Smoke and Soot Documentation Procedure
Field procedure for smoke and soot evidence: contamination types, migration path narrative, substrate photos, test-clean results, and room-indexed files carriers can map to sketch rooms.
Claims Ninja Operations
Purpose
Capture defensible smoke and soot evidence room by room — including migration beyond the origin — so cleaning, sealing, and replacement lines survive desk review and supplement negotiation.
When to use
Soot or smoke visible in rooms beyond the fire origin
Signal: Staining in halls, upper floors, closets, or porous substrates
Carrier estimate omits rooms that smoked on walkthrough
Signal: Sketch room count lower than photographed spaces
Cleaning versus replacement decisions needed on trim, cabinetry, or drywall
Signal: Substrate test-clean results will determine scope
Supplement or re-inspection scheduled for smoke migration scope
Signal: Denied migration rooms or partial approval on origin only
Required documentation
Wide room context photo per affected space
Close substrate photos showing soot type and extent
Ceiling, walls, trim, fixtures, and mechanical components as applicable.
Migration path narrative from origin to affected rooms
Stairwells, chases, shared walls, and HVAC paths when relevant.
Test-clean before-and-after photos where scope is disputed
Required when carrier may argue clean versus replace on visible substrates.
Attic, crawlspace, and cavity opening photos when migration claimed
Behind toe kicks, outlet openings, and attic hatches when smoke path is alleged.
Room index tying photos to sketch room names
Step-by-step process
- 1
Classify soot and smoke contamination by area
Field- Note soot type where identifiable — dry, oily, protein — and affected substrates.
- Distinguish visible soot from smoke staining and odor-only impact.
- Record HVAC register condition in each room for correlation with duct paths.
- 2
Capture per-room photo sets in consistent walk order
Field- Photograph wide context then close damage on ceilings, walls, floors, and trim.
- Document closets, halls, and utility spaces in the same sequence every job.
- Label filenames or job tags with claim number, room, date, and damage type.
- 3
Document migration path and penetrations
Field- Photograph stairwells, chase walls, attic openings, and shared partitions on the smoke path.
- Write short path narrative: how smoke reached each documented room.
- Flag rooms on photos that do not appear on carrier sketch.
Submit migration supplements when discovery is documented — not after rebuild paints over evidence.
- 4
Run test cleaning and document results
Field- Test-clean representative areas on disputable substrates before full production.
- Photograph before, during, and after test areas with substrate visible.
- Log clean versus replace recommendation per room in site notes.
- 5
Index files and hand off to supplement coordinator
Project Manager- Complete room index: room name, photo count, key line items, disposition.
- Separate smoke wipe folders from structural rebuild and HVAC folders.
- Cross-check sketch room list and queue migration supplement if gaps exist.
Quality gates
Every photographed room appears on room index with sketch-matching name
Migration supplements include written path narrative
Cleaning lines have close substrate photos, not wide room shots only
Attic and cavity photos captured before concealment when migration claimed
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Impact | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| Unlabeled camera rolls without room index or cover letter map | Adjusters cannot match evidence to line items; approvals stall. | Maintain room index and filename convention from first visit. |
| One-size smoke wipe documentation on mixed soot types | Carriers reject macros when protein or oily soot needs distinct procedures. | Document soot type, test-clean results, and procedure photos per substrate. |
| Migration claimed without hall, closet, or upper-floor photos | Migration supplements denied as late scope inflation. | Photograph full path and write narrative before rebuild obscures routes. |
| Smoke cleaning lines bundled with structural photos only | Desk reviewers apply cleaning macros to framing replacement or vice versa. | Separate smoke wipe folders from structural rebuild documentation. |
Unlabeled camera rolls without room index or cover letter map
Impact: Adjusters cannot match evidence to line items; approvals stall.
Correction: Maintain room index and filename convention from first visit.
One-size smoke wipe documentation on mixed soot types
Impact: Carriers reject macros when protein or oily soot needs distinct procedures.
Correction: Document soot type, test-clean results, and procedure photos per substrate.
Migration claimed without hall, closet, or upper-floor photos
Impact: Migration supplements denied as late scope inflation.
Correction: Photograph full path and write narrative before rebuild obscures routes.
Smoke cleaning lines bundled with structural photos only
Impact: Desk reviewers apply cleaning macros to framing replacement or vice versa.
Correction: Separate smoke wipe folders from structural rebuild documentation.
Supplement opportunities
Carrier sketch omits halls, closets, or upper bedrooms with visible soot
Room-indexed migration folders plus path narrative.
Line item hint: HWS, seal, and smoke wipe lines per omitted room
Test-clean fails on porous substrates after visible soot removal attempt
Before-and-after test photos and supervisor replace recommendation.
Line item hint: Remove and replace trim, cabinetry, drywall, or insulation
Attic or crawlspace smoke found during inspection
Opening photos and cavity soot evidence before insulation install.
Line item hint: Attic smoke cleaning, insulation removal, and seal lines
Related resources
Partner with Claims Ninja
Need help executing on your next claim?
Get a free claim review. We assess scope gaps, documentation, and supplement opportunities — then outline a recovery plan aligned with your operation.