# Longfellow fire damage restoration > Fire and smoke restoration for Longfellow homes: 1920s bungalows, catalog houses, story-and-a-half layouts, knee walls, basements and alley garages. Call. URL: https://firedamagerestorationminneapolis.com/areas/longfellow/ Section: Home > Service areas > Longfellow Last updated: 2026-10-31 Disclosure: Fire Damage Restoration Minneapolis is a call-in referral service. Your call is connected to an independent, licensed local contractor who speaks with you on that call; we do not perform the work ourselves. Longfellow's streets are lined with bungalows and catalog homes built from about 1906 through the 1920s, most with a half story under the roof and a full basement. Those layouts send smoke upward into knee-wall spaces and water downward into the basement. Call and an independent local restoration contractor will talk through your Longfellow home with you on that call. Mention whether the upstairs is finished. Say whether the heat is on and whether the basement took water. Both details change what needs doing first. Mention any dormers or additions. ## Key facts - Most Longfellow homes were built from about 1906 through the 1920s, after streetcar and rail service reached the area [1]. - Ready-to-assemble catalog homes, including Sears kits, helped many Scandinavian immigrant families own homes in Longfellow [1]. - Longfellow is bounded by the Mississippi River, Hiawatha Avenue and Interstate 94, with Minnehaha Falls at its southern tip [1]. - Painted woodwork in pre-1978 homes may contain lead, so soot-damaged paint should be handled with lead-safe methods [2]. ## Longfellow homes in ZIP 55406 This page covers the Longfellow community of south Minneapolis. Calls from this ZIP code are inside this service's coverage: - **ZIP 55406:** Longfellow, Cooper, Howe, Seward's eastern edge and the blocks between Hiawatha Avenue and the Mississippi River. - **Near Minnehaha Falls or Nokomis?:** Some southern blocks use other ZIP codes. Mention your address on the call and the contractor will confirm. ## Bungalows, catalog houses and how they were built Longfellow filled in quickly in the early twentieth century once streetcar and rail lines arrived. Most homes were built from about 1906 through the 1920s, and the neighborhood is known for its Craftsman-style bungalows [1]. Many families, often Scandinavian immigrants, bought ready-to-assemble catalog homes, including kits sold by Sears, which arrived by rail with precut lumber and plans [1]. The typical Longfellow house is a one-and-a-half-story bungalow: a main floor with living room, dining room, kitchen and a bedroom or two, and an upper half story under a steep roof with sloped ceilings and knee walls. Below is a full basement with the furnace or boiler, laundry and storage. Walls are plaster on wood lath, trim is often oak or fir, and floors are hardwood. A detached garage usually sits on the alley. Over the decades, many homes have had their upper floors finished more completely, their kitchens and baths remodeled, and their heating converted from boilers to forced air. A fire restoration has to account for whichever mix of original and updated materials a particular house has. Ask about these details on the call. ## What Longfellow fire jobs often turn up - **[Heavy smoke in the half story](https://firedamagerestorationminneapolis.com/services/smoke-damage-cleanup/):** Smoke climbs the stairway and fills the upstairs, settling on sloped ceilings and in knee-wall storage. - **[Water collecting in the basement](https://firedamagerestorationminneapolis.com/services/water-damage-from-firefighting/):** Firefighting water runs down through the floors and pools on the basement floor. - **[Oak trim and built-ins coated with soot](https://firedamagerestorationminneapolis.com/services/soot-removal/):** Colonnades, buffets and window trim collect residue but often clean and refinish well. - **[Odor in knee-wall closets](https://firedamagerestorationminneapolis.com/services/odor-removal/):** Stored clothes and boxes behind the knee walls keep the upstairs smelling of smoke. ## Why the upstairs gets the worst of the smoke In a story-and-a-half house, the stairway is usually an open path from the main floor to the upper rooms. Hot smoke rises up it and spreads across the sloped ceilings. Because the upper rooms are small and close to the roof, smoke concentrates there. Bedrooms upstairs are often darker than the living room where a fire started. Behind the knee walls on either side are long, low storage spaces against the underside of the roof. Smoke works into them through the small access doors and gaps. Roof boards, old insulation and everything stored there absorb it. These spaces need to be opened, emptied and cleaned, and their contents sorted. The very top of the house, above the upstairs ceiling, is usually a small attic reached through a hatch. It collects smoke too and often holds older insulation that should be tested before removal, since some older loose-fill materials can contain asbestos [3]. Upstairs bedrooms under the roof often take heavy smoke. ## Restoring a catalog house Catalog homes were built from precut, numbered lumber and standard millwork. That makes them a little easier to restore in one respect: trim profiles, doors and windows were standard patterns of the time, and matching pieces can sometimes be found or milled. Original lumber in these houses is often old-growth wood that is dense and durable. If you know or suspect your home is a catalog house, mention it. Original stamped lumber in the basement or attic, original doors and built-ins are worth protecting during cleanup. Photograph them before work begins. ## Oak colonnades, buffets and trim Many Longfellow bungalows have a colonnade or built-in bookcases between the living and dining rooms, a built-in buffet, and stained oak or fir trim throughout the main floor. These pieces collect soot on every ledge and in every joint. They can usually be cleaned with gentle products and, if the finish darkened, refinished in place. Doors and drawers often come off so their backs and the cabinet interiors can be cleaned. Unfinished interior wood absorbs odor and may be sealed. If part of a built-in is charred, a finish carpenter can rebuild that part to match. - Clean in place where possible - Refinish darkened stain - Seal unfinished interiors - Rebuild charred sections to match ## Longfellow basements: water, storage and heating [Firefighting water](https://firedamagerestorationminneapolis.com/services/water-damage-from-firefighting/) follows gravity into the basement. In a bungalow that means water through the main floor, along pipes and down the basement stairs. Basements often have a floor drain, but debris can block it, so pumping may be needed. Basements hold the furnace or boiler, the water heater and laundry, plus storage. Wet belongings are sorted quickly; cardboard boxes collapse and spread water. Finished basement walls are cut above the waterline. Heating equipment is inspected before use, and in winter temporary heat protects the plumbing. The EPA advises drying wet materials within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold [4]. Basements can be slow to dry, so dehumidifiers often run for several days. ## Commercial corridors and mixed buildings Longfellow's northern edge includes the East Lake Street business district [1], with mixed-use buildings that have shops below and apartments above. Fires in these buildings affect both businesses and residents, with shared stairwells, roofs and basements. Restoration involves the building owner, commercial tenants and residential tenants, each with their own insurance. If you live above a business and a fire affected the building, contact your renters insurer and the building owner. Keep a list of your belongings and photograph them before cleanup. ## Kitchen fires in bungalow kitchens Bungalow kitchens are usually at the back of the main floor, often small with a back entry to the yard. A stovetop fire sends smoke straight through the dining room and up the stairs. Protein residue from burned food is faint on the walls but carries a sharp smell through the whole house. Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States, according to the National Fire Protection Association [5]. After a kitchen fire, cabinets near the range usually need replacement or refinishing, the vent hood and duct need checking, and walls and ceilings need cleaning suited to protein residue before sealing and paint. ## Alley garages and the back of the house Most Longfellow lots have a detached garage on the alley. Garage fires can spread to neighboring garages and fences and send smoke toward the back of the house. The rear windows, back entry and attic near the rear eaves are the parts of the house to check. Rebuilding a garage requires a City of Minneapolis permit. Alley access is usually the easiest way to remove debris and bring in materials. ## Cold weather after a Longfellow fire Bungalows with little wall insulation lose heat quickly once the furnace is off or windows are broken. Pipes along exterior walls and in the basement near the rim joist are the first to freeze. If the fire happened in cold weather, keeping the house above freezing is the first job, with temporary heat or by draining the plumbing. Snow on a damaged roof can melt into the house when temporary heat runs. Tarps over roof openings need to handle snow, often with plywood underneath. ## Permits for repairs in Longfellow Longfellow is inside the City of Minneapolis. Structural, electrical, plumbing and mechanical repairs need permits through the city's licenses, permits and inspections services [6]. Residential building contractors in Minnesota are licensed by the state Department of Labor and Industry [7]. If the upstairs is being rebuilt, current code may require changes, such as egress windows for bedrooms or updated wiring. Ask your insurer whether your policy includes coverage for code-required upgrades. ## Planning work on a Longfellow street Longfellow streets are residential with alleys behind most lots. Alleys are usually the best route for containers and deliveries. Streets near the river and Minnehaha Parkway can be busy on weekends, and snow emergencies limit parking in winter. Mention any access issues on the call, such as a shared driveway, a steep set of front steps or a narrow alley. ## Documenting a bungalow for your claim Photograph every room on both floors, the [knee-wall](https://firedamagerestorationminneapolis.com/services/odor-removal/) spaces, the basement and the garage before cleanup starts. Original woodwork, built-ins and floors are worth documenting in detail so the adjuster understands what needs restoring rather than replacing. The Minnesota Department of Commerce suggests reviewing your policy and keeping records throughout the claim, and reminds homeowners that they choose who repairs their home [8]. Keep receipts for living expenses if you are displaced. ## From boilers to forced air in Longfellow bungalows Many Longfellow homes were built with boilers feeding cast iron radiators, and a good number still have them. Others were converted to forced-air furnaces, with ducts run through closets, floor openings and the half story. Each system spreads [smoke residue](https://firedamagerestorationminneapolis.com/services/smoke-damage-cleanup/) differently after a fire. With radiators, soot settles on the fins and walls behind them, and warmth from the radiator releases odor all winter until they are cleaned. With forced air, the blower pulls smoke into the return and sends it through every supply duct, so ducts and the furnace cabinet need cleaning. Ducts running up into the half story are often long and hard to reach. Either way, have a heating contractor check the system before relying on it. A boiler or furnace in the basement may also have been exposed to firefighting water. ## Original windows and storm windows Bungalows typically have wood double-hung windows, sometimes in groups along the front, with exterior storm windows. Heat can crack the glass, and firefighters may break windows to vent smoke. Soot settles on cold glass and in the space between the storm and the sash. Intact storm windows can be taken down and stored before the openings are boarded. Original sashes are often worth repairing rather than replacing; broken panes can be reglazed and the frames cleaned and repainted. Lead-safe methods apply to old window paint. ## Hardwood floors after smoke and water Main floors in Longfellow homes are usually oak, upper floors sometimes fir or maple. Soot settles on the finish and gets ground in by foot traffic, while water from firefighting soaks boards and the subfloor. Floors that dry promptly often flatten and can be sanded and refinished, which also seals in any faint odor. Carpet over hardwood is usually removed after a fire. Upstairs, carpet in the half-story bedrooms often hides fir floors that can be restored. ## Wiring in early twentieth-century houses Houses from Longfellow's main building period may still have sections of early wiring in walls and attics, alongside circuits added later. Heat from a fire can damage old insulation on conductors in wall cavities and in the half story without visible signs at outlets. Keep power off to affected areas until an electrician inspects. Rewiring is easiest while walls and the knee-wall spaces are open during restoration. Replacing smoke alarms, and making sure carbon monoxide alarms are near bedrooms, should be part of the rebuild. ## Belongings stored behind knee walls Knee-wall storage often holds seasonal clothing, holiday decorations, old papers and keepsakes. These items sit right where smoke collects. Sort them early, set aside what matters most and ask the contractor about textile cleaning and document recovery. Food and medicine anywhere in the house that was exposed to smoke should be thrown out. ## Front porches and entries on Longfellow bungalows Bungalows are known for their front porches, some open with tapered columns on brick piers, others enclosed with windows. Smoke venting through the front door or windows stains porch ceilings and columns. Enclosed porches can lose several windows at once to heat. Porch ceilings, often painted beadboard, can usually be cleaned and repainted. Broken porch windows are boarded early in cold weather to keep drafts off the front of the house. Brick piers and steps are cleaned with masonry methods. ## Plaster walls and sloped ceilings Plaster on wood lath covers most Longfellow interiors, including the sloped ceilings upstairs. Plaster cleans well when soot is removed dry first, then cleaned and sealed before painting. On sloped ceilings, the work is slower and needs stable platforms. Plaster that got soaked by firefighting water may lose its grip on the lath and bulge or crack. Those areas are opened and repaired, often with veneer plaster or drywall matched carefully to the surrounding wall. ## How a bungalow restoration usually unfolds A typical sequence starts with securing the house and protecting it from cold, then pumping and drying the basement and any wet floors, then removing ruined materials. [Soot removal](https://firedamagerestorationminneapolis.com/services/soot-removal/) follows, from the top of the house down, including the knee-wall spaces and attic. The heating system is cleaned before it runs full-time. Odor treatment and sealing come next, then permitted repairs and finally paint and floor finishing. Each step depends on the one before. Ask the contractor to walk you through their order for your house and how long each part is likely to take. ## Near the river and the parkway Longfellow's eastern edge follows the Mississippi River gorge and its parkway, with Minnehaha Falls at the southern end [1]. Homes near the river may sit on slightly different terrain and see more weekend traffic from park visitors. Plan deliveries and container placement around busy times. ## Dormers, rear additions and finished upstairs Many Longfellow owners have added shed dormers to gain upstairs space, built rear additions for bigger kitchens, or fully finished the half story with drywall and new insulation. These changes create seams between old and new construction, often with separate roof sections and attic spaces. Smoke can hide in those seams. After a fire, the contractor should check where a dormer meets the original roof, the attic over a rear addition, and the connection between new drywall and old plaster. Odor that lingers in one corner of the upstairs often traces back to one of these joints. If you are not sure which parts of your house were added later, look for changes in floor level, ceiling height, trim style or roof line. Pointing these out on the first visit helps the contractor plan where to look for hidden smoke and water. ## Staying close while the house is restored If smoke reached both floors, most families stay elsewhere during the main cleanup. If the fire was small and confined, part of the house may be usable with the work area sealed off. Check your policy for [additional living expenses](https://firedamagerestorationminneapolis.com/guides/working-with-your-insurance-adjuster/) coverage and keep receipts. Renters should check their own renters policy for temporary housing. ## Longfellow fire restoration questions ### Why is the upstairs worse than where the fire started? Smoke rises up the open stairway and fills the small upper rooms under the roof. Knee-wall storage spaces trap it too. Upstairs often needs as much cleaning as the room of origin. ### Can oak built-ins be saved after smoke damage? Usually. They can be cleaned in place, refinished if the stain darkened, and sealed inside. Charred sections can be rebuilt by a finish carpenter to match. ### My house is a Sears kit home. Does that matter? It can help. Catalog homes used standard trim and millwork of their time, so matching pieces may be easier to find or mill. Protect and photograph original features before work. ### Will the basement need drying if the fire was upstairs? Often. Water flows down through floors and along pipes into the basement. It should be checked, pumped if needed and dried with dehumidifiers. ### Do I need permits for fire repairs in Longfellow? Structural, electrical, plumbing and mechanical repairs need City of Minneapolis permits. Cleaning, drying and temporary protection generally do not. ### Will a contractor take my call from Longfellow? Calls from ZIP 55406 are inside this service's coverage. You speak with an independent local restoration contractor on that same call. ### Can original bungalow windows be repaired after a fire? Often. Broken panes can be reglazed and sashes cleaned and repainted with lead-safe methods. Intact storm windows can be stored while openings are boarded, then reinstalled. ### Do radiators need cleaning after a fire? Yes, if smoke reached the rooms. Soot sits in the fins and on the wall behind them, and warmth releases odor. Radiators are vacuumed, washed and sometimes repainted. ### What should I tell the contractor about my Longfellow house? Whether it is a story-and-a-half, whether the upstairs is finished, whether there are dormers or additions, what heating it has, whether the heat is on and whether the basement took water. ### Should the front porch be cleaned too? Yes, if smoke vented through the front door or windows. Porch ceilings and columns collect soot, and enclosed porches may have broken windows that should be boarded quickly in cold weather. ## Neighborhoods near Longfellow - [Camden](https://firedamagerestorationminneapolis.com/areas/camden/): North Minneapolis homes along the Mississippi: modest single-family houses, basements, older heating and detached garages. - [Kenwood](https://firedamagerestorationminneapolis.com/areas/kenwood/): Large historic houses between Lake of the Isles and Cedar Lake: multiple floors, fine woodwork, plaster detail and valuable contents. - [Linden Hills](https://firedamagerestorationminneapolis.com/areas/linden-hills/): Streetcar-era cottages, Tudors and colonials above Lake Harriet, mixed with rebuilds: tight lots, finished basements and old trees. - [Longfellow](https://firedamagerestorationminneapolis.com/areas/longfellow/): 1906 to 1920s bungalows and catalog homes between Hiawatha and the river: story-and-a-half layouts, knee walls and basements. - [Marcy-Holmes](https://firedamagerestorationminneapolis.com/areas/marcy-holmes/): One of the city's earliest neighborhoods next to the University of Minnesota: old houses split into rentals, historic districts and student housing. - [Nokomis](https://firedamagerestorationminneapolis.com/areas/nokomis/): Story-and-a-half houses and bungalows around Lake Nokomis: basements with laundry and furnaces, detached garages and close neighbors. - [Northeast](https://firedamagerestorationminneapolis.com/areas/northeast/): Former mill-worker homes on the east bank: late-1800s and early-1900s frame houses, duplexes and walk-up apartments. - [Powderhorn](https://firedamagerestorationminneapolis.com/areas/powderhorn/): Dense 1905 to 1920 housing around Powderhorn Park: tall Victorian-era houses, duplexes and brick walk-up apartments of three floors. ## Talk through your Longfellow fire damage Call and describe your bungalow to an independent local restoration contractor on the same call. ## Sources 1. [Wikipedia: Longfellow, Minneapolis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longfellow,_Minneapolis) 2. [U.S. EPA: Protect your family from sources of lead](https://www.epa.gov/lead/protect-your-family-sources-lead) 3. [U.S. EPA: Protect your family from exposures to asbestos](https://www.epa.gov/asbestos/protect-your-family-exposures-asbestos) 4. [U.S. EPA: A brief guide to mold, moisture and your home](https://www.epa.gov/mold/brief-guide-mold-moisture-and-your-home) 5. [NFPA: Home structure fires](https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/research/nfpa-research/fire-statistical-reports/home-structure-fires) 6. [City of Minneapolis: Licenses, permits and inspections](https://www.minneapolismn.gov/business-services/licenses-permits-inspections/) 7. [Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry](https://www.dli.mn.gov/) 8. [Minnesota Department of Commerce: Disaster Information Center](https://mn.gov/commerce/insurance/home/dic) ## Talk to someone Call (612) 471-0995 (+16124710995). Your call connects to an independent local contractor who speaks with you on that call.