Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration — What to Expect

Fire and smoke damage restoration in Australia is performed to ANSI/IICRC S700:2025 — the current edition of the Standard for Professional Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration, published by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). This is the professional benchmark referenced by insurers, loss adjusters, and the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) when assessing whether restoration work was completed appropriately.

All contractors in the NRPG network hold current IICRC certification relevant to fire and smoke restoration. For the full ANSI/IICRC S700:2025 standard, visit iicrc.org.

Fire damage extends well beyond the burned area. Smoke travels through HVAC systems, wall cavities, and roof spaces — depositing acidic residues that corrode metals, discolour surfaces, and persist as odour in areas far from the fire origin. Different types of fire residue (from low-heat smouldering versus fast-burning materials) require different cleaning agents and techniques.

An ANSI/IICRC S700:2025-certified contractor is trained to:

• Assess all affected areas — not just the visible fire damage — including HVAC systems and connected rooms
• Identify the type of fire residue present and apply the correct cleaning method for each surface and material
• Apply appropriate odour neutralisation treatments rather than masking agents
• Document all damage and remediation work to the standard required by insurers
• Confirm completion to a professional standard before the job is closed

A general cleaner or builder does not have this specialist training. Applying the wrong cleaning method to fire residue can permanently set stains or spread contamination to previously unaffected areas.

An ANSI/IICRC S700:2025-certified job produces documentation that supports your insurance claim. If a contractor cannot provide these records, the job may not have been performed to the required standard:

• Written scope of works — All affected areas and materials documented before work begins, including rooms affected by smoke infiltration beyond the fire origin
• Photographic evidence — Before and after photographs of all affected areas
• HVAC assessment — Documentation that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems were inspected and cleaned where affected
• Odour treatment records — What treatment was applied, where, and when
• Completion report — Signed confirmation that work was completed to the ANSI/IICRC S700:2025 standard

This documentation is what AFCA and courts reference when a policyholder disputes whether restoration was complete. Independent documentation produced before an insurer closes the claim is your most important protection.

Fire and smoke restoration disputes commonly arise when:

• Smoke odour returns weeks or months after restoration — indicating incomplete decontamination or HVAC cleaning
• Rooms connected to the fire area were not assessed or treated despite smoke infiltration
• The insurer closes the claim before all affected areas are restored
• Contents (furniture, clothing, electronics) were not assessed for smoke damage

If the completed work does not meet the ANSI/IICRC S700:2025 standard, you have the right to raise a formal complaint with your insurer through their internal dispute resolution (IDR) process. If unresolved within 30 days, the dispute can be escalated to AFCA at no cost.

An independent assessment by a separate ANSI/IICRC S700:2025-certified contractor documents whether the work was completed to standard — and is the primary evidence in any AFCA dispute.

The 2025–2026 Victoria bushfire season (ICA Insurance Catastrophe, 3,123 claims across 18 LGAs) included significant smoke infiltration into properties that were not directly in the fire path. Bushfire smoke travels further and penetrates more deeply into building structures than many homeowners expect.

If your property in a Victoria bushfire-affected LGA shows smoke odour, ash deposits, or HVAC contamination — even without direct fire contact — this may be a covered loss under your policy. An ANSI/IICRC S700:2025 assessment documents whether smoke infiltration occurred and what remediation is required.