Adjusters always ask us:

"What is the secret to knowing what can restore in a fire damaged room?"

Basically, it comes down to HEAT.  The hotter the fire, the harder it will be to restore the items in the room.  Excessive heat will permanently lock the soot and odor into the fibers of the fabric.  So how do you gauge the amount of heat?  Try our little trick, and ask yourself this question:

"Does the soot move?"

Find a smooth horizontal surface such as a dresser or table that is covered with soot and drag your finger across it.  If the soot moves, it is a very good indication that the items will restore. 

A common mistake is to assume that items with heavy soot or odor will not restore.  Heavy soot and smoke odor WITHOUT extensive heat will almost always restore.

If you are not comfortable making the decision, simply call our office and one of our experienced project managers will perform a free on-site assessment.