Fire and Smoke Restoration Technician cheat sheet

Scope of work defines the boundary between restoration and non-restoration tasks; anything outside it becomes a change order, not a courtesy.

Pre-existing damage and long-term deterioration must be documented and excluded before work begins; failure to exclude shifts liability to the restorer.

Scope must state the cleaning method per surface (dry, wet, foam, abrasive) because method determines labor hours and pricing.

Line items follow a unit-cost structure: quantity × unit price; quantities derive from measured areas, not from the adjuster's estimate.

Emergency services (board-up, water extraction, contents pack-out) are scoped separately from reconstruction to preserve separate pricing and payment terms.

A scope that omits deodorization, HVAC cleaning, or contents handling is incomplete; smoke odor migrates into cavities and ductwork.

Written authorization and agreed scope should be signed before demolition; verbal approvals are the leading cause of scope disputes.

Scope should record affected vs. unaffected materials with moisture readings or soot deposition maps to justify removal quantities.

Mitigation stabilizes the loss: stop the source, protect the structure, prevent secondary damage; it precedes cleaning and reconstruction.

Water extraction is followed by drying per accepted psychrometric principles; drying goals are documented with daily moisture readings.

Soot is acidic and hygroscopic; dry removal (HEPA vacuuming, dry sponging) precedes any wet cleaning to avoid smearing and deeper penetration.

Containment with negative air pressure and HEPA filtration prevents cross-contamination between affected and unaffected zones.

Charred structural wood loses section; remove unsupported or severely charred members rather than coating them.

HVAC systems must be isolated during mitigation to prevent distribution of soot into unaffected rooms.

Personal protective equipment and respiratory protection are required during soot disturbance; soot contains combustion byproducts and carcinogens.

Document pre-existing conditions and mitigation actions daily; the mitigation file is the primary evidence in coverage and subrogation disputes.

Cleaning is removal of residue, not masking; a surface is clean when residue is gone and the surface is returned to a pre-loss condition.

Match the cleaning agent to the residue: alkaline for protein and grease smoke, acidic for some soot films, solvent for oils and adhesives.

Always test cleaning agents on an inconspicuous area; dyes, finishes, and porous substrates can be damaged by wrong chemistry.

Work from clean to dirty and from high to low to avoid recontamination of cleaned surfaces.

Porous materials (drywall paper, insulation, upholstery padding) that have absorbed smoke residue usually cannot be cleaned and must be removed.

Contents are cleaned off-site in a controlled area, inventoried, photographed, and tracked by item number to prevent loss claims.

Cleaning verification uses visual inspection plus odor and residue checks; document with photos before and after.

Agitate gently; excessive scrubbing on smoke-damaged finishes drives residue deeper and damages texture.

Odor is a gas or vapor; deodorization removes the source, then treats the air and remaining absorbed odor.

The four principles are: remove the source, clean the surface, recreate the conditions of loss (thermal fogging, ozone), and seal remaining odor.

Ozone is a strong oxidizer and is hazardous; spaces must be unoccupied during treatment and ventilated before re-entry.

Thermal fogging mimics the smoke particle size and penetrates the same cavities the smoke reached; it is a surface and air treatment, not a substitute for cleaning.

Hydroxyl generators can be used in occupied spaces; ozone cannot.

Sealing (shellac or odor-blocking primer) is used only after cleaning; sealing over residue traps odor and can bleed through.

Odor confirmation requires a third-party or client sniff test after clearance, documented in writing.

Char and heavy soot must be removed before deodorization; no deodorizer can overcome an uncleaned source.

Subrogation is the insurer's right, after paying the insured, to pursue the party legally responsible for the loss.

The insured's cooperation and preservation of evidence are prerequisites; destroyed evidence can defeat the subrogation claim.

Identify the responsible party early: appliance defect, contractor error, product failure, or third-party negligence.

Preserve the failed component in its as-found condition, tagged, photographed, and stored with chain of custody.

Documentation must link cause to damage: origin, path of smoke/water, and resulting loss with photos and measurements.

Statutes of limitation and notice requirements vary by jurisdiction; delay can bar recovery.

Spoliation of evidence by the restorer can create liability; never discard suspected cause components without written release.

Spoliation is the loss, destruction, or alteration of evidence relevant to litigation; it can result in sanctions or a separate claim.

Duty to preserve arises when litigation is reasonably anticipated, not only when a suit is filed.

Restorers must treat suspected cause components, damaged contents, and records as evidence until released in writing.

Chain of custody records who handled the item, when, and where it was stored; gaps weaken evidentiary value.

Photograph and document before removal or cleaning; cleaning an item can destroy evidence of cause or extent.

Written release from the insurer or client is required before disposal of any potentially relevant item.

Electronic records (photos, moisture logs, emails) are also subject to preservation obligations.

When in doubt, retain and notify; the cost of storage is far lower than a spoliation sanction.

Documentation must be contemporaneous; notes made days later are weaker evidence and invite challenge.

Photograph wide, medium, and close-up at each stage: pre-existing, affected, mitigation, cleaning, and completion.

Moisture readings, temperature, and humidity logs should be recorded daily with instrument type and calibration.

Every change order, authorization, and client communication should be in writing and dated.

Contents inventories require item number, description, condition, and disposition (cleaned, stored, discarded).

The file should support the scope: quantities, unit prices, and justification for each line item.

Odor and cleaning verification results, including client sign-off, close the file and reduce callbacks.

Retain records per contractual and statutory requirements; destruction before the limitation period ends creates exposure.