Electrical Fire Cleanup in California

Licensed & insured Every company we put you through to holds current licensing and insurance.
Know what to ask You are told what actually decides the price, so you can judge a quote.
Someone local You are put through to a technician who works your area, not a call center three states away.
Calls answered 7 days Someone picks up seven days a week, weekends included.

Is it urgent?

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Synthetic soot is the most corrosive of the three types. Electronics and metal surfaces in the same building start degrading within days.

One thing overrides everything on this page. Do not go back inside until the fire service has released the building — structure and air can both still be unsafe long after the flames are out, and a floor that looks intact may not be.

Signs to look for

Scorching around an outlet, switch or panel
A sharp acrid smell of burnt plastic that lingers
Black web-like deposits on nearby surfaces
Electronics in the building failing in the days afterwards
A breaker that tripped with a bang and a smell

How the work is done

Coordinate with an electrician before anything is re-energised
Treat the residue as corrosive and clean metal and electronics first
Assess electronics individually rather than writing them all off or keeping them all
Neutralise and seal, because synthetic residue odor is persistent

In California specifically

California's Mediterranean on the coast, hot and dry inland climate and its housing stock — stucco ranch and bungalow, tile or composition roofs, slab in the south and raised crawlspace through the Bay Area and the north — decide what is worth doing first. California is also the one state where duct leakage is routinely tested: Title 24 requires a HERS-verified duct test on most furnace or air-conditioner changeouts, so a duct problem here often surfaces as a failed test rather than as a complaint.

Before the technician arrives

Four things worth doing — and the first one is usually the thing people get wrong.

Leave the affected circuits off at the panel until an electrician has been.
Do not power up anything that was in the room, including things that look undamaged.
Keep the area ventilated if it is safe to do so — burnt plastics are unpleasant and worth not breathing.
List the electronics that were in the room. They need assessing individually.

What the work looks like

Photographs of electrical fire cleanup being carried out, so you know what to expect on the day.

How it works

Three steps, and you decide at the end of them.

1
You call and describe the problem

Tell us what you have noticed and where — the room, the smell, the noise, how long it has been going on. Give us your ZIP code and we will match you to a licensed company covering your area. There is no form to fill in.
2
A local company takes it from there

They discuss the problem with you directly, arrange a time to inspect, and agree the work and the price with you before anything starts. That conversation is between you and them.
3
You decide whether to go ahead

You are under no obligation. If the quote or the approach is not what you wanted, you are free to say no and call someone else.

Electrical Fire Cleanup — FAQs

Do I actually need Electrical Fire Cleanup done?

Synthetic soot is the most corrosive of the three types. Electronics and metal surfaces in the same building start degrading within days.

What does Electrical Fire Cleanup involve?

Cleaning after a fire in wiring, a panel or an appliance. The residue is corrosive and the electrical system has to be cleared by an electrician before anything is energised.

What makes this different in California?

California's Mediterranean on the coast, hot and dry inland climate and its housing stock — stucco ranch and bungalow, tile or composition roofs, slab in the south and raised crawlspace through the Bay Area and the north — decide what is worth doing first. California is also the one state where duct leakage is routinely tested: Title 24 requires a HERS-verified duct test on most furnace or air-conditioner changeouts, so a duct problem here often surfaces as a failed test rather than as a complaint.

Are the companies licensed and insured?

Yes. We only pass calls to licensed, insured operators working in California, and you are welcome to ask to see a license number on arrival.

What does Electrical Fire Cleanup cost?

It depends on the property, the size of the system and what the inspection finds, so we do not publish a price — a figure quoted on a web page is not one the attending company has agreed to. You get a price before any work starts.

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Electrical Fire Cleanup in California

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