SMOKE & SOOT DAMAGE
From air quality assessment through complete rebuild — we manage every detail, maximize your insurance settlement, and restore your property to breathtaking condition.
What We Do
Phase III Construction handles every phase of smoke and soot damage restoration — from the moment we arrive on-site through the final air quality clearance test. Smoke damage is uniquely deceptive: the visible soot on walls and ceilings represents only a fraction of the actual contamination. Smoke penetrates wall cavities, saturates HVAC ductwork, infiltrates attic spaces, and embeds itself in every porous surface throughout the structure. What you cannot see is often the most expensive part of the claim.
Our team responds to smoke losses with air quality monitoring equipment, thermal imaging cameras, and a methodical room-by-room assessment protocol that leaves nothing undocumented. We know what adjusters miss on smoke claims — HVAC contamination, attic deposits, and odor treatment scope are the three most common underpayments we encounter — and we build every one of those line items into your claim from day one.
Our Process
Turn Off HVAC Immediately
The single most important action after a smoke event is shutting down your HVAC system. Running it circulates soot particles through every duct, register, and room in the house — dramatically expanding the scope of contamination within minutes. Phase III advises every client on immediate protective steps the moment they call.
Phase III Does:
We document HVAC system contamination from the moment we arrive — inspecting the air handler, ductwork, and registers for soot deposits. HVAC decontamination is one of the most frequently missed line items on smoke claims, often representing $5,000-$15,000 in scope that adjusters routinely omit. We build this into every claim from day one.
Air Quality Assessment
Smoke damage is not limited to rooms with visible soot. We use professional air quality meters to measure particulate concentration in every room — including areas that appear visually clean. Smoke follows air pressure differentials and travels through wall cavities, attic spaces, and HVAC pathways far beyond the room of origin. Our air quality data captures the full picture.
Phase III Does:
Our air quality documentation is objective, equipment-generated data that prevents adjusters from limiting your scope to two or three rooms. When our meters show elevated particulate levels throughout the structure, the adjuster cannot credibly argue that only the room of origin requires treatment. This data is the foundation of a fully compensated smoke claim.
Complete Property Documentation
Room-by-room documentation of every affected surface, every item of contents, the HVAC system, attic space, and crawl space. Soot is corrosive and continues reacting with surfaces long after the fire is out — chrome pits, glass etches, and porous materials absorb odor compounds permanently if not treated quickly. Our documentation captures the damage before it progresses further.
Phase III Does:
We photograph every affected surface with date-stamped images and build a written scope in Xactimate line items — the same format insurance companies use. This documentation package becomes the foundation of your supplement and is extremely difficult for adjusters to dispute when it is supported by air quality data and thermal imaging.
Surface Cleaning & Degreasing
Every affected surface is cleaned using the appropriate technique and chemical treatment for each material type. Soot requires specific alkaline cleaners and dry sponge methods on different surfaces — not soap and water. Improper cleaning embeds soot deeper into porous materials, making odor elimination more difficult and potentially causing permanent staining.
Phase III Does:
We document the cleaning method, product, and condition of each surface before and after treatment — providing a complete record that distinguishes cleaned items from items requiring replacement. Proper documentation of cleaning scope prevents adjusters from issuing a single lump-sum cleaning allowance that falls far short of the actual work required.
Odor Neutralization
Smoke odor cannot be eliminated with surface cleaning alone. The compounds that cause smoke odor penetrate porous materials — drywall, wood framing, insulation, fabric, and flooring — at a molecular level. We use thermal fogging and ozone treatment to penetrate these materials and neutralize odor compounds at their source, not just mask them temporarily.
Phase III Does:
Odor treatment scope is consistently underestimated by adjusters, who often allow for surface cleaning only. We document the specific methodology required — thermal fogging, ozone, or hydroxyl treatment — and justify it as the appropriate industry standard of care for the level of contamination present. On smoke claims, our supplements for odor treatment alone routinely add 25-50% to the initial estimate.
Contents Pack-Out & Rebuild
Salvageable contents are packed out, professionally cleaned at our facility, and returned when restoration is complete. Non-salvageable items are documented and submitted for replacement cost value. Structural materials that cannot be adequately cleaned — drywall, insulation, certain flooring — are removed and replaced. All work is performed to current Michigan building code.
Phase III Does:
We track every item packed out with photos and inventory records — building a contents claim that captures every damaged belonging. At project completion, we conduct a final air quality assessment confirming particulate levels have returned to pre-loss baseline. We provide a complete project file including before and after readings, photo documentation, and a workmanship warranty.
Why Choose Phase III?
Fast Response
On-site within hours — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Every minute of delay costs you more.
Claim Expertise
We pursue your insurance claim so you do not have to. Every line item challenged, every dollar recovered.
BBB A+ Licensed
Michigan GC License 262000615. BBB Accredited A+. Full liability and workers compensation on every job.
Phase III Construction is standing by 24/7. One call starts everything.
Serving Wayne, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Livingston Counties