Smoke and Soot Losses

A fire loss is often more severe than a water loss, and special attention to safety is imperative. The claim adjuster needs to ask the property owner simple questions to quickly evaluate the level of damage, such as "Is there any structural damage?" and "Is there a lot of smoke?"

Air quality is the most important factor to evaluate. All fires result in carcinogens entering the air, and the homeowner will most likely need to change the main air filter to ensure the safety of the residents and workers. They should be instructed to put an exhaust fan in the home's doorway to get the toxic air out as soon as possible.

If not already aware, the claim adjuster should assess the ages and health of everyone in the home. Young children, the elderly, and pregnant woman need to leave the property immediately, as they are more susceptible to air quality-related health issues. If the client is not comfortable living in the home, then they need to be assisted in finding alternative accommodations.

After a fire, the claim adjuster should also be able to educate the homeowner about how spending a few hundred dollars to pre-treat metals in a home (i.e. faucets, pipes, hinges, light fixtures, etc.) can save thousands in unnecessary replacement costs in case of a future fire loss.

Scoping a Loss

There are several important steps to take when analyzing a fire damage claim. First, determine how much heat was involved that resulted in damage to the structure, fixtures, and contents. Look for a heat line on the wall, which often indicates damage to the structure integrity of the drywall materials.

Next, look at where the smoke/soot traveled. Did the smoke get into the HVAC? Did the smoke travel into the attic areas, or force its way into the crawl space or basement? Consider pre-cleaning as an alternative to save the metal and glass items in a home. This will save the restoration company a considerable amount of time, and the homeowner a considerable amount of money. Also, check for excessive smoke inside of the walls. This often requires removal of the walls to get rid of the smoke/soot and accompanying odors.

Following that, adjusters and restoration professionals should determine which systems are available that will best deodorize the property and contents. These include professional cleaning and sanitizing options; organic deodorizing systems; hydroxyls; and/or ozone.

Determining the extent of the damage and the processes/procedures that will return the property — and the lives of those people involved — back to a pre-loss condition as quickly as possible is also essential. Respond as rapidly as possible to minimize the long-term effects of smoke and soot damage — and the many acids those materials contain.

Smoke and soot have a different impact on the home and require unique mitigation systems depending on the materials affected: flat or glossy paint; finished and unfinished laminates and solid wood items; particle-board materials; and natural and man-made fibers in carpets and upholstered furniture. Porous, semi-porous, and non-porous materials all require unique cleaning and deodorizing systems to effectively deal with smoke/soot damage.

Wildfires often destroy thousands of acres of property and hundreds of homes. However, there are often thousands of homes that are downwind from the fire that suffer smoke and soot damage both on the exteriors and the interiors of homes.

Smoke enters around doors and windows, through the ventilation system, and even through the soffit vents into the attic areas. Knowing how to deal with these materials quickly and professionally to neutralize and remove the compounds from the home and to control and manage the odor damage is critical for a professional claim adjuster.

Overall, the most important thing to understand about a fire damage emergency is that helping a claimant cope with the property loss and evaluating the amount of damage is your first priority. The adjuster should be empathetic, emphasizing that the damage will be taken care of, but never pass off the assessment process as a casual routine. Then be sure to evaluate the level of damage quickly and efficiently.

Every claim adjuster should understand the restoration process and the do's and don'ts so that they can educate claimants, ease their concerns, and manage their expectations. Understand that each client will go through five steps of grief and anticipate that anger will turn up one way or another — if the adjuster expects this emotion, then he will be prepared to help the client cope and restore their sense of calm.