Has anyone ever dealt with smoke damage? Our apartment building recently had a fire. We were a few units above the gutted unit, and no fire entered our unit, but it did fill with “light” smoke. This is not our primary residence and contents are insured.
We’re confused about the ramifications of smoke damage.
Some websites (Red Cross, various Health Departments) infer we can clean contents on our own if “light” smoke, perhaps tedious, but not dangerous. We’ve already removed some clothes, and once washed, they no longer smell. Some warn the smoke smell is never eliminated in other contents, and most items should be discarded. Abatement companies warn everything must be professionally removed, cleaned, and stored before returning, since smoke makes items dangerous. Of course that is VERY expensive, even for a small apartment. Abatement companies also have a vested interest in declaring it dangerous.
Ultimately, if we choose to file a claim, the insurance company must evaluate. But Insurance companies rarely want to pay. And the minute you file a claim, premiums often rise and you end up paying for it over time anyway.
We have no clue if this is a job best left to the ‘experts’, or if we can clean ourselves. Advice welcome.
I think it depends on the definition of “light” smoke. We had a small kitchen fire (fire extinguisher needed) and definitely had light smoke throughout the first floor. We ventilated with fans and opened windows. No other remediation.
Hmmm…seems to me the owners of the place where the fire was should have insurance that covers this…but maybe times have changed.
Back in the stone age, I was an RA. There was a fire on my floor and the person who started the fire was actually caught and prosecuted. THEIR family insurance had to pay for everyone’s smoke filled cleanings…clothes, towels, rooms…the works.
Is it possible that your insurance would expect the other person’s insurance to clean your place of smoke damage?
A friend had a smouldering mess, though not a fire, from hours of unattended simmering chicken on a stove top. Apparently the chicken makes the sort of smoke that gets in everything, and she had full remediation, new painting, cleaning of all clothing, carpet cleaning, etc. I can’t remember what happened to extensive art work collection or whether the wood floors were refinished.
So in your case, one question is, what burned in the fire?
I had smoke twice—left eggs boiling on stove and forgot them (two different pots & kitchens). Fortunately both times no fire occurred—alert folks got the situation handled. We came home to smoky & stinky. Aired it out both times and everything was OK, even the discolored pots.
exactly. I once had stove fire, with a lot of smoke. Kept windows and doors open for a few days, while we washed everything down with a cleaner. Walls, inside/ouside cabinets, etc. Rented a carpet cleaner and did them the old-school way.
Seemed to work, as I had a sensitive nose at the time and couldn’t smell anything after ~10 days.
btw: dig into your ins coverage details before filing a claim. Many folks in SoCal are finding out that smoke damage from the nearby wildfires has to be severe before they will cover remediation. They are deciding that stuff that can be cleaned like I did above years ago is not covered ‘damage’ but uncovered maintenance and repair. Of course, residents are fighting that determination…