Project Highlight – Smoke and Fire Damage Assessment in a Residential Home

Project Description: Quality Environmental Services and Technologies (QUEST) was contracted to perform a smoke and fire damage assessment of a 6,300 square foot residence in Avon, Colorado. The residence had been severely burned following a windstorm and resulting damage from an outdoor fireplace that burned approximately 30% of the structure. QUEST performed an initial inspection, a mid-stream inspection, and a final clearance inspection. Based on these reports, the insurance carrier was able to disseminate funds for the mitigation, repair, and renovation efforts at the residence.

Sampling and Analysis: QUEST responded to this smoke and fire request, performing the initial surface sampling and mitigation scope for the residence. QUEST collected approximately 30 surface samples for soot/char/ash particulates deposited throughout the residence as a result of the fire. QUEST generated an evidence-based work plan for the contractor that specified targeted removal of affected building materials along with a mitigation scope for addressing the smoke deposition within the property. QUEST returned to the property to gather information and provide evidence to modify and expand the mitigation scope, which was necessary as the selective demolition revealed further damage that was not apparent during the initial sampling event. Finally, QUEST performed a final clearance after the mitigation scope had been completed. QUEST made two site trips to obtain clean surface samples from areas that had been subjected to mitigation.

Conclusions: QUEST was able to rapidly respond to the request for a fire and smoke damage assessment and provided timely information, reporting, and laboratory data regarding the levels of smoke particulate contamination at the residence. By maintaining contact with the contractor throughout the project, QUEST was able to address the specific needs of this fire loss and was able to provide sufficient documentation to ensure that the contractor and homeowner received insurance funding commensurate with the mitigation scope that was required to return this residence to a pre-loss condition.