Full-service, 24 hour emergency restoration services. We bill your insurance directly.
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Have fire or smoke damage at your Chicago property? We can help.
For the past 15+ years, ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba has offered professional fire damage restorationfor Chicago and the suburbs provided by IICRC certified experts that regularly undergo training and education in this field.
We service all residential and commercial properties, including single-family homes, condominiums, multi-unit properties, schools, offices, warehouses, hotels, high-rises, offices and more. Our highly-experienced team handles all types of emergencies including fires caused by protein and electrical fires.
We service all of Chicagoland including the Gold Coast, Magnificent Mile, Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, West Loop, Chicago Loop, Millennium Park and more, as well as all the suburbs.
If you have fire or smoke damage on your property, don’t attempt to resolve it alone: call our skilled, local experts, instead.
Whether you’re dealing with a kitchen fire or extensive property damage, you can count on us for complete house fire damage repair. We take on every job regardless of size for all types of properties including single family homes, condos, apartments, and more. We know how devastating a home fire can be, so you can rely on our hard work to make everything right again and get you back on your feet as quickly as possible.
Business Fires
When fire and smoke damage your business, you need a professional company with the ability to scale.
We know that every hour we spend on repairs represents an hour of lost revenue and productivity for your business.
You can trust us to stay on the job around the clock. Because our experience covers business parks, warehouses, high rises, hospitals and more, we understand that your situation is unique. We’ve established a solid reputation with local business owners and facility managers, and we’re always happy to provide references.
Smoke Damage
A fire leaves dark stains, oily soot and lingering odors throughout your property, and it contaminates everything. When you face smoke damage, you have us on your side.
We specialize in this type of work with years of industry experience all across Chicago and the suburbs. Our certified technicians use the latest equipment and techniques to restore your property, furnishings and personal belongings.
Kitchen & Protein Fires
When fire strikes the heart of your home, the damage is rarely confined to just the one room. The aftermath of a kitchen fire is different from other types of home fires. Flames melt plastics and synthetics producing an oily smoke that spreads an unpleasant odor throughout the house. Protein fires start when food items in the oven or stove ignite. These fires leave a strong burnt food odor and heavy smoke residue.
Multi Family
As a landlord or property manager, your heart skips a beat when your apartments or condos are struck by fire. Tenants’ personal safety is at the top of your list, and you also have to address damages that threaten your building’s structural integrity.
For many years, we’ve taken care of multi-family properties across Chicago and the suburbs with certified fire damage restoration services. We’re proud of our outstanding reputation, and we’re happy to share references.
Complex Fires
Complex fires involve natural and synthetic items inside a structure. These items let off heavy, toxic black smoke that can corrode at-risk surfaces like glass and metal.
Natural Fires
Natural fires involve trees, shrubs, or bushes. During these fires, smoke penetrates the structure from the outside and leaves a persistent residue and odor.
Furnace Malfunction Fires
When heating appliances like furnaces malfunction, they can cause smoke and flames to spread throughout a property, often following the vent lines of the furnace system.
Chimney Fires
When creosote builds up inside a chimney it can catch fire. These fires burn hot and fast and are very dangerous.
Cigarette Fires
Discarded cigarette butts, either indoors or outside, are a major cause of fires. These fires can threaten property and cause natural fires.
Puffback
Facing a puffback caused by a furnace, fireplace or chimney? Soot can spread everywhere, mimicking dust or leaving a heavy residue. Don’t risk DIY cleaning; it can worsen the damage. Call ServiceMaster by Zaba immediately. Our expertise ensures thorough cleanup, preventing soot return and restoring your home swiftly. Trust us for prompt, efficient service.
Our 6-Step Fire Damage Restoration Process for Chicago Residents
1. Emergency Response and Pre-Cleaning
With headquarters in both Chicago and Skokie, our teams respond to emergencies 24/7.
Our fully stocked fleet vans arrive on the scene within 90 minutes of your call, after the Chicago fire department teams have left, and we get to work immediately — fine-tuning our fire damage restoration process to your property.
Our immediate services include emergency pre-cleaning, which helps us clear a space to work and set the stage for a comprehensive restoration.
2. Detailed Fire Damage Assessment
We perform a thorough inspection of all damage to determine your home or business’s structural integrity and the condition of your belongings.
Our technicians identify the fire source, classify its type, and report our detailed assessment and estimated repair costs to you and your insurance agent. These things combine to help you understand how the fire started and to ensure the building is safe before you enter it.
3. Immediate Property Security
Fire damage often makes it impossible to close windows and doors, and it compromises the strength and stability of walls and roofs. Our fire restoration process addresses these problems with secure board-up services that ensure the physical safety of your Chicago property and everyone in it.
4. Content Cleaning and Packout
Next, our team will begin content cleaning. We will provide thorough, comprehensive cleaning for all textiles, surfaces, and items that can be saved. We will also pack out the things that are beyond repair. We will seek your involvement with any pack-out recommendations we make. On every restoration job, we strive to restore rather than replace items as much as possible.
4. Water Damage Restoration
Water left over from extinguishing a fire permeates infrastructure and saturates furniture and belongings.
Our technicians use industry-proven equipment to take care of water damage cleanup and restoration, and then we finish up with state-of-the-art drying and dehumidifying techniques. This prevents future mold and mildew growth and keeps your property fresh.
5. Smoke & Soot Removal
Our teams tackle smoke and soot cleanup from every damaged surface in your Chicago property. This includes walls and ceilings, as well as all furnishings and personal belongings. We carefully clean and thoroughly sanitize everything with specialized smoke and soot mitigation products and techniques. This protects your health and prevents ongoing soot exposure. Our property-wide smoke mitigation begins with thoroughly washing all surfaces.
We use chemical sponges and wet-wash techniques that penetrate deep into structural materials and clean away smoke stains. We follow up with deodorizing processes that utilize air scrubbers as well as state-of-the-art equipment for carpet and air duct cleaning. Smoke odors don’t stand a chance against our industry-proven methods.
We also clean furnishings and personal belongings affected by smoke damage and odors. Using advanced techniques, we can salvage upholstery, drapes, electronic devices and more. As we restore your belongings, we return everything to its original placement and position in each room. We understand and respect the value you place on personal belongings. We work hard to restore everything to its original condition using the safest, most thorough techniques.
6. Complete Property Restoration
We finish your fire damage recovery process by restoring your property to its original condition – from minor plumbing repairs to wall reconstruction.
Our teams replace the flooring, deep clean tile, repair baseboards, and repaint ceilings.
We handle all aspects of the project with industry-established fire damage restoration procedures and standards, and we restore your property with the highest quality materials and workmanship.
To get rid of the lingering fire smell, we use a proprietary deodorization process – complete with air foggers and industrial-strength fans. This reduces the chances that any smoke odor will linger in the air and helps make your home healthy once more.
Why Choose ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba?
50+ years of combined fire damage restoration experience
Guaranteed response time of under 90 minutes
We manage your insurance claims
Licensed, bonded, insured, IICRC certified
We answer your call the first time
Friendliest customer service in Chicago
Our Advanced Fire Damage Cleanup Services for Chicago, IL
Emergency Services
Rapid response mobilization.
Fire damage assessment.
Emergency board up and tarping services.
Water damage cleanup, drying, and restoration.
Smoke and soot removal and cleaning.
Smoke odor removal and deodorization.
Deep cleaning.
Mold removal and remediation.
Carpet and upholstery cleaning.
Demolition and debris removal.
Complete property reconstruction.
Structural Cleaning
During structural cleaning, we’ll clean the entire property. We pay special attention to removing soot from the walls, ceilings, and other structural elements, including crown molding and baseboards. Depending on the extent of the damage, we may use a soft detergent to clean the ceilings and walls.
We will clean the floors, doors, windows, and other flat surfaces, including windowsills and countertops.
We will restore fire-damaged area rugs and carpets, and remove and replace affected carpet pads when necessary.
We will clean the ventilation and duct systems or your HVAC unit.
Content Cleaning & Packout Services
Our cleaning and packout services include cleaning all the home’s soft goods, including drapes, bedding, garments, carpet, and upholstery.
Cleaning of all appliances and electronics.
Restoration and drying of documents.
Restoration of art.
Cleaning of shelving, furnishings, bookshelves, and light fixtures.
Joanna provided my fiancé and I with exceptional communication and customer service through our renovations needs!
Liz B.
03:06 31 Aug 23
I had a great experience with Joanna Cintron, she is very professional as a receptionist and she made me feel heard when I asked all my questions. Thanks
Luis E.
03:03 31 Aug 23
UPDATEI had ServiceMaster out again after the July 2, 2023 sewer back ups in the city. The crew came back out and quickly dried and cleaned/disinfected my basement and returned twice to ensure everything was completed to my satisfaction. Everyone was a complete professional and they explain every step of the way, from the office staff to the cleaning crew and follow up representatives the sent. I highly recommend them.Neil and the crew really know there job. They are professional, fast, reliable, courteous, and very sympathetic. They work well with the insurance company which helps immensely when dealing with an emergency. Highly recommended!!!
JC M
16:28 29 Aug 23
Fernando and his team "hand held" my situation from the moment I called him to report the incident. Fernando was EXTREMELY helpful in guiding me with what to discard, how to value the lost items, how to present the same to my insurance adjustor and sharing his own personal experience with the process. Every time I contacted him with questions during the process he again was informative, patient and continued to provide guidance. On the day my personal property was delivered his staff was uber professional (laid contractor paper on the new floors, asked for placement of furniture, etc. ) and even removed an old wine refrigerator from the rental unit where I was residing). I will share my positive review with my insurance agent and the adjuster. In todays "new" world of difficulty with expected customer service (and lack thereof) Fernando and his team were a pleasant surprise. I do hope I never have to use his services again (lol) however if I do I know I will be satisfied.
Nancy S.
15:10 17 Jul 23
I have a rental property in Lake Forest and the renters were vacationing last week. The temperatures dropped and warmed up and when they got back the house was flooded due to a pipe that burst in the ceiling. I immediately called ServiceMaster by Zaba in Chicago and they came out within the day to clean up the mess and dry everything out. I definitely would recommend them to anyone who's experiencing water damage in their homes!
tratalig
20:02 08 Feb 23
Had a small kitchen fire. Luckily I was able to extinguish it myself but it left a big mess in my kitchen and entire apartment. ServiceMaster cleaned it out and within 48 hours they got rid of the soot/smoke smell and had cleaned the entire apartment from soot residue. Highly recommend them.
Jecenia C.
02:37 28 Dec 22
Service master provided me with excellent customer service. They responded quickly to my water issues and answered all my questions and concerns in a professional manner. I never experienced this type of home issue before and they were able to fix my water problems without adding additional stress. I would definitely recommend this company to any person experiencing water damage in their home. In today’s day it is very difficult to find a trustworthy and reliable company that can do a good job. Service Master is definitely the company to call in a water home emergency. I would definitely use them again for any future restoration issues.
How much does fire damage restoration in Chicago cost?
You can expect costs to run between $5,000 and $60,000. These are the typical costs for Chicago fire damage restoration. It’s important to understand that these figures represent averages. No two fires are ever alike and neither are the damages.
How long will restoration take?
There’s no one-size-fits-all rule for restoration timelines. Because there are so many variables involved, it can be challenging to predict how long the restoration will take. The best idea is to consult with your ServiceMaster Restoration By Zaba restoration technician to get an idea about your restoration project’s estimated dates and phases.
What factors affect the final cost of fire damage restoration?
Factors include the size of the home, business or facility, as well as the amount of content and personal property that needs to be cleaned and restored.
Does homeowners insurance cover fire damage?
Most property insurance covers 100 percent of your fire damage cost, but you’re responsible for paying a set deductible. Your agent is your best resource for coverage information.
How can I make sure that my claim goes through quickly?
Don’t remove furnishings or belongings from damaged areas until your carrier gives you the OK. Your insurance company has to establish the fire’s origin and cause, and you don’t want to slow down the adjuster’s work.
What items should I keep in my possession?
If possible, keep the following items in your possession while restoration takes place: • Cash • Checkbooks • Medications • Personal Documents • Pets and Pet Supplies • Stamp/Coin Collections • Valuable Jewelry • Valuable Art
Can I clean smoke and soot myself?
No. Smoke and soot cleaning exposes you to harmful toxins and can be quite dangerous. The process requires special training and skill. Fortunately, the techs at ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba are IICRC-certified and equipped to provide safe smoke and soot cleaning and restore your home to its former glory.
How do you handle safety concerns?
At ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba, safety is our top priority. The first time we inspect your home, we will identify and address safety hazards. We will remove debris, identify electrical hazards, separate burnt electrical cords and appliances, and manage any other dangers to keep everyone on the site safe.
What equipment do you use?
The aftermath of a fire leaves behind pervasive smoke odors and toxic soot contamination. We solve both problems with industry expertise and advanced technology, including: Thermal Foggers Our thermal foggers perform dual duties. The equipment deodorizes fire-damaged interiors and loosens ash and soot from surfaces. The heated fog produced by the machine spreads much like the smoke from a fire. As it travels throughout the property, the deodorizing fog penetrates porous surfaces and clears away residual smoke odor. The fogger is effective on damages from all fire types, including wood, electrical and chemical fires. Negative Air Machines Negative air machines mitigate fire damage by controlling the spread of smoke and soot contamination. The equipment’s internal operating system maintains a negative air pressure in affected areas. As the system exhausts to the outside, it removes gases and chemicals from interior air. During the process, microscopic soot particles are trapped by large HEPA filters. Odors are neutralized by the equipment’s carbon filters. Soot Sponges These cleaning tools are made with vulcanized rubber. They’re also known as dry cleaning sponges or chem sponges. Their unique texture and composition make the sponges ideal for removing soot particles from fire-damaged surfaces. Soot sponges don’t leave behind any residue, so they’re safe for cleaning painted and papered walls, wood paneling and ceramic tile. Our technicians use the large sponges to remove soot from all types of content, such as lamp shades, window blinds and even television screens. Ozone Machines An ozone machine electronically generates ozone from oxygen in the air. These new molecules are reactive, attaching to the source molecules responsible for post-fire odors. The process reduces the source molecules to odorless compounds. Our ozone machines are especially effective in eliminating smoke and soot odors from large areas. We use them to clean the air in fire-damaged homes with high ceilings and open floor plans. The equipment is also part of our arsenal for addressing fire damage in commercial sites and multi-unit properties. Hydroxyl Generators Hydroxyl generators are one of the latest additions to restoration technology. A generator inside the equipment creates conditions that produce hydroxyls. The organic compounds disperse throughout affected areas, neutralizing smoke odors and soot contamination. The process has a cascading effect, decontaminating fire-damaged surfaces and contents. The hydroxyls radiate upwards, removing fire damage odors from high ceilings and tight corners. The equipment is safe for use in occupied properties, such as homes, apartments and offices.
