Post-Fire Environmental Testing Washington
Post-Fire Environmental Testing in Washington State
The effects of a fire can extend well beyond areas that were visibly burned.
Smoke, soot, char, ash, and other combustion residues can migrate throughout a building, enter areas remote from the original fire, settle on personal property, and affect exterior surfaces and surrounding areas.
5 Microns Inc. provides independent post-fire environmental testing throughout Washington State to help evaluate and document environmental conditions following structure fires, wildfires, and significant smoke events.
Testing can be performed for homeowners, commercial property owners, property managers, insurance-related investigations, attorneys, environmental consultants, and disaster-response organizations.
Depending upon the circumstances, a post-fire assessment may include visual observations, environmental sampling, laboratory analysis, photographs, sample-location documentation, and evaluation of building surfaces and contents.
What Is Post-Fire Environmental Testing?
Post-fire environmental testing evaluates environmental conditions remaining after a fire or smoke event.
The objective is different from determining the origin or cause of a fire.
5 Microns focuses on environmental conditions associated with the aftermath of the event, including the possible presence and distribution of fire-related residues and contaminants.
Questions that testing may help address include:
- Are combustion-related particles present?
- Has smoke contamination migrated beyond visibly damaged areas?
- Are soot or char particles present on surfaces?
- Have building contents been affected?
- Is ash present around or within the property?
- Should additional areas be evaluated?
- What conditions existed before remediation?
- What conditions remain after remediation?
- Was cleaning effective in the areas evaluated?
The appropriate investigation depends upon the fire, property, materials involved, and purpose of the assessment.
What Contaminants Can Be Present After a Fire?
Fire does not produce one single contaminant.
The materials generated during combustion depend heavily upon what burned and under what conditions it burned.
Post-fire environmental concerns can potentially include:
- Soot
- Char
- Ash
- Black carbon
- Smoke residues
- Combustion particles
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
- Metals
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
- Chemical residues
- Particulate matter
- Contaminated settled dust
- Contaminated soil or exterior surfaces
Certain fire-damaged buildings may also contain regulated materials such as asbestos-containing materials or lead-based paint. When these materials are involved, applicable Washington requirements and appropriate specialized testing procedures must be followed.
5 Microns determines the appropriate scope based upon the specific environmental questions involved rather than assuming every fire requires the same analytical package.
Smoke Can Travel Beyond the Burned Area
One of the most important considerations following a fire is migration.
A room does not necessarily have to burn to be affected.
Smoke and extremely small particles can move through:
- Doorways
- Hallways
- Wall openings
- Attics
- HVAC systems
- Ventilation pathways
- Stairwells
- Building penetrations
- Open windows and doors
Particles can subsequently deposit on surfaces throughout the property.
This is one reason an environmental assessment may include sampling in areas both near and away from the visibly damaged portion of the structure.
Comparison areas can sometimes provide additional information about the distribution of suspected fire-related material.
Soot and Char Evaluation
Soot and char are among the materials commonly evaluated during post-fire investigations.
These materials are not necessarily identifiable with certainty simply because a surface appears dark or dirty.
Microscopic laboratory analysis can help characterize particles collected from selected surfaces and determine whether materials consistent with combustion residues are present.
Samples may be collected from areas such as:
- Walls
- Ceilings
- Floors
- Window surfaces
- Cabinets
- Furniture
- HVAC components
- Attics
- Garages
- Storage areas
- Building contents
Sampling locations are selected according to the circumstances and objectives of the investigation.
Surface Wipe Sampling After a Fire
Surface wipe sampling may be appropriate when evaluating certain fire-related contaminants deposited onto surfaces.
Depending upon the materials involved in the fire and the objectives of the investigation, laboratory analysis may evaluate selected chemical compounds, metals, or other residues.
Potential sampling surfaces can include:
- Countertops
- Window sills
- Shelving
- Furniture
- Finished floors
- Interior building surfaces
- Personal belongings
- Mechanical components
5 Microns can develop a project-specific sampling strategy or follow a sampling protocol provided by another environmental consultant.
Wildfire Ash and Environmental Contamination
Wildfires present environmental concerns that differ somewhat from a contained structure fire.
A property does not have to burn to experience substantial smoke or ash exposure.
Wind can transport wildfire smoke, ash, and combustion particles over considerable distances. Residues may settle on:
- Roofs
- Decks and patios
- Outdoor furniture
- Vehicles
- Landscaping
- Soil
- Exterior building surfaces
- Interior surfaces when smoke enters the building
Eastern and Central Washington experience recurring wildfire events, making post-wildfire environmental assessment particularly relevant in many communities.
Where appropriate, testing can include environmental samples from interior surfaces, exterior surfaces, settled material, or soil.
Soil Testing Following Fire or Wildfire Damage
Some fire investigations extend beyond the structure itself.
Ash and fire debris deposited on surrounding property may contain materials originating from burned buildings, vehicles, household contents, vegetation, or other materials involved in the fire.
Depending upon the circumstances, soil or settled ash sampling may be appropriate.
A sampling strategy can include multiple locations and, when warranted by the investigation, samples from different depths or comparison locations.
Laboratory analysis is selected based upon the suspected contaminants and objectives of the project.
Testing Furniture and Personal Belongings
Fire-related contamination can affect building contents even when the items themselves were never burned.
Smoke and airborne combustion particles can settle on:
- Furniture
- Electronics
- Clothing and textiles
- Artwork
- Stored belongings
- Cabinets and their contents
- Household goods
- Office equipment
- Other personal property
Environmental sampling of selected representative items can provide additional information when determining the extent of contamination.
This can be particularly valuable during large insurance losses where questions arise regarding whether particular contents were affected by the fire or smoke event.
Post-Fire Testing Before Remediation
Testing performed before cleaning or remediation can establish documented environmental conditions following a fire.
A pre-remediation assessment may involve:
- Reviewing information concerning the fire or smoke event.
- Inspecting accessible portions of the property.
- Identifying visibly affected areas.
- Evaluating possible smoke-migration pathways.
- Selecting representative sampling locations.
- Collecting environmental samples.
- Photographing conditions and sample locations.
- Preparing sample-location documentation.
- Submitting samples to an appropriate laboratory.
- Evaluating laboratory findings in conjunction with field observations.
The resulting information may assist the parties involved in determining an appropriate scope of remediation.
Environmental Testing After Fire Remediation
Environmental testing can also be performed after remediation has been completed.
The purpose of post-remediation verification is to independently evaluate conditions in areas that have undergone cleaning or remediation.
Depending upon the project, verification may incorporate:
- Visual observations
- Surface evaluation
- Environmental sampling
- Laboratory analysis
- Comparison with other areas of the property
- Photographic documentation
Using an independent environmental testing company provides separation between the organization performing the remediation and the organization evaluating post-remediation environmental conditions.
Independent Testing for Fire Insurance Claims
Fire losses can involve multiple parties, including property owners, insurers, adjusters, restoration contractors, environmental consultants, attorneys, and other professionals.
Objective environmental information can become important when the parties need to determine the extent of contamination or evaluate completed remediation.
5 Microns provides independent post-fire environmental testing for insurance-related projects throughout Washington State.
We do not need to perform the remediation in order to evaluate environmental conditions.
This separation allows our role to remain focused on testing, documentation, and environmental assessment.
Washington Field Sampling for Out-of-State Environmental Consultants
Environmental and insurance consulting organizations sometimes receive Washington assignments without having field personnel located near the project.
5 Microns provides local Washington field sampling support for environmental consultants and other professional organizations.
We can perform sampling according to a project-specific protocol supplied by the consulting organization.
Depending upon the assignment, services can include:
- Tape-lift sampling
- Surface wipe sampling
- Ash and residue sampling
- Soil sampling
- Building and contents sampling
- Detailed photographs
- Sample-location photographs
- Room and structure observations
- Sample-location mapping
- Field documentation
- Chain-of-custody preparation
- Laboratory coordination
- Sample packaging and shipment
Project information and field documentation can be transmitted electronically for rapid review.
This provides organizations outside Washington with access to field support when local personnel are unavailable or when rapid deployment is required.
Residential Post-Fire Testing
Homeowners may seek independent testing when they are concerned that smoke or fire residues remain in their property.
Common circumstances include:
- A fire occurred inside the home.
- A neighboring home or building burned.
- Smoke traveled into portions of the home away from the fire.
- Wildfire smoke or ash entered the property.
- Smoke odor remains after cleaning.
- The extent of contamination is disputed.
- Personal belongings may have been affected.
- Remediation has been completed and independent verification is desired.
5 Microns can help determine an appropriate testing strategy based upon the circumstances of the event.
Commercial Post-Fire Environmental Testing
Commercial fire losses can involve considerably larger and more complicated environments.
5 Microns can provide environmental sampling and documentation for:
- Office buildings
- Multifamily properties
- Retail spaces
- Warehouses
- Industrial properties
- Hotels
- Schools and institutional buildings
- Property management portfolios
- Other commercial facilities
Multi-area and multi-property sampling programs can be developed according to project requirements.
Fire Testing Throughout Washington State
5 Microns provides post-fire environmental testing throughout Washington, including:
Spokane • Spokane Valley • Wenatchee • Yakima • Tri-Cities • Richland • Kennewick • Pasco • Moses Lake • Ellensburg • Seattle • Bellevue • Tacoma • Everett and surrounding communities.
Projects outside our immediate service areas can be accommodated through scheduled mobilization.
Commercial, insurance-related, and consultant-directed assignments can also be coordinated throughout the state.
Independent Environmental Testing — Not Fire Restoration
5 Microns is an environmental testing and inspection company.
Our role is different from a fire restoration contractor.
We evaluate and document environmental conditions and collect samples for appropriate laboratory analysis. When remediation is required, the work can be performed separately by an appropriate restoration or remediation contractor.
Maintaining that separation can be particularly valuable when independent documentation is needed for an insurance claim, environmental investigation, dispute, or post-remediation evaluation.
Schedule Post-Fire Environmental Testing in Washington
If a Washington property has experienced a structure fire, wildfire, significant smoke exposure, or suspected fire-related contamination, 5 Microns can help determine an appropriate environmental testing strategy.
We also provide Washington field sampling and documentation for environmental consultants, insurance professionals, and catastrophe-response organizations requiring local project support.
Contact 5 Microns Inc. to discuss your Washington post-fire environmental testing project.
