Replies

1. 
   Andy_ | Feb 10, 1999 07:00pm | #1

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   I worked as a Fire Damage Technician for several years and there is far too much to treating smoke damage than can be properly covered in this format. There are several products and proceedures that work extremely well to encapsulate the smoke odor.If you are going to be doing this type of work to any extent then you should go for the training and become certified.Smoke Jobs have a way of haunting you if not properly executed.Not knowing the job or what all you may have done to this point I will try and answer your specific question.In a nutshell,make sure to scrape away all of the char.Wire brush all blackened surfaces and vacuum up all the debri.You should use a Thermogen fogger to be sure all areas (even what you cant see) are treated.Buy an encapsulant and thoroughly wet all blackened surfaces.After it dries,spray with Zinser BIN (a pigmented shellack)This will seal the wood, sheetrock,etc.that were exposed to smoke.You may get away with using other brands of sealer but I have never had one problem when I used BIN.If this job entails only a few studs, or you cant get ahold of an encapsulant or a fogger then just make sure to give a good coating of BIN. If there was a lot of smoke, pressure,and heat then YOU WILL need to use a fogger as well to make sure all areas are
   treated.As I said at the offset there is far too much to a fire job to cover properly in this format.You can get training as well as products for fire as well as water damage from http://WWW.Pembertons.com.I hope this helps.

2. 
   Guest_ | Feb 11, 1999 08:05am | #2

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   You might want to call the National Institute of Disaster Restoration at 800-272-7012. They can also be reached at http://www.ascr.org.

   You will spend less than $50 and will end up with the NIDR Guidelines for Fire and Smoke Damage Repair.

   I had them fax me the table of contents before I paid money. But I got the book and find it to be very , very helpful.

   Hope this helps.

3. 
   Phil_Hutchinson | Feb 24, 1999 06:57pm | #3

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   Way back in August of 1981, issue 4, an article was printed in FH titled "Rebuilding a Fire Damaged House". If anyone has it I'd sure appreciate a fax. I'm taking bids on a severely damaged house and professional companies are giving me wildly differing opinions on what needs to be replaced. One guy wants to tear out all the drywall and another says much of it can stay. Besides tearing out drywall, the "careful" guy wants to replace all the seemingly perfect ceramic tile and the wooden vanities. I tend to want to gamble and leave that stuff in. Any opinions?

4. 
   Frank_N | Feb 24, 1999 06:57pm | #4

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   Need help. Any suggestions on eliminating the smoke smell from fire damaged framing? I am replacing the severly damaged studs but need someway to encapsulate the smell on the smoke damaged studs.