buildingforensics > Services

Investigation claims & damage

Training in mould and decontamination

Fire Damage

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Almost all fires result in soot depending on fuel, time of burn and oxygen available. Soot’s can often contain acidic deposits called chlorides created from the burning of plastics and these chlorides can create hydrochloric acid which is often responsible for corrosion and intermittent of permanent electronics failure.

Apart from chlorides the burning of any materials can produce off gassing and other soot
deposits which can be harmful to health.

Health hazards can arise from

• VOCs volatile organic chemicals usually found in the air or absorbed into porous
materials
• SVOCs semi volatile organic chemicals usually as surface deposits

• These chlorides can be extremely hazardous to health and exposure to many
substances is strictly controlled in the work environment.

• The accidental fire where incomplete combustion occurs can produce many chemicals some of which can be carcinogenic and many chemicals can cause health effects such as :

• Asthma
• Skin irritation
• Eye irritation /infection

We provide air and surface sampling to accurately identify up to 380 specific or likely chemicals which may remain active years after the fire. The sampling utilises state of art technology and either PCR or MSGC analysis undertaken in our world class laboratory in USA where samples are sent by Fed X for overnight delivery, usually cheaper than UK delivery costs.

Arson Investigation

Our air sampling techniques and analysis are so accurate that fire and police services use them to identify accelerants used to start fires. We can undertake arson investigation (air sampling anywhere in UK or Europe.

It should be recognised that post fire clean up requires extremely high levels of contractor competence if corrosion or latent damage issues are to be avoided. The use of sealers is frowned upon and deodorants should almost never be used. We can provide all necessary testing and support.