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Fire & smoke damage

Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration in Des Moines

After the fire department leaves, smoke, soot and the water used to fight the fire keep causing damage. Call any hour for a free on-site inspection, and we'll walk through what the building and your belongings need.

Call 515-216-4293 Request a free inspection

Free, no-obligation inspection within our service area. Work is billed only if you approve it in a signed work authorization.

Any hour, day or night. Our answering service takes your message and our office calls you back.

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  • IICRC Certified Firm
  • BBB A+
  • Locally owned
Bedroom wall blistered and darkened by smoke after a house fire Our crew's photo · fire job

Last updated · Written by the Elite Restoration Services of Iowa team

What happens during fire and smoke damage restoration?

Fire and smoke restoration generally starts with securing the building and removing water from firefighting. Then soot and smoke residue are assessed room by room, cleanable surfaces and belongings are cleaned, charred or smoke-saturated materials are removed, and lingering odor is treated. Each step should be documented with photos and a scope.

Why does smoke damage spread to rooms the fire never touched?

Smoke travels on air currents and settles on cooler surfaces, so soot can coat closets, other rooms and ductwork away from the fire itself. The photos on this page are from one of our fire jobs.

  • Soot drips and staining on walls and around windows
  • Smoke odor in carpet, insulation and upholstered furniture
  • Residue inside HVAC ducts and returns
  • Corrosion on metal fixtures and electronics

Want someone to come look at it?

The on-site inspection is free, with no obligation, within our service area. Call any hour, or send a short request and our office will call you back.

Call 515-216-4293 Request a free inspection

Free, no-obligation inspection within our service area. Work is billed only if you approve it in a signed work authorization.

What does fire restoration typically involve?

The work is usually staged so the building stops getting worse first, then gets cleaned, then gets ready for repairs.

  1. Secure

    Boarding up openings and tarping roofs are common first steps, along with removing water from firefighting.

  2. Assess and document

    Room-by-room photos and a scope of the work.

  3. Contents

    Belongings are cleaned on site or packed out. See contents recovery.

  4. Clean and tear out

    Soot is cleaned from salvageable surfaces; charred, smoke-saturated or wet materials are removed.

  5. Odor

    Odor treatments work best after the source material has been cleaned or removed.

What does fire restoration look like in real life?

Below are two photos from one of our fire jobs. The first shows smoke and soot damage as our crew found it. The second, from the same house a few days later, shows walls opened to the framing after damaged materials came out.

Soot drips running down a bedroom wall between two windows after a fire
Fire job: smoke damage as found
Attic room with walls and ceiling removed down to the wood framing, two windows and ladders on a bare floor
Same fire job: tear-out stage

Who we do this for

Who needs fire & smoke damage restoration?

Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration looks different in a house, an apartment building, a school or a business. These pages cover the risks and priorities for each.

Residential & Homeowners

Burst pipes, basement floods, kitchen fires and mold in Central Iowa homes.

Learn more

Multi-Family, HOAs & Property Managers

Leaks that cross units, and a free pre-loss walkthrough for your properties.

Learn more

Hospitality: Hotels & Restaurants

Hotels, restaurants and venues that need rooms and tables back.

Learn more

Industrial, Manufacturing & Warehouses

Plants and warehouses where a loss can stop operations.

Learn more

Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration near you

See all our services

Straight answers

Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration: questions people ask us

Don't see yours? Call 515-216-4293 any hour and ask.

Can smoke-damaged belongings be saved?

Often. Hard goods and many textiles clean well; porous items heavily saturated with smoke sometimes don't. Ask for a list of what's cleaned and what's a loss for your claim.

How do you get the smoke smell out?

Odor usually has to be addressed at the source, by cleaning soot and removing smoke-saturated materials. Odor treatments work after that, not instead of it.

Is the inspection free?

Yes. Elite's on-site inspection is free, with no obligation, within our service area. Call 515-216-4293 any hour.

Do you work with my insurance company?

We hand over photos, moisture logs and a scope of the work. We're not a public adjuster, so we don't negotiate or settle your claim.

Who on your team is certified?

Elite is an IICRC Certified Firm. Our team includes an IICRC Triple Master (Water, Fire & Smoke, Textile), which includes the Master Fire & Smoke Restorer designation.

Insurance and deductibles

Elite does not waive, rebate, absorb, or pay insurance deductibles, and we do not offer discounts, gifts, or anything else of value to offset your deductible. You are responsible for your deductible and for any costs your insurance does not cover. We are not an insurance company or public adjuster, we cannot promise your insurance will cover your loss, and we do not negotiate insurance claims on your behalf. If you ask us to, we can provide photos, moisture readings, estimates, and invoices to you or your insurance company.

About Elite Restoration Services of Iowa

Elite Restoration Services of Iowa, LLC is a locally owned, independent restoration company at 751 NE 46th Ave, Des Moines, Iowa 50313, offering water, fire and smoke, mold, storm and sewage damage restoration. It has been fully operating since February 2026. Elite is an IICRC Certified Firm, BBB A+ accredited and Iowa registered contractor #C151765. Phone 515-216-4293, answered 24/7.

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  • 751 NE 46th Ave, Des Moines, IA 50313
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Free on-site inspections within our service area in the Des Moines metro and Central Iowa; ask us about any limits when you call. The inspection is free with no obligation. Mitigation, lab testing, and repair work are billed only if you approve them in a signed work authorization.

Elite Restoration Services of Iowa, LLC and M&B Contractor Services LLC have the same owners. If you need repairs or rebuilding after mitigation, M&B is one option, but you are never required to use M&B. You are free to choose any contractor, and your choice will not affect the mitigation services Elite provides. We share your information with M&B only with your permission.

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