A garage fire rarely stays a garage problem. The garage is where most homes keep gas cans, paint, cleaners, a car and years of stored boxes, and it usually shares a wall, a hallway or an attic with the rest of the house. When it burns, the smoke and soot go wherever the air goes.
We have been working a garage fire this month, and the photos from that job show how the cleanup actually unfolds. Here is what we saw, what the work looks like in order, and what homeowners should know in the first few days.
Why garage fires spread further than other house fires
The U.S. Fire Administration studied residential garage fires and found that 40 percent spread beyond the room of origin to the rest of the floor or building, compared with 21 percent of fires that start elsewhere in the home. The same report notes that the garage usually holds flammable liquids, paint, chemicals and stored items, which gives a fire plenty to burn.
The leading causes it lists are electrical malfunction, careless actions and open flame. In other words, most of these fires start with something ordinary.
What we found on the first visit
Our first photos on this job were taken on September 6. Here is what they show:
- The garage was burned out. The ceiling was gone, the framing was charred and the car parked inside was destroyed.
- Burned debris had been pulled out onto the driveway.
- A hallway connects the house to the garage. Above that doorway, the paint and drywall were blistered and stained black, and insulation had fallen into the hall.
- The rooms next to the garage, including a workshop, a storage room with shelving and a small room with a couch, had soot and debris on the floors.
- In the main living areas, belongings were laid out on plastic sheeting and an air scrubber was running.
How garage fire cleanup unfolds
Every fire is different, but the order of the work is fairly consistent. On this job it has looked like this:
- Document and secure. The first visit is mostly photos: the garage, the exterior, every room next to it and the main living areas. That record matters for the insurance claim and for planning the work.
- Protect the rest of the house. Contents are moved or covered, and air filtration starts in the living areas so soot is not stirred through the home.
- Assess the structure. Our return photos on September 16 focus on the garage framing: the ceiling joists, the wall studs and the underside of the roof.
- Remove the debris. On September 28 and 29 the crew worked in protective suits and respirators, bagging burned material and hauling it out. By the second day most of the garage floor was clear.
- Clean what can be saved. Soot is removed from surfaces in the rooms that were exposed but not burned.
- Deal with the odor. Smoke smell settles into porous materials and has to be treated, not covered up.
- Rebuild. Once the damaged material is out and the structure has been evaluated, reconstruction can be planned.
The damage you do not see from the driveway
From the street, a garage fire can look contained to one opening in the house. Photos from the attic space on this job tell a different story: the roof deck burned through and daylight shows between the charred rafters. That kind of damage is only visible once someone is up there.
The same goes for the rest of the house. Smoke moves through doors, hallways, attic space and ductwork. Rooms that look fine can still have a film of soot on walls and ceilings and a smell that does not go away. Our post on addressing smoke damage after a fire goes into how that residue behaves.
What to do in the first few days
- Wait for the fire department to clear the building before going in.
- Do not try to wipe soot off walls, ceilings or furniture. The wrong cleaner or a dry rag can smear it deeper. Our guide to soot damage explains what to leave alone.
- Take photos of everything before anything is moved, including rooms that look undamaged.
- Call your insurance company and ask what they need from you. We cover what is usually included in homeowners insurance for fire damage.
- Protect yourself if you go in. The American Red Cross recommends work gloves and heavy soled shoes, and wetting debris down to cut the dust you breathe.
FAQ
Can the house be lived in after a garage fire?
Sometimes, and sometimes not. It depends on how far the smoke traveled, whether utilities are safe and whether the structure between the garage and the house was damaged. The fire department and your adjuster will weigh in.
Can things stored in the garage be saved?
Anything that burned is gone. Items that were only exposed to smoke can sometimes be cleaned, depending on the material. Hard, non porous items have the best chance.
How long does garage fire cleanup take?
On this job, the first visit was September 6 and the heavy debris removal was September 28 and 29. Timing depends on the size of the fire, the insurance process and how much of the structure has to come out. The full fire damage restoration process is laid out step by step in a separate post.
What does it cost?
That depends on how much burned and how far the smoke went. Our breakdown of fire damage restoration costs covers what drives the number, and when rebuilding is involved, fire damage reconstruction is its own phase.
Dealing with a garage fire?
Total Restoration handles fire damage restoration in Ventura County, Santa Barbara County and Santa Clarita, from debris removal and soot cleanup to rebuilding. Contact us and we will come look at it with you.