When performing mitigation services after a fire or smoke loss the goal should be to prevent the post environmental conditions of smoke, soot, hydrocarbons, nitrogen, sulfur, corrosive gases, moisture and standing water from producing irresolvable damages.

The mitigation process, according to the “Loss Recovery Guide with Standards,” should include the envelope of the building, its structural members and substratum, as well as its electrical, mechanical, and telecommunication systems when affected. Contents of value should also be mitigated. The objective when performing restoration services after fire, smoke or water losses is to return the damaged property to its pre-existing condition. Dependent on the post-damages; cleaning, restoration, or reconstruction could be required, while all three disciplines could be required within a single loss.

Insurance companies will pay the replacement value of building component and content items based on like kind and quality. The term, “like kind and quality” is based on the ever-changing styles, etc. of building components and content items. To contractors like kind and quality means, a discontinued component or item should be replaced with a component or item having the same likeness, quality and value.

Work Authorization

Before the mitigation process begins, contractors should have an emergency response work authorization signed by the property owner(s) and/or policyholders before work commences. The emergency response work authorization should not include the disciplines of restoration or reconstruction. The work authorization for restoration and/or reconstruction should be signed separately of the emergency response work authorization.

Documentation: When performing mitigation or emergency services, restorers should document all disciplines performed. Before the mitigation or restoration process begins, policy type and coverage should be confirmed with the adjuster and/or insurance agent or broker.

Safety and Health: All personnel shall put safety and health first. Upon arrival to the loss site, the designated crew chief should make a safety and health inspection. This should include atmospheric conditions as well as structural hazards. Copies of MSDS sheets for all chemicals and materials should be available at the loss site at all times.

Time is of the Essence: Surfaces react quickly to smoke, soot, and gases, often resulting in a race against the clock. This is especially true when a corrosive atmospheric condition exists. The following surfaces and time frames are examples of how crucial timing, as well as an adequate (in stock) supply of varying cleaning chemicals is to restorers.

Metal and steel surfaces can be affected by hydrogen chloride (HCl) gases on impact. In just minutes, plastics, small appliances, marble, etc. can discolor. In a few short hours, grout, fiberglass, plumbing fixtures (chrome), brass, coated steel, appliances, hard wood and upholstered furniture can discolor.

Within days painted walls and ceilings can discolor, plated metals pit and rust, vinyl floors, clothing and upholstery can permanently stain. And in weeks, carpets discolor, plated metals corrode, glass, crystal and china can etch and pit.

All of which could be permanent or non-cost effective for restoration.

Smoke and Soot

Smoke, whether from gases, vapors or solids, is generally brown in color, which can change to white/gray when mixed with the water actions of firefighters. Black smoke is generally from burning plastics, which can also change colors when mixed with water.

Soot or PIC’s (particles of incomplete combustion) are the by-products of a fire that did not burn efficiently, and are produced when a fire was not hot enough or did not have enough oxygen to fully burn. Soot or PIC’s can be organic or inorganic matter and based on the fuel source, a combination of organic and inorganic soot could be deposited throughout.

Smoke could contain gaseous by-products such as; carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide (which are toxic and deadly), acrolein (which is an irritant and a potential toxin) and hydrogen chloride (which is toxic irritant and highly corrosive).

PIC’s and smoke are deposited throughout a structure through turbulence and wavelengths. Hot smoke and soot travel towards cool air and matter, which is caused when heat increases the internal energy of an object causing disorder in an objects’ atoms and molecules.

Organic materials are carbons and produce nitrogen (NO2), while inorganic materials produce sulfur (SO2) when burned. Both of which are hydrocarbons, and hydrocarbons can be carcinogenic.

Smoke and soot can form on sides, tops and undersides of content items such as; chairs, tables, appliances, equipment, machinery, etc. When structural components within a room have signs of smoke and soot deposits, be it gaseous vapors or solids, content items are generally affected.

Gases: Oxidation at a loss site can vary from room to room and within a room, possibly due to the cooling of gases as they travel throughout a structure; hot gaseous particles move faster than colder gaseous particles. Gaseous particles move at the speed of sound in all directions. As they become hotter their speed increases, causing moving gaseous particles to crash into billions of other particles each second.

This is due to the way gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen react to temperatures.

When matter is decomposed, gaseous chemicals are produced and their behavior is kinetic energy. As the temperature of the gaseous particles increase, their impacting rate are intensified and could affect surfaces. This is especially true of metals and hydrogen chloride gases when combined; which can create a soluble stimulus or influential reaction of the metals molecules.

Smoke and Soot Categorizing: The post conditions from a fire, smoke and soot loss can be categorized into three grades; those being light, medium and heavy.

Light conditions: Light-soiling deposits of smoke and soot can be neutralized with basic cleaning detergents and skills. Medium conditions: Moderate-soiling deposits of smoke and soot could require a more aggressive chemical and moderate skills to neutralize.

Heavy conditions: Heavy smoke and soot deposits could require extensive cleaning methods, as well as refinishing or replacement.

Fire and smoke losses can produce all three grades of soiling within a single structure due to the following listed variables: source (fuel), pattern, temperature, oxygen, pressure, water use, combustion, moisture and time. Dependent on the fuel source, temperature and time, some light and medium surfaces could require sealing and painting after the surfaces are mitigated and cleaned.

Loss Site Specifics: After the structure has been determined safe, the following specifics should be determined:

• Time fire started and was extinguished;

• Extinguishing method;

• Was water used? If water was used, number of gallons used?

• Origin room;

• Fuel source of fire;

• Extent of damages;

• Temperature, humidity and dew point;

• Surface types on a room per room basis;

• Severity of damages, heavy, medium or light;

• Available power and light.

The aforementioned information would aid the mitigation process when determining what can or cannot be mitigated and/or restored, and help when performing a business impact analysis. ❑