The problem this solves
After a fire, soot bonds to exposed wood framing, brick demising walls, masonry, and structural steel. Chemical sponges and dry-wipe methods are slow and labor-heavy. Wet methods soak the structure and complicate drying.
Historic structures add another layer: anything abrasive — sand, soda, walnut — strips the substrate's patina and triggers preservation review objections. The restoration GC needs a method that removes soot aggressively without altering the surface underneath.
Why dry ice blasting fits
Dry ice blasting removes soot without etching wood grain, pitting brick, or burnishing steel. The pellet sublimates on impact; the contaminant flakes off; the substrate underneath looks like it did before the fire.
On historic-register buildings, we test on an inconspicuous area first to confirm the substrate response before broader work. Final acceptance of the finished surface is the preservation reviewer's or engineer of record's call.
Surfaces and equipment we clean
- Exposed Douglas fir and dimensional framing
- Demising-wall brick and masonry
- Open-web steel joists and structural steel
- Subfloor decking and roof sheathing
- Concrete columns and pan-deck ceilings
- Mechanical room and electrical room interiors
Where this isn't the right method
- Charred structural members requiring engineered repair — that's a separate scope.
- Asbestos-containing materials, lead paint, or other hazardous material — a qualified abatement contractor must clear the area first; we don't blast over unabated hazards.
How the engagement runs
- 01GC walk with containment plan
We coordinate scope with the GC's containment zones and air-scrubber strategy.
- 02Top-down blast sequence
Joists and ceilings first, walls second, structural steel last.
- 03Per-zone documentation
Timestamped photos, IICRC zone codes, daily progress log.
- 04Photo and time log packet
Single PDF, organized by zone, timestamped, formatted for line-item entry — yours to file with the claim as you see fit.
What drives the quote
- Square footage in scope
- Soot density (Class 1–3 per IICRC)
- Containment / air-scrubber coordination
- Historic-register preservation requirements
- Photo-log depth (standard vs. detailed zone-by-zone)
What we bring, what we coordinate
- Coordinated with the GC's containment, air-scrubber, and HEPA strategy.
- Respiratory PPE per the loss class.
- CO₂ monitoring in enclosed and partially-collapsed spaces.
Soot Removal After a Fire — questions buyers ask us
Our packet is formatted for Xactimate line-item entry and IICRC zone tracking, with timestamped photos. Whether a specific adjuster accepts it without follow-up is their call — tell us if yours needs a particular format and we'll match it.
Yes. We test on an inconspicuous area first and calibrate pressure to the substrate. Final sign-off on the finished surface rests with the building's preservation reviewer or engineer of record.
Most jobs see a sharp drop in odor by day 2, with the GC's air scrubbers finishing the residual.
We handle the blast scope on mold remediation projects. See mold remediation prep.