidic soot etches surfaces within hours. The longer you wait, the more material has to be replaced instead of cleaned. We respond to 90272 smoke damage calls in 30 minutes from Woodland Hills. We test, contain, clean, and clear — under one contract, IICRC S700 standard.