How to Clean Smoke and Fire Damage

Call 973-316-6014 if you have ANY questions
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www.PDQrestoration.com
© 2015 Tim Rozansky
Table of Contents
Where to begin .............................................................................................................................................3
How to proceed with putting in an insurance claim.....................................................................................5
What is Soot and Why is it Dangerous?........................................................................................................7
Risks - Health & Environment .......................................................................................................................7
How to clean a fire......................................................................................................................................11
Common areas to find soot and why..........................................................................................................13
How will soot harm my house and contents? ............................................................................................15
Deodorization .............................................................................................................................................18
Insurance Company Overview ....................................................................................................................21
Step by Step Guide......................................................................................................................................23
Step One: Read this booklet an educate yourself...................................................................................23
Step Two: Decide if you need to hire a professional..............................................................................23
Do They Specialize in Soot & Odor? ...................................................................................................23
Are They Licensed and Insured?.........................................................................................................23
Will They Communicate With Your Insurance Company? .................................................................23
Do They Offer a Warranty or Service Agreement? ................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Step Three: Submit a Claim.....................................................................................................................23
A CHECKLIST FOR HOMEOWNERS ..............................................................................................................24
Glossary.......................................................................................................................................................25

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Dear Homeowner,
Thank you for downloading our “Soot and Odor Cleanup Guide." This
guide has helped many people understand the detailed steps and
precautions that need to be taken when cleaning up after a fire. If you
would like to try and clean it yourself and have ANY questions please do
not hesitate to give me a call personally. I will be glad to assist in any
way I can. If at any point you feel overwhelmed or worse: start to feel
sick, please let us come in and lend a hand. We work through your
insurance and will bill them directly. Additionally, we are a vendor for
most all insurance carriers.
I sincerely hope this book will give you insight into the detailed cleaning
process that is required when you have a soot or odor problem. Please
understand that you do not have to tackle this situation alone. My
company has handled hundreds of these situations and we can help you
too! We are just a phone call away......
Best of luck!
Sincerely,
Tim Rozansky
Tim Rozansky
PDQ Restoration
973-316-6014, Ext. 1

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WHERE TO BEGIN:
Involve the Insurance Company Immediately and Enlist Our Help:
At least 99% of homeowner’s insurance policies actually cover damages from soot and
odor. PDQ works directly through your homeowner's insurance and has a great track
record of getting results above expectations. Give us a call if you would like a FREE
evaluation of your soot/odor damage.
The benefits of having PDQ work directly with your insurance company
are:
• Less personal involvement and work for you. After you follow the instructions on
the next page, we will take over negotiations and communication with your
insurance company.
• Your financial commitment will be limited to your deductible on the policy.
• You will get a more thorough clean up than perhaps you could otherwise afford.
The insurance company is interested in preserving the property's value long
term. They will be looking to restore your home to the condition it was in before
the fire as well as making sure your home is safe to live in. This will include
replacing any insulation, repainting affected surfaces and repairing/replacing
anything that was burnt or melted.
• Often your insurance company will cover temporary hotel and dining expenses
for you and your family while the work is being done.
• In summary, you get much more work done on your home – and only pay the
deductible on your insurance policy.
Disadvantages to cleaning yourself:
• The cost to remediate the damage correctly and bring your home back to a
healthy condition is typically much more then homeowners would want to pay.
Therefore corners are cut and the end result is usually less then acceptable.

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How to proceed with putting in an insurance claim
Call your insurance agent and tell them you would like to put in a claim due to your
fire/soot damage. They will open a claim for you. Write down your “claim number.”
Do I need to wait until Monday when my insurance company opens?
NO. You can and should either hire a company or begin the work yourself ASAP. You
do not need to wait for a claim number or even your adjuster. Many of the times an
adjuster will not even come out to see your property until after it has been cleaned.
Do I need an estimate before you start any cleaning or repairs?
Often the amount of the cost to clean contents and structure is unknown; however the
final pricing is based on standardized pricing for the insurance industry. Industry pricing
for each line item is updated quarterly for each region of the country. Your insurance
company also uses the same program and price list. When an adjuster is assigned to
your claim, he/she will want to know you are using an approved vendor that follows
standardized industry pricing. A verbal “scope” of the work, along with a ballpark figure
on the range the job, is usually discussed directly with the adjuster. Once they know you
are dealing with a reputable restoration company they usually will not schedule to come
see your home until the work has been completed. Many times they don’t even come
out if they are comfortable with the restoration firm!
Can you hire any restoration company you want?
YES. You have the right to hire any company you choose to do your cleanup.
You should hire a company that you feel comfortable with and trust that
specializes in soot & odor.

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Hiring a restoration company that specializes in soot & odor
After reading this guide you will see there are many specialized techniques and
equipment used in cleaning soot and deodorizing odors. It will take quite a bit of time for
a typical homeowner to clean, not to mention purchasing all the specific chemicals and
equipment that is needed. If you decide to hire a restoration company and go through
your insurance all you will be liable for would be your deductible. Your restoration
company would work directly with your adjuster and take care of most everything else.
This can go a long way in aiding you to getting the best job done correctly.
It would be helpful to make sure the restoration company you choose has the following:
o IICRC Firm Certification
o FSRT Certification
o Business liability insurance
o Vendor for your insurance carrier
o References for soot and odor cleanup
o Most importantly make sure you can feel comfortable and can trust them.
IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning
and Restoration Certification)

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What is Soot and Why is it Dangerous?
The word "soot" sounds so simple and harmless. To some, it conjures
up images of campfires and candles, and perhaps a charming dance
number from Mary Poppins. In fact, soot is anything but simple and is
certainly not harmless.
Soot includes the fine black particles, chiefly composed of carbon,
produced by incomplete combustion of coal, oil, wood, or other fuels.
Soot can consist of acids, chemicals, metals, soils, and dust. The
common trait of soot particles is that they are extremely tiny – 2.5 micrometers or
smaller in diameter. This is smaller than dust and mold, and is about 1/30 the diameter
of a human hair.
This combination – extremely small size and toxic composition – is
what makes soot so dangerous. It can travel deep into the lung, where
the compounds it consists of can do some serious damage.
Risks - Health & Environment
Compounds from soot - sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides - combine with moisture to
form acid rain, which worsens water quality, damages soil and crops, and changes
nutrient balances in various ecosystems.
Breathing the tiny particles can cause coronary heart disease, asthma, bronchitis, and
many other respiratory illnesses.
Research has also shown that many premature deaths are directly related to soot in the
environment. Particle exposure leads to around 20,000 premature deaths in America
each year. Many of these deaths were caused by soot-related diseases. Data also show

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that soot annually causes almost 300,000 asthma attacks and 2 million lost workdays
due to reparatory problems.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
The air in your home after a fire will be extremely unhealthy as mentioned above. You
will want to immediately use a commercial HEPA air scrubber on each floor to help filter
the particulate matter out of the air. You will want to have machines that produce a
minimum of 800 CFM (cubic feet per minute) of filtered air flow. You should be doing
approximately 8-10 air exchanges per hour. Hydroxyl generators should also be used to
help to deodorize and sanitize the air, additional air movers will be needed to spread the
hydroxyls around to each room. It is a good idea to start in the “source room” (the area
where the fire occurred and then move to obey areas of the home that have been
affected. Proper PPE should be worn will performing the cleanup. (See below).
Failure to cleanup up soot & odor correctly.
One of the most hazardous conditions is when either someone doesn’t feel there was
enough soot to cleanup or did not cleanup all of it correctly. The reason is the occupants
of the home go on living in their house as they did before the incident and are living,
sleeping, eating in it and not realizing that their house is contaminated. They have a
false sense that everything is fine.
Listed below are people or situations that need to beware of the heightened health risks
and should not remain in the home until the soot has been cleaned up professionally.
• Elderly people
• Young children
• Pregnant women
• People undergoing chemotherapy
• People who have recently undergone surgery
• Pets
• Exotic aquatic pets

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Facts about fire & smoke
3 Different types of Fires
Smoke and Soot is categorized and classified by its sources:
• Natural fires result from burnt wood, paper, cotton, wool, cork, feathers… The
residue is gray or black in color and of dry, powdery consistency.
• Synthetic fires result from burned plastics, synthetic textiles… The residue is
black in color and smudges easily.
• Protein fires usually from burned meats or poultry. The odor is sometimes very
strong. The residue is yellow/brown in color. The residue has a greasy texture.
Wet cleaning usually is required for complete cleaning and deodorization.
Each category requires its own methods and specific chemicals for smoke damage and
fire damage remediation. It is rather disturbing to note that each of the components that
make up the mixture we call smoke are very harmful. Very often the soot in your home
will be a combination of 2 or even all 3 categories. Ex. A cooking fire (Enzyme) that
burnt the cabinets (Natural) that had Tupperware in them (Synthetic). These situations
usually require extensive cleaning and deodorization.
What are the biggest air filters in your home?
• Carpeting
• Window treatments
• Furniture
• Clothing
These soft goods will literally trap the soot and odor molecules in their fibers. Special
care needs to be taken to ensure these particular items are remediated correctly.
Commonly carpeting and fabric blinds need to be replaced after a fire/soot emergency.
What are soot webs?
Soot is a negatively charged particle and will commonly make cob
web like formations along where the wall meets the ceiling and
around doorways. They look similar to cob webs but usually are
dark. Take pictures of them before you have them cleaned. That is
clear proof that room will need to be thoroughly cleaned by a
professional.

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How to clean a fire
Take pictures (Lots of them!)
Before any cleaning is done you will want to document each room
with photos from all 4 corners. You will also want to use a "Chem
Sponge" to test for soot first and include a picture from where each
test was taken with the sponge in the picture. At least 3-4 test
sponges should be shown in each room. If any items are ruined you
should take a separate picture of each item.
Commercial Air Scrubber
Commercial air scrubbers are used to help purify the air in
your home. They typically filter at 800 CFM (cubic feet of air
per minute). Most homes will require at least one per
affected floor. Commercial air scrubbers use two pre filters
and a large They use two pre filters and a large HEPA filter.
Air scrubbers remove 99.97% of all air particles, making a
safer environment. Soot typically takes up to 2 days to
settle after a fire. Air scrubbers are a great first step to help
bring your home back to a healthy condition.
Proper PPE
PPE stands for Personal Protection
Equipment. You should always wear a N95
respirator when dealing directly with soot
as well as nitrile gloves, googles and at
times a Tyvek suit. After you are finished
each day you should wash your clothes
and take a shower.
Testing
Smoke will travel throughout your home and you must
know where to look. Smoke naturally will be attracted to
cold areas such as horizontal areas on a window, metal
items, inside your door hinges, screens in your windows,
curtain rods, HVAC filters and surfaces that carry static
electricity, such as plastic garment bags. Many times
rooms that were closed may appear to be unaffected but
if there was a pressure differential (maybe the window

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was open, or it was colder in that room versus the other rooms) you will also find soot.
Look inside your dresser drawers, they usually are colder inside and the soot will get
sucked into them and contaminate your clothing. Soot is also an electrically charged
particle and will be naturally attracted to electrical outlets. It is very common to take it
apart and look inside and see soot. If you have either central air or heat you will need to
have your ducts professionally cleaned, sanitized and deodorized, otherwise you will
never be able to clean your home and get rid of the odor. Make sure you change your
air filter(s) as well.
What influences smoke’s behavior
• Combustion temperature
• Air pressure changes
• Magnetism
• Ionization
• Impingement
Swipe Test Samples
White or light colored swipe material will offer optimal residue contrast. Cosmetic
wedges or chem sponges work best for sample collection.
1. Collect surface swipe samples.
2. Take digital photos of the sample area and swipe material.
3. Fasten the sample onto an index card and note where and when it was taken.
4. Place the swipe sample stapled to the index card into a plastic freezer bag
and save for the adjuster.

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Common areas to find soot and why
Door hinges (even if the doors were closed!)
Smoke/soot will travel throughout your home after a fire. It will
naturally go into rooms even when the door was closed. Soot will be
attracted to colder rooms due to the lower air pressure. Soot likes to
adhere to metal objects and can be found commonly on door hinges,
clothes rods, windows (especially the screens!)
Inside dresser draws and kitchen cabinets.
It is usually cooler in these areas and you will want to do a test right at the
inside edge. If you find ANY soot you will need to clean the inside and
contents of ALL drawers and cabinets in that room. Soot becomes acidic
when water is combined. The humidity in the air will eventually make it
become acidic and it will deteriorate your clothing. It is highly
recommended to have your textiles professional dry cleaned by a
company that specializes in soot damaged garments.
Inside outlets and switches
Soot is not only attracted to the cooler areas located in these areas
but is also attracted to the electricity since soot is a negatively
charged particle. Each outlet will need to be opened, HEPA
vacuumed and deodorized before the cover is put back on.
Inside closets
It is very common to find soot on the horizontal clothing rods. If
ANY soot is found you will want to have your clothing
professional dry cleaned by a company that specializes in soot
damaged clothing. It is very important to clean these clothes due
to the acidic nature of soot and that these clothes will be worn be
someone.

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Pictures
Soot loves to go to the cool backside on pictures hanging on the
wall. Make sure they are taken down and thoroughly cleaned on
both sides.
Insulation
Especially if your soot situation originated in an unfinished basement you should see if
the insulation was affected by soot. If it has, you will want to bag the insulation, HEPA
vacuum the ceiling cavities and possibly wash with degreaser and deodorizer.
Recessed Lights
Soot is commonly found inside recessed light fixtures. Soot usually rises and when
the lights are off they are cooler than other areas therefore soot will be attracted to
it. The light bulbs must be removed and then HEPA vacuumed and deodorized.

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How will soot harm my house and contents?
Pitting of Counter Tops
Soot is acidic in nature and when combined with humidity
in the air it will become hydrochloric acid. This acid will
pit metal as well as granite counter tops, bathtubs and
artwork. You must remove in a timely manner. This is
called "Emergency Corrosion Mitigation". You will want to
wipe down all of these areas with a cooking oil to protect
them so they can be cleaned correctly. The acidic nature
of soot will also harm your fabrics.
Clothing
If your clothing has been affected the acid will eat away at the fabric over time.
Carpets
The acidic nature of soot will also greatly affect your carpets and furniture. (Carpets are
the #1 air filter in a home.) Synthetic fires are petroleum based. This type of soot will
commonly bind with the fibers in your carpet since most carpeting is actually made from
petroleum. Young children and pets are a big concern with carpets that have soot on
them.
Food
Any food items that have signs of soot on them should be discarded and replaced. Most
homeowner's policies will reimburse you for these items. Make sure you take pictures!
Line up all of the cereals and take a picture, then move onto other similar items.

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Content Cleaning
The contents in your home would be anything that would fall out of your house if you
were able to turn it upside down. Everything else would
be considered "Structure".
Hard Contents
These items would be items such as pictures, chairs,
tables, lamps, books... There are various ways to clean
these items. On light soot situations many of these
items can be wiped down with a chem sponge or wet wiped with a combination of
degreaser and deodorizing pairing agent. Books typically will be wiped with a chem
sponge on all sides as well as the inside of the front and back covers. An ultrasonic
machine can be used to clean items that can get wet. This will quickly clean the items
and get into all crevices. Hint: When cleaning shelves with lots of contents take a picture
first so you will remember how the items go back.
Soft Contents
These items would be clothing, furniture, window treatments, carpets...
Carpets
Should be thoroughly HEPA vacuumed first (This is called
"PreCleaning"). You then would want to do a hot water
extraction with a combination of a degreasing and deodorizing
pairing agent to help remove the soot and odor from the carpet.
Expensive oriental rugs should always be professionally
cleaned by a dry cleaner that specializes in soot damaged
fabrics.
Furniture
Do a detail HEPA vacuuming to all areas as well as the underneath the furniture. Be
careful when or if you use hot water extraction, some fabrics may be negatively
affected.
Clothing & Window Treatments
If your clothing was affected you will need to have them professionally dry cleaned by a
company that uses the right process for soot damaged clothing. Do not clean them in
your laundry machine, it will contaminate the machine!

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Cleaning Techniques for structure
It is always best to go from least aggressive to most aggressive when it comes to
cleaning techniques after a fire or soot emergency.
Lamb's Wool
On very delicate items where the soot is light, the use of a lamb's wool
duster may be your best choice. Soot is magnetic in nature and usually
lifts off with lamb's wool. Make sure you keep using clean lamb's wool
dusters.
HEPA Vacuum (Self Contained)
You should first HEPA vacuum areas with medium levels of soot so you do
not work it in to the surfaces. A self contained HEPA vacuum should only
be used - otherwise you will be spreading the soot particles throughout your
home. DO NOT use a regular vacuum that says it has a HEPA filter. It
WILL NOT work correctly and you will be causing more harm than you think.
Absolutely do not use a shop vacuum!
Chem Sponges
Most lightly affected areas will clean well with a Chem
Sponge. This process is actually called “dry cleaning” the
surfaces. It will lift the soot off. Walls that are painted with
a gloss finish usually are easier to clean then a flat finish.
Make sure you keep using clean sponges.
Wet Washing
When the surface areas are still not coming clean you only then
want to wet wash. The walls and ceilings will need to be sealed and
repainted. You will want to wash with a combination of a degreaser
and deodorizing pairing agent. You may need to increase the
strength if needed. Make sure you always use clean rags and wear
nitrile gloves, respirator and goggles.
Removal
At times it will be best to remove affected items that cannot be cleaned effectively. If the
insulation in your home was affected, it will need to be removed. Any charred items will
also need to be removed.

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Deodorization
Whenever you smell an odor after a fire it is coming from the soot. Remember soot is
between 1-3 microns in size. Many times you may smell the odor but not see visible
signs of the soot. You will still need to clean and possibly use a combination of
deodorization techniques in order to get rid of the odor.
4 Principles of Odor Control
• Remove the source (if possible)
• Clean the source area
• Penetration
• Sealing
What are pairing agents?
This is a fancy way to say deodorizer. A deodorizer actually will
change the molecular structure of the odor and neutralize it.
Different deodorizers will be needed for each type of fire.
Masking an odor will only temporarily hide the odor, it will come
back. Odor will be more prevalent when it is warmer and more
humid.
Different ways to deodorize
There are many ways to deodorize your home and contents. There specific reasons to
use each way. Sometimes a combination of techniques would be used.
Hydroxyl generator
Hydroxyls are made by air passing over a 3 optic ultra
violate light. These molecules will attach to odor
molecules and neutralize the odor. Hydroxyls will also
sanitize the air. Cruise ships and hospitals use these
all of the time. It is 99.9% effective in killing the H1N1
virus! Insurance companies love them because they
are extremely effective in deodorization and are safe
to be in the home while they are running. No hotel
rooms maybe required!

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Ozone
Ozone is extremely effective in neutralizing odor. Ozone
is actually O3, which is a chemically unstable molecule
and wants to get back to O2. The extra molecule will bind
with the odor particles and therefore neutralize the odor.
These machines cannot be used in occupied areas or
around pets. Ozone will also harm plants, foam within
your furniture and synthetic rubbers. These machines are
typically used in “Ozone Rooms” for specific applications.
Deodorizing crystals
Odor absorbing crystals attract odors within a room and usually also
have a fragrance smell to give you a perceived sense of a deodorized
room. These are usually used with one or more other techniques.
Fogging
Fogging maybe used with a pairing agent and fragrance. Fogging a
structure will allow the fog to find its way into all hidden areas just
like the smoke did. Your house must be vacated and properly
vented after fogging.
Sealing
Sealing affected areas before painting will help encapsulate any
pairing agents that you used as well as not allow odor to escape.
You will then need to paint.
Cleaning HVAC system
After a fire, your HVAC system will need to be professionally
cleaned, deodorized and sanitized. The air diffusing registers
will need to be HEPA vacuumed. The filters in each unit must
be changed.

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What should I do with my food?
Any opened food should be discarded. If other items have soot
residue on them you should also consider discarding those
items as well. If you have any concern, discard it! Before you
discard any items line up like items and take pictures. Most
insurance policies will reimburse you for the food. It is better to
be safe then try to save a few dollars.
What should I do with my medicine?
We strongly suggest contacting your pharmacy and alert them
of your situation. They will be able to advise you on the best
course of action.
Should you stay in a hotel?
If you or anyone that lives in the home has any breathing illnesses (such as asthma) it is
strongly advised to not be in the structure. Most homeowner insurance policies will
cover your hotel and dining. Talk to your adjuster to verify. Make sure you keep all of
your receipts for reimbursements.
Rebuild/repair after a fire
After a fire there is usually some type of repairs that will be necessary for the parts of
your structure that have been burnt. Usually there will be some rooms that might need
to be painted because the soot damage could not be cleaned without streaking the
walls or ceilings. Sometimes the walls and ceilings will need to be sealed for odor
control. When repairs are necessary it is usually best to involve your adjuster and they
will come out to measure and work up how much they will pay to have a contractor do
these repairs.

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Insurance Company Overview
How they See things
Your insurance company wants to make sure your home is brought back to “pre-loss
conditions” and you do not have any related health concerns after your fire.
Cost Control – The “Estimate”
All restoration work should be billed through Xactimate (this is the insurance industries
standard billing platform). The bill (otherwise known as an “Estimate”) should be
extremely detailed with many photos documenting the damage as well as the items and
structure that were cleaned.
HO-3 Policy
Most policies have 2 general categories that they want their bill broken down to. It would
be extremely helpful to have one invoice for each.
1. Dwelling/Structure cleaning
2. Contents cleaning
What is not covered?
Most insurance companies will cover everything that was caused by the fire BUT not
cover the cost to repair what caused it.
Ex. If your microwave caught fire, they would not pay to replace it but will pay for
everything else.
What is Depreciation Hold Back?
Most insurance companies will hold back 20% of what they are willing to pay your for
your claim. They will release the rest only after you show receipts to prove you spent
the full amount. Any upgrades past that amount will be up to you to pay.
Why is my mortgage company on the check?
It is very common to list your mortgage company with your name on your check from
your insurance company. If you have a mortgage your bank actually owns your house.
They a have a vested interest in making sure the property value is maintained. Many
times if you have broken out the cleaning of the contents from the structure cleaning

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your insurance company will pay you directly for your content restoration. (The bank
does not own your contents.) If your bank is listed as an additional payee you will need
to contact your bank and have them co-sign it.
Knowledge is your Greatest Tool
Once you have read this book you will be fully equipped with the knowledge that you
need to approach your soot & odor situation. It will help you decide on how to go about
doing the cleanup yourself or help you communicate with your restoration company.
Summary
You now have a good understanding of the steps to move forward and take care of your
home. Please make sure you do a thorough job or consider using PDQ Restoration.
Living in an incompletely cleaned home due to soot is extremely dangerous to your
health.

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Step by Step Guide
In this step by step guide you will learn five easy and straight forward strategies to
convince your insurance company to cover fire/soot emergency. Follow these steps and
you will have your best chance at getting the coverage you need.
Step One: Read this booklet and educate yourself
Step Two: Decide if you need to hire a professional
You will have the best results if you hire a professional company that specializes in soot
& odor removal. A professional will support your insurance coverage efforts and do a
thorough job. Here are some factors to help you identify the best company to handle
your soot & odor situation:
• Do They Specialize in Soot & Odor?
The company that you choose should specialize in dealing with soot & odor conditions.
As you have learned, soot is extremely dangerous and difficult to clean. Most
restoration companies are normally not capable of effectively coping with soot & odor,
they concentrate on water losses not soot. Make sure that the company has relevant
experience with your predicament. It is always a good idea to ask for references and
give them a call.
• Are They Licensed and Insured?
A professional will be licensed and insured for such work. This protects the restoration
company and workers as well as you as the homeowner from legal problems.
• Will They Communicate With Your Insurance Company?
The restoration company can be your best support system throughout this crisis. A
professional should be willing to communicate with an insurance company on your
behalf. Phone conversations, written reports, and photographs of the damage can help
bolster your claim. A professional can be a powerful ally when dealing with an insurance
company.
Step Three: Submit a Claim
Once you’ve identified a quality soot / smoke damage removal company to handle your
crisis, submit a claim to the insurance agency. The restoration firm you chose should
do a thorough evaluation and be communicate their findings to the insurance company.
There should be an open channel of communication between the restorers, who are
working on your behalf, and the insurance company.

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A CHECKLIST FOR HOMEOWNERS
✓ Hire a Professional such as PDQ Restoration for your fire damage.
✓ Call your agent and tell them you want to put in a claim.
✓ Take notes and write down your claim number.
✓ Write down the adjuster’s name and direct phone number.
✓ Give PDQ Restoration the claim number and adjusters name and
number so they can contact them directly to give them the scope
of work.
✓ Consider making a reservation at a hotel if you feel uncomfortable
staying in your home.

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Glossary
Antimicrobial - is an agent that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth.
Antimicrobial agents can be grouped according to the microorganisms they
act primarily against.
Chem Sponge - heavy-duty vulcanized natural rubber sponges that excel at
all types of cleaning applications, especially surfaces damaged by soot,
smoke or fires.
Containment - containment barriers are used to contain containments from
reaching other areas of a home.
Deductible - a specified amount of money that the insured must pay before
an insurance company will pay a claim. The amount is determined by your
policy.
Deodorize - to rid of odor, especially of unpleasant odor.
HEPA - stands for high-efficiency particulate air. A HEPA filter is a type of
mechanical air filter; it works by forcing air through a fine mesh that traps
harmful particles such smoke.
Hydroxyl - The hydroxyl radical, •OH, is the neutral form of the hydroxide ion
(OH–). Hydroxyl radicals are diatomic molecules that are highly reactive and
very short-lived with an average half-life of less than two seconds.
IAQ – Stands for Indoor Air Quality
IICRC - Stands for Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration
Certification
Insurance adjuster – a person employed by insurer or insured to determine
the loss under an insurance policy.
Insurance field agent – an agent who sells insurance
Malodor - an unpleasant or offensive odor; stench
Masking Agent - provide a pleasant fragrance that mutes the malodor so as
to make it more tolerable.
Negative air - a ventilation system whereby air is drawn out of a
contaminated room and therefore does not affect other rooms in the
structure.
Non-Professional – not a member of or trained in a specific profession.
Odor - the property of a substance that activates the sense of smell.

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Ozone - Ozone (O3) is a highly reactive molecule and is very quick to
chemically react with particles that it comes into contact with in the air and
on surfaces. The extra oxygen atom in the ozone attaches itself to other
molecules, chemically changing their structure to create non-offensive
molecules – eliminating the smell
Pairing Agent - eliminates odors by bonding to the odor molecule and
thereby altering the shape of the odorous molecule so the olfactory senses
no longer recognize the odor.
Particulate matter - also known as particle pollution or PM, is a complex
mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets. Particle pollution is
made up of a number of components, including acids (such as nitrates and
sulfates), organic chemicals, metals, and soil or dust particles.
PPE - stands for Personal Protective Equipment.
Sanitize - to clean and make hygienic.
Smoke - the visible vapor and gases given off by a burning or smoldering
substance, especially the gray, brown, or blackish mixture of gases and
suspended carbon particles resulting from the combustion of wood, peat,
coal, or other organic matter.
Soot - a black powdery or flaky substance consisting largely of amorphous
carbon, produced by the incomplete burning of organic matter.
Soot web - occur as the hot soot from the fire cling to cooler dust and air
particles thus forming a web like design.
Ultrasonic - utilizing ultrasound
Conclusion
In my experience, a persistent and professional approach will bring you the
results you wish for when it comes to insurance claims. Don’t be intimidated,
be patient and use the power of the written word. This may seem like a long
process – but now that you are (likely) more informed than the underwriters
and adjusters working for your insurance company – you have the upper
hand. And really the time invested other than reading this book will amount
to a handful of phone calls and letters. The protection of your family and
property are worth the effort!

27
Notes
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28
Testimonials
“We had a small fire in the middle of the snow storm and filled our entire home with soot and it had an
awful smell. One of my friends told us to call PDQ and they were out the same day. Very glad to see how
much they knew about smoke damage and that they were able to bill my insurance company directly.
They really cared, and it showed. Elizabeth was extremely knowledgeable and super easy to get along
with. It took about 3-4 days to complete and we are very happy with our choice.”
Art Bolan, Homeowner
“Finally have a chance to write a review on PDQ after not having power for a week. We had a small fire
in the kitchen 2 weeks ago and Elizabeth and her crew were over the top in their detail. We had soot on
everything on the first floor and even in the closets and dressers. Her knowledge is unbelievable about
smoke damage.”
Ed Bessmer, Homeowner
“I had a cooking fire that covered my whole kitchen in black hard to clean soot. PDQ stopped by to see
how they could help and I am glad they did! They walked me through the insurance process and showed
me how the soot was even farther than I imagined. Pretty gross and overwhelming at first. VERY glad I
used PDQ to clean up this mess!”
Faye Hook, Homeowner
“I had a dryer fire on Sunday. I thought everything was fine and we were thankful to be ok. What I was
equally thankful for though was PDQ! Though education, Tim & Elizabeth were able to show me that
was I thought was "fine" was actually a dangerous situation to be living in. There was soot all over my
house that I didn't even know about. PDQ came in and cleaned my home and returned it back to a
healthy living environment. Extremely pleased with their level of communication and professionalism. I
highly recommend PDQ Restoration!! PS: Tim, I can't figure out how to reply to your comment, so I just
edited this post to add on. Thank you and your company again and again! A true gem of a team you
have there!”
Eva Moonika, Homeowner
“PDQ made the unfortunate puff back event (boiler malfunction that causes soot to go EVERYWHERE!)
much more bearable! From the start, they knew their stuff and what seemed like an overwhelming
project went so smoothly. My home looks amazing!!! It is back to the healthy, beautiful home that I
love! Hats off to Elizabeth, Tim, Bryan and crew! WOW!”
Macy Vasquez, Homeowner
“I had a garage fire that was awful. PDQ came to my house right after it happened and I am very glad
they did. The situation was bad, but these guys knew what they were doing. I had a lot of smoke in the
house that stunk. I don't know how, but they cleaned up my house and more importantly got rid of that
stink! Hats off to Rob, John and Tim. Nice company, fast and know what they are doing. “
Ben Huntin, Home owner

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