In case of Fire.....

[Ozz]

A friend of mine recently had a fire in his Casa, the clean up crew did their thing and then the duct cleaning company did their thing, and that was about it, as far as the HVAC system went. I imagine they had a service guy check out the furnace and A/C. It was one bedroom, mostly smoke and water damage.
When I found out about his fire, I wrote this letter for home to give to the adjuster, this is what I would demand they do, for the reasons stated.
Just in case you or yours have this event.

Letter concerning the Fire damage and resulting Heating and Cooling ramifications to Dave Carslake residence on London street, Kansas City Missouri

Dave, I am writing this letter to document my concerns on your heating and A/C system, and the contamination from the fire and smoke at your home.
The fan system in your furnace, that is utilized both on heat and and A/C circulates air inside the ducting. As an average it moves the entire air within the structure 7 times an hour, this air goes through the air conditioning coil, filter, fan blower and furnace heat exchanger. The filter does not catch this smoke.
When there is a fire, with the associated toxic smoke, it is circulated for a time, this toxic smoke leaves containments in the refrigeration coils, the 100 or so cupped blower vanes in the fan blower wheel and on the surface of the heat exchanger envelope.
All these surfaces are designed for maximum contact with the air-stream, to heat and cool the spaces that it services. This surface contact in a fire and smoke event coats and sometimes clogs these surfaces and areas.
Duct cleaning is always performed for that reason, but duct cleaning does not address the refrigeration coil, heat exchanger in the furnace, the blower wheel.
If the duct cleaning is always performed for smoke removal, does it not make sense to finish the job?
I would demand that the furnace, refrigeration coil and the fan blower wheel and motor be cleaned or replaced.
When the air conditioning system is started up, the moisture from summer humidity will be released and the whole house will be contaminated by this toxic by-product of the fire.

Jim Osbern, Journeyman Pipefitter
I have 35 years experience in HVAC Electrical and refrigeration.

[CORattler]

Very good info Ozz! I hope I never have to apply this newfound knowledge.

[scductman]

Great job Ozz and not only those items but the insulation inside the air handler will become saturated also. Most folks don't think about those things just happy to get there home back.
Bobby

[Rondo]

Thanks Ozz! One never remembers things like that when you have this happen. It only makes sense to replace the furnace and even the ductwork if you can get the insurance company to go along on it! That smell and contaminents linger forever and hide in the smallest places. Just cleaning the ducts only takes part of it out and then they spray the ducts with a coverup scent to make it all smell good and completely clean! NO WAY! Thanks for the reminder if this does happen!

[Waynem]

Thanks Jim. Good info.