Sean Scott

A: The most memorable smoke odor removal project I was involved with was a high-rise retirement building where a kitchen fire in one apartment unit affected multiple floors and apartments. Here the smoke entered the elevator shafts, hallways, HVAC system, as well as electrical and plumbing pipe chases throughout the building. We had to contain numerus unaffected areas, work in confined spaces at certain times and chase the smoke paths throughout the entire structure. The challenges of working in a multistory building where most of the residents could not be relocated, and the logistics of working in a high-rise with only one freight elevator made the process extremely tedious and complicated.

A: One of the most common missteps is the failure to identify and/or locate odor sources. Oftentimes odors can make their way into concealed spaces far from the fire origin. For example, fires that occur in attics often create enough pressures to push odor down into walls where holes are drilled for electrical wires, pipes or ductwork. In situations where exterior roof overhangs are enclosed with soffits, pressurized smoke can get trapped and be a constant odor issue if the soffits are not exposed and cleaned. In addition, if an attic space becomes charged with smoke, the framing lumber can adsorb soot and absorb smoke odors. If the surfaces of this type of exposed lumber are not cleaned and treated properly, the smoke odor will likely reoccur off and on for many years to come. The same holds true for fires in basements or crawlspaces.

Another misstep is the over reliance on oxidizing gases such as ozone or hydroxyls. Although these gases are effective in neutralizing certain VOCs, they also create potentially toxic byproducts. Oxidizing gases need to be used in conjunction with media blasting, HEPA vacuuming, air filtration, encapsulants and other restorative processes.  A common misconception is the use of deodorizing fragrances used in foggers or wet spray applications. These types of chemicals don’t really “deodorize” or remove smoke odors per se but rather re-odorizes them with a pleasant fragrance. In reality, chemical fragrances like these do little more than deceive the sense of smell for a period of time until the fragrance dissipates.

A: 1) Proper personal protective equipment to protect themselves and their workers from exposure to toxic combustion byproducts. This includes proper respirators, coveralls, eye protection, etc. 2) Knowledge of how to properly restore a wide range of materials in varying conditions and know what can and cannot be restored. 3) Different types of media and blasting equipment for source removal on lumber, masonry or other building materials. 4) Hydroxyl generators to help neutralize odor gases. 5) HEPA vacuums to remove debris after media blasting as well as soot, char and ash. 6) Air scrubbers with an assortment of filters, i.e., activated carbon, HEPA, ULPA, etc. These are used to remove particulate in the air.

A: First, my hope is that restoration practitioners and the insurance industry would become more educated on the toxicity of structure fire smoke and combustion byproducts and take the necessary measures to protect their workers’ health. I predict that in the near future, people will realize that many of the toxic substances created in structure fires, such as dioxins, heavy metals, PAH’s, PM 2.5, etc., have caused or contributed to illnesses, diseases, and deaths of firefighters and fire investigators worldwide. Once restorers realize just how toxic post-structure fire environments are, I believe that many of the current restoration practices will drastically change. I also predict that independent environmental professionals (IEPs) will begin to play a critical role in fire restoration and smoke deodorization. Currently, mold and asbestos are recognized as serious respirable hazards. IEPs provide pre-remediation air and surface sampling, detailed remediation protocols and final clearance testing to verify that the remediation process will be successful. Seeing as many of the toxic substances, chemicals, VOC’s and particulate matter present in post-structure fire environments can be far more hazardous to human health than mold or asbestos, it stands to reason that the role of the IEP is long overdue. IEPs will be instrumental to the success of fire restoration and deodorization processes.

A: Primarily R&R Magazine where veteran restorers share their lessons learned in the form of articles and posts. The IICRC is the best organization for in-depth training and certification on odor removal processes, and techniques.