Fire Event and Household Context:• Cause: Kitchen grease fire — protein smoke — whole structure impact confirmed by fire investigation report• Kitchen and two adjacent living areas confirmed heat damage(Per fire investigation report)• HVAC system actively operating during fire — smoke, grease particles, and combustion byproducts distributed throughout entire structure via duct system (Per Hvac specialist report)• Household includes two growing minor child. a minor child, with documented reactive airway disease14 samples were conducted by CIH throughout the house.Eight (8) of the fourteen (14) CBP surface samples contained CBP concentrations which indicated “Elevated” (> 10x Background) CBP surface concentrations. Four (4) of the fourteen (14) CBP surface samples contained CBP concentrations which indicated “Atypical” (> 3-10x Background) CBP surface concentrations.7 Test were Wall cavities (Frame). 6 out of 7 were Atypical or Elevated. One is Typical-upper backgrounOne surface sample was Typical-low backgroundCIH Recommendations:At a minimum, CBP impacts were noted in the following areas: Interior: Master Bedroom, Master Bathroom, Bedroom 1, Kitchen, Dining Room, Living Room. Bedroom 2, Hallway Bathroom, Hallway, Playroom, Bedroom 2, Toilet Room and Garage. Interior, Wall Cavities: Master Bedroom, Dining Room, Hallway, and Toilet Room’The following recommendations are limited to the areas noted to have CBP impacts and do not include personal contents. At a minimum, remediation activities should be performed throughout the site noted to have CBP impacts. A-Tech presents the following recommendations:Analytical data indicate CBP impacts within the site interior. At a minimum, in the areas identified in Section 5.0 (reference Appendix A – Diagrams), prepare for cleaning all site interior surfaces (e.g., walls, ceilings, floors, structure framing/features). Present equipment/property not suitable for cleaning should be identified. It is possible that unsampled areas may have also been impacted by the fire event (e.g., inaccessible areas, plenum spaces, interstitial spaces, etc.).’Utilize the services of a professional licensed cleaning contractor experienced in the removal and restoration of smoke and soot contaminated buildings.Removal of loose CBP is a universal first step; this may be performed utilizing HEPA vacuuming with slow motions. HEPA vacuuming may be supplemented by other dry removal techniques (e.g., soft brushing, wiping with sponges, adhesive rollers). Detergent-water solutions may release particles that adhere to smooth and textured surfaces. Pre-moistened absorbent wipes may be effective.Utilize ventilation and air cleaning techniques (e.g., HEPA filtration) in areas where fire-related odors are present. An appropriate deodorizer may be utilized if the odor persists.The impacted HVAC system and ducting must be cleaned with HVAC filters replaced. After which, the HVAC system should be sealed to prevent re-contamination and only removed following post-remediation sampling activities which indicate effective remediation efforts. HVAC duct cleaning, decontamination, and system balancing must be done in accordance with ASHRAE guidelines. If the system cannot be properly decontaminated, ducting may need to be replaced.Non-porous contents and surfaces (e.g., metal, glass, sealed plastics) should undergo a multi-step cleaning process consisting of an initial wet wipe, followed by thorough HEPA vacuuming, and then a final wet wipe to ensure thorough removal of residual contaminants.Where remediation efforts via cleaning are ineffective, porous materials that cannot be adequately decontaminated may require removal/replacement in lieu of cleaning.If uncleaned surfaces, or surfaces with dust accumulation is observed, these areas may be recleaned using wet methods (as appropriate).All wastes, including water-impacted building materials, that are related to the fire must be evaluated and appropriately disposed.According to the California Environmental Protection Agency Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) “People with asthma or other lung diseases, heart disease, pregnant women, and the elderly should exercise special caution because they may be more susceptible to health effects from the ash.” As such a post-remediation sampling assessment of the site should be performed to demonstrate that the site interior structure has been remediated to prefire cleanliness.QUESTIONS:What should be determinations of Walls/Ceiling throughout the house and Porous (furniture, textile, clothes) and nonPorous?
SHAHID IMTIAZ asked 1 month ago 
Kristofer Griffith Expert answered 1 month ago Hi Shahid,
Before getting into specifics — there are real unknowns here that can’t be resolved without walking the property. The general rule I’d go by: if something can actually be tested and cleared, test it. If it can’t be tested (because it’s too porous to sample reliably or verify after cleaning), the default should be to treat it as still contaminated, not assume it’s fine just because there’s no bad number attached to it. Basically, the burden is on proving it’s clean, not the other way around.
Walls and ceilings
Painted drywall or ceiling with a typical/background result — just clean it as a precaution, nothing aggressive needed.
Painted drywall or ceiling reading atypical (3-10x) — this is a good spot for pilot testing. Have the hygienist clean a small section first, then resample that exact spot before signing off on doing the whole room that way. That confirms the method actually works before you commit to it everywhere.
Painted drywall or ceiling reading elevated (>10x) — lean toward removal instead of cleaning. Hard to prove you’ve hit background at this level, especially with a kid with reactive airway disease in the house.
Textured or popcorn ceilings — treat as basically non-cleanable no matter the result, since you can’t really verify it after the fact. Remove in any room that came back atypical or worse.
Wall cavities — 6 of your 7 cavity samples came back abnormal. You can’t test cavity material after cleaning to confirm it worked, so per the “can’t test it, treat it as dirty” logic, open the wall, clean and seal the exposed framing, and replace the insulation.
Contents
Non-porous stuff (glass, metal, sealed plastic, tile) — clean it. This is the one category where you can actually get a reliable wipe sample to confirm it worked.
Washable semi-porous items (clothing, washable linens) — wash and verify per category before calling them clean.
Porous, non-washable stuff (upholstered furniture, mattresses, carpet and pad, drapery that can’t be laundered) — this is where the “can it be tested and cleared” question really matters. You can’t get a defensible clearance sample off a couch cushion or carpet pad the way you can off drywall. If it can’t be tested and cleared, treat it as not clean — recommend replacement rather than clean-and-hope, especially given who’s living in the house.
HVAC
The hygienist’s plan to clean, seal, and hold off on final clearance is right, but who does the work matters. Get a firm that’s NADCA certified to the ACR standard, with an actual Air Systems Cleaning Specialist on the job. A couple things worth knowing — not all ductwork can be cleaned. Flex duct with a porous liner, or metal duct with heavy residue built up, often just needs to be replaced instead. That call should come from the certified firm’s inspection, not be assumed either way going in. Also, NADCA certification isn’t a license and doesn’t guarantee good work every time, so check their actual scope and method (source removal plus negative pressure is the standard approach) and ask for documentation.
Given the whole house got hit through the HVAC system, I’d also push for verification sampling inside the ductwork itself before it gets sealed back up, not just room air — same idea as everything else: test it and clear it, or treat it as still dirty.
Best, Kris