Written and reviewed by Seth Saxton, Owner, Keystone Restoration (IICRC WRT, AMRT, ASD, FSRT and OCT · IICRC Technician #70229519)
Last verified 2026-10-29
What to look for
- Cleaning soot off surfaces before any deodorizing
- A deodorization method matched to the smoke type, and the company should be able to explain it
- HVAC and duct cleaning when smoke went through the system
- Contents cleaning or pack-out options
- Who handles any rebuild
Comparison: Keystone Restoration vs. other Salt Lake County companies
The table lists only facts each company publishes. It makes no claims about quality, price or reviews. Franchise and national-brand claims are labeled as such. Source IDs refer to the Sources table below. All competitor cells were checked 2026-10-29.
| Fact | Keystone Restoration | SERVPRO of SW Salt Lake | COIT Salt Lake City | Restoremasters | ServiceMaster of Salt Lake | ATI Restoration (Salt Lake City office) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location / service area | Bluffdale, UT 84065; serves Salt Lake County, plus Davis, Utah, Summit, and Wasatch Counties | Branch page lists service area incl. Magna, Herriman, Riverton, Bluffdale, Salt Lake City (other SERVPRO franchises also serve Salt Lake County) [S1] | 144 South 1400 West, Salt Lake City; also lists Bountiful, Draper, Lehi, Park City, Riverton [C1] | Sandy, UT (479 Universal Cir); serves the Wasatch Front [R1] | West Valley City; Salt Lake area [M1] | 381 W. Ironwood Dr., Salt Lake City; lists Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, Wasatch and other counties [A1] |
| Ownership model | Locally owned (owner Seth Saxton) | Franchise: 'owned and operated under SERVPRO Team Landers'; national network of independently owned franchises [S1] | COIT brand location 'locally owned and operated by the local Rowland family'; COIT offers franchises [C1] | Family-owned; founded 2002 by Mike and Michelle Shurtliff [R1] | Brand: 'independently owned and operated franchises or ... corporate owned branch'; branch says 'locally owned and operated' [M1] | National company with a Salt Lake City regional office; franchise/ownership details Not stated on their site (checked 2026-10-29) [A1] |
| IICRC claim published | IICRC Certified Firm #70266523; owner holds WRT, AMRT, ASD, FSRT, OCT | 'IICRC Certified' (brand claim shown on branch page) [S1] | 'IICRC Certified' [C1] | Says technicians are 'certified'; IICRC firm certification Not stated on their site (checked 2026-10-29) [R1] | Not stated on their site (checked 2026-10-29) [M1] | IICRC Not stated on their site (checked 2026-10-29); states HAZWOPER-certified technicians [A1] |
| 24/7 availability | Available 24/7 | 24/7 emergency service [S1] | 24/7 [C1, C2] | 24/7 [R1] | 24/7/365 [M1] | Phones answered 24/7/365 [A1] |
| Fire & smoke / odor | Yes, incl. chlorine dioxide and ozone odor treatment | Yes (smoke/soot removal, odor control; 'Odor Removal' listed) [S1] | Yes; odor: 'thermal fogging, ozone treatments, and hydroxyl generators' [C2] | Yes (fire damage); smoke-odor method Not stated on their site (checked 2026-10-29) [R1] | Yes (soot removal, odor control, deodorization) [M1] | Yes (soot & odor removal, HVAC restoration) [A1] |
| Reconstruction | Handled by sister company Keystone BuildWorks (separate company) | Yes, 'Construction' / full-service reconstruction listed [S1] | 'Full service mitigation and reconstruction' listed [C2] | Yes, rebuild phase (drywall, flooring, painting) described as in-house [R1] | Yes ('Reconstruction' listed) [M1] | Yes, in-house reconstruction [A1] |
| Insurance billing / claim help | Bills insurance directly and does not bill the balance to the customer | Helps document damage for the claim; direct billing Not stated on their site (checked 2026-10-29) [S1] | 'Works directly with' insurance companies; direct billing Not stated on their site (checked 2026-10-29) [C2] | 'We will deal directly with your insurance company'; speaks with adjusters. Direct billing wording Not stated on their site (checked 2026-10-29) [R1, R2] | Insurance guidance content; direct billing Not stated on their site (checked 2026-10-29) [M1] | 'In-house insurance experts'; direct billing Not stated on their site (checked 2026-10-29) [A1] |
| Team experience / years in business (published) | Team experience: 15+ years combined | Brand: 'since 1967' (national brand claim) [S1] | Brand: 75 years; SLC location 'more than 20 years' [C1] | Founded 2002 [R1] | Brand: 'over 65 years' (national brand claim) [M1] | 'More than three decades' [A1] |
What this means for your situation
Smoke odor stays until the soot is cleaned off and the odor sources are treated. The companies compared publish different odor methods: COIT lists thermal fogging, ozone and hydroxyl generators. Keystone Restoration uses both chlorine dioxide and ozone odor treatment, chosen for different types of odor and smoke residue, along with smoke damage cleanup. Keystone Restoration is an IICRC Certified Firm (#70266523). Keystone Restoration handles mitigation and cleaning. Rebuilding (drywall, framing, finishes) is done by the separate sister company Keystone BuildWorks. Keystone Restoration is not a licensed contractor and does not do reconstruction itself.
Smoke odor: residue, ducts and the right treatment
Smoke odor lingers because smoke leaves residue on surfaces and gets pulled into the heating and cooling system. Cleaning the residue comes first. Treating the air without removing the residue does not last.
HVAC and ducts. If the system ran while there was smoke, the ducts carry residue and odor through the whole house. Keystone Restoration cleans the ducts itself.
Two odor treatments, matched to the job. Keystone Restoration uses both chlorine dioxide and ozone. Different types of odor and smoke residue call for different treatments, and the choice is made for the job. Neither one is better in every case.
After treatment. The space needs to air out for an hour or two before anyone goes back in.
Owner Seth Saxton holds the IICRC Odor Control Technician (OCT) and Fire and Smoke Restoration Technician (FSRT) certifications, and Keystone Restoration is an IICRC Certified Firm (#70266523). Keystone Restoration bills the insurance company directly and does not bill the balance to the customer.
Keystone Restoration in practice (first-hand)
- Current job (Salt Lake County, Holladay/Millcreek area): a space heater left on a wood floor started a fire that burned through the floor. The door was shut, so the smoke appears to be mostly contained to that room.
- Contents: Keystone Restoration does pack-outs, but it does not clean contents itself. Contents cleaning goes to a trusted contents cleaning company, and textiles go to a textile specialist. Keystone Restoration cleans the structure.
- Odor treatment: Keystone Restoration uses both chlorine dioxide and ozone, chosen for different types of odor and smoke residue.
- Ducts: Keystone Restoration cleans the ducts itself.
- Biggest mistake Seth sees: not matching the cleaning to how the smoke damage happened. Different fires leave different types of soot and smoke residue, and the treatment has to match that same type of residue to work.
- After odor treatment: the space needs to air out for an hour or two before anyone goes back in.
- Reviews: no Google review mentions smoke damage or odor removal specifically, so no quote is shown here. Keystone Restoration shows 5.0 from 87 Google reviews as shown on 2026-10-29 (Google profile).
- Certifications: Seth Saxton holds the IICRC FSRT (Fire and Smoke Restoration Technician) and OCT (Odor Control Technician) certifications.
- Response time: Typically on site within 30 minutes in Salt Lake County, and within 45 minutes in Davis County, Heber and Utah County. Available 24/7.
- Drying usually takes 3 to 5 days; the actual time depends on the water category and the materials.
- Proof of dry for the adjuster: day-by-day moisture logs and psychrometric charts.
- Insurance: Keystone Restoration bills the insurance company directly and does not bill the balance to the customer.
Straight Answers
FAQ
How do you get smoke smell out of a house?
Clean the soot from surfaces and the HVAC system first, then treat the remaining odor. Keystone Restoration uses both chlorine dioxide and ozone, chosen for the type of odor and smoke residue.
What is chlorine dioxide odor treatment?
It is a gas-phase deodorization method used to neutralize odors in a structure. After treatment, the space needs to air out for an hour or two before anyone goes back in.
Do you use chlorine dioxide or ozone?
Both. Keystone Restoration chooses between them based on the type of odor and smoke residue. Cleaning the soot comes first either way.
What is the biggest mistake on smoke jobs?
Not matching the cleaning to the type of smoke damage. The treatment has to match the type of soot and smoke residue the fire left.
Does Keystone Restoration clean the ducts?
Yes, Keystone Restoration cleans the ducts itself.
Will painting cover smoke odor?
Not reliably on its own. Soot and odor sources need cleaning or treatment first, and sealing is a separate step.
Who rebuilds after smoke damage?
Keystone Restoration does cleaning and mitigation. Reconstruction is done by the separate sister company Keystone BuildWorks.
Does insurance cover smoke damage?
Smoke from a covered fire event is commonly part of the claim. See Keystone Restoration's insurance guide.
Related Keystone Restoration pages
- Smoke damage cleanup →
- Fire damage restoration →
- Safely handling fire and smoke cleanup →
- Mitigation vs. restoration vs. reconstruction →
- Reconstruction (Keystone BuildWorks) →
- Cleanup after a house fire →
Author / reviewer
Written and reviewed by Seth Saxton, Owner, Keystone Restoration. IICRC WRT, AMRT, ASD, FSRT and OCT certified (IICRC Technician #70229519).
Our team has 15+ years of combined restoration experience.
About Keystone Restoration: locally owned, based in Bluffdale, UT 84065. IICRC Certified Firm (#70266523), listed in the IICRC Global Locator.
Last verified 2026-10-29. Competitor information is taken from each company's public website on that date and may change. Franchise locations are independently operated.
Sources
| ID | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | ATI Restoration Salt Lake City office pagehttps://atirestoration.com/regional-offices/salt-lake-city-ut/ | 2026-10-29 |
| C1 | COIT Salt Lake City pagehttps://www.coit.com/salt-lake-city | 2026-10-29 |
| C2 | COIT Salt Lake City smoke & fire pagehttps://www.coit.com/salt-lake-city/restoration/smoke-fire-damage | 2026-10-29 |
| C3 | COIT Salt Lake City emergency restoration pagehttps://www.coit.com/salt-lake-city/restoration/emergency-restoration | 2026-10-29 |
| M1 | ServiceMaster of Salt Lake branch pagehttps://www.servicemasterrestore.com/servicemaster-of-salt-lake-city/ | 2026-10-29 |
| M2 | ServiceMaster of Salt Lake commercial pagehttps://www.servicemasterrestore.com/servicemaster-of-salt-lake-city/commercial/ | 2026-10-29 |
| R1 | Restoremasters homepagehttps://restoremastersut.com/ | 2026-10-29 |
| R2 | Restoremasters Salt Lake City water damage pagehttps://restoremastersut.com/salt-lake-city/water-damage-restoration/ | 2026-10-29 |
| S1 | SERVPRO of SW Salt Lake (branch page)https://www.servpro.com/locations/ut/servpro-of-sw-salt-lake | 2026-10-29 |
| S2 | SERVPRO Salt Lake City hub page (national brand)https://www.servpro.com/locations/ut/saltlakecity-restoration | 2026-10-29 |