Eastern Centennial houses compared with the older west side

A generalization, since every subdivision varies, but it explains why fire jobs here tend to look different.

Common in the east

  • Two-story houses with vaulted great rooms and open lofts
  • Factory-built fireplaces in framed chases
  • Bonus rooms over three-car garages
  • Copper wiring, newer materials, active HOAs

Common in the west

  • Ranches, bi-levels and early split-levels
  • Masonry or early prefab fireplaces
  • One- and two-car garages
  • Older materials that may need testing

How open plans change a fire cleanup

Vaulted ceilings and two-story entryways let smoke rise quickly and spread across the whole upper floor. A kitchen fire in a great-room layout can leave residue on a ceiling twenty feet up and on every surface of the loft above. Cleaning high ceilings means scaffolding or lifts, which affects scope and schedule.

Open plans also mean there is no door to close between the fire and the rest of the house. Even a contained fire usually leads to cleaning most of the main floor and the upstairs, plus the HVAC system, which in many of these houses has separate zones or a second furnace for the upper level.

Many homes in the area back onto open space, trails and drainage corridors. That is a pleasure most of the year and a grass fire exposure on dry, windy days. Smoke from an outside fire typically enters through attic vents and open windows on the side facing it.

Local details to confirm

Mailing addresses
Many carry Aurora names (80015, 80016) while sitting in Centennial
Permits
Through the jurisdiction that contains your parcel; check the county assessor
Fire service
Confirm which department responded before requesting the report
HOAs
Most subdivisions have one; exterior repairs often need review

A practical order for a two-story open-plan fire

  1. Close off and turn off HVAC zones

    Shut down every furnace and air handler until all zones are inspected.

  2. Assess top to bottom

    Check the loft, upstairs bedrooms and attic first, since smoke collects highest.

  3. Plan access for high ceilings

    Ask how vaulted areas will be reached and protected during cleaning.

  4. Clean in order

    High surfaces before low ones, then ducts, then a final pass on floors and furnishings.

  5. Inspect the fireplace chase if smoke reached it

    Framed chases next to great rooms can trap smoke in the wall.

Map of Piney Creek and Smoky Hill. It shows an area, not an office or a job site.

Common questions

Do houses with two furnaces need both systems cleaned?

If the blower on either system ran while smoke was in the house, that system's ducts likely carried residue. Ask for both to be inspected rather than assuming the upstairs or downstairs system was spared.

Will the HOA need to approve repairs after a fire?

Interior work usually does not need approval, but roofing, siding, windows, colors and fences often do. Ask the management company for the current guidelines and expected review time as soon as the scope is known.

General information for Centennial, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.