Readiness check

Will your fire cleanup work or smear the soot in?

Fire restoration is three problems at once: the char, the soot that spreads far beyond the burn, and the odor that is hardest to kill. Identifying the soot type decides the cleaning method, and the wrong method smears it in permanently. Answer for how the cleanup actually runs. This is general guidance; confirm with the IICRC S700 and the insurer. The score stays on your device; enter an email only if you want the fire restoration checklist sent over.

1. Do you identify the soot type (dry, wet, protein) before choosing a cleaning method?Yes, we test and match the method to the sootWe use one approach for everythingWe just start wiping

2. Do you dry the firefighting water first (before mold starts) and treat it as a water loss?Yes, dry the water first, then the soot workWe focus on the soot and deal with water laterWe ignore the water

3. Do you dry-clean (HEPA vac, dry sponge) dry soot before any wet cleaning?Yes, dry methods first so we do not smear itWe wet-wipe most surfacesWe wipe it however

4. Do you remove the soot source before trying to deodorize (no covering a smell)?Yes, source out first, then deodorizeWe fog or spray over itWe rely on air fresheners

5. Do you use the right deodorization (thermal fog, hydroxyl, ozone unoccupied) for the situation?Yes, the method matched to the space and occupancyOne method regardlessNo real deodorization plan

6. Do you clean the HVAC system the smoke spread through (so it does not re-contaminate)?Yes, the ductwork is cleanedWe forget the HVACNo HVAC cleaning

7. Do you act fast on acidic soot before it permanently etches metal, glass, and grout?Yes, fast cleaning to stop the corrosionWe get to it eventuallyIt sits for days

8. Do you handle the post-fire safety (particulates, VOCs, asbestos in old burned material, structure)?Yes, PPE, air control, and the right pros for asbestos/structureBasic PPE onlyNo real safety plan