Fire damage restoration comes with its own vocabulary. This glossary explains 66 terms you may hear from a restoration provider, an insurance adjuster or Metro Codes, each linked to the page that covers it in more depth. Start with the fire damage restoration in Nashville overview or browse the restoration guides.
A
- Activated charcoal
- A highly porous form of carbon that absorbs odors. Bowls of it placed around a room can help soak up lingering smoke smell after cleaning. Getting smoke smell out of a house
- Actual cash value
- The value of damaged property after depreciation is subtracted. A policy that pays actual cash value pays less than the cost of buying new. How fire claims are paid
- Additional living expenses
- Policy coverage, often called ALE or loss of use, for the extra cost of living elsewhere while a fire-damaged home cannot be lived in. Homeowners coverage after a fire
- Adjuster
- The person who inspects a loss and estimates what the policy pays. A company adjuster works for the insurer. How to deal with a fire adjuster
- Air mover
- A high-velocity fan that pushes air across wet surfaces to speed evaporation during structural drying. Water damage restoration
- Air scrubber
- A portable machine that pulls air through HEPA filters to capture soot, smoke particles and mold spores. Smoke damage restoration
- ANSI/IICRC S500
- The industry standard for professional water damage restoration, covering water categories, drying and documentation. Water damage restoration
- ANSI/IICRC S520
- The industry standard for professional mold remediation, including containment and post-remediation checks. Mold remediation
- ANSI/IICRC S700
- The industry standard for professional fire and smoke damage restoration of buildings, systems and contents after structure fires. Smoke damage restoration
- ANSI/IICRC S760
- An IICRC standard focused on wildfire investigations and restoring structures and contents affected by wildfire smoke, as opposed to house fires. What counts as smoke damage
- Appraisal clause
- A policy provision that lets you and the insurer each choose an appraiser, with an umpire to settle disagreements over the amount of a loss. Disputing a fire claim offer
- Ash
- The powdery, mostly mineral residue left after materials burn. Ash is often alkaline and can etch glass and metal if left too long. Soot removal
B
- Board-up
- Covering broken windows, doors and wall openings with plywood after a fire to keep out weather, animals and intruders. Emergency board-up
- Building permit
- Approval from Metro Codes or the local city before structural, electrical, plumbing or larger drywall repairs begin. Fire damage repair
C
- Category 3 water
- Grossly contaminated water. Firefighting water mixed with ash, soot and debris is often treated with extra caution for this reason. Water damage restoration
- Char
- Blackened, carbonized wood or other material from direct flame. Deep char weakens framing and usually must be removed or sealed. Fire damage cleanup
- Chemical sponge
- A dry vulcanized-rubber sponge used to lift dry soot from walls and ceilings before any liquid cleaner touches the surface. Cleaning smoke off walls
- Claim supplement
- A request to add work to an approved estimate when hidden damage is found after walls, floors or ceilings are opened. How fire restoration estimates work
- Containment
- Plastic sheeting and negative air pressure used to keep soot, dust or mold from spreading to clean rooms during work. Mold remediation
- Contents restoration
- Cleaning, deodorizing and repairing furniture, clothing, electronics and keepsakes damaged by smoke, soot or water. Contents cleaning and pack-out
- Contractor license
- A Tennessee license required for construction projects of $25,000 or more, including materials and labor. Fire damage repair
D
- Deductible
- The amount you pay toward a covered loss before the insurance company pays the rest. Homeowners insurance and fire
- Dehumidifier
- A machine that removes moisture from the air. Low-grain refrigerant (LGR) units are common in restoration drying. Water damage restoration
- Deodorization
- Treatments that neutralize odor molecules after the smoke source has been removed, such as thermal fogging or hydroxyl generators. Smoke odor removal
- Depreciation
- The loss in value of an item due to age and wear. Insurers subtract it when paying actual cash value. Renters insurance and fire
- Dry smoke
- Residue from fast, hot fires that burn paper or wood. It is powdery and easier to wipe away than wet smoke. What counts as smoke damage
- Dry-ice blasting
- Cleaning method that blasts frozen carbon dioxide pellets to strip soot and char from framing without adding water. Soot removal
- Dwelling coverage
- The part of a homeowners policy, often called Coverage A, that pays to repair or rebuild the house itself. Homeowners insurance and fire
E
- Encapsulation
- Sealing a cleaned surface with a stain-blocking primer so leftover odor and staining cannot bleed through new paint. Smoke odor removal
F
- Fire marshal
- A fire official who investigates fire causes and enforces fire codes. Tennessee also has a State Fire Marshal's Office. Restoration timeline
- Fuel oil soot
- Heavy, oily residue from a furnace or oil burner malfunction, sometimes called a puffback. It smears easily and needs special cleaners. Soot removal
G
- Get Alarmed, Tennessee!
- A State Fire Marshal's Office program that supplies working smoke alarms through participating local fire departments. Restoration timeline
H
- HEPA vacuum
- A vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air filter that traps very fine soot and spores instead of blowing them back into the room. Soot removal
- Home improvement license
- A Tennessee license required in Davidson, Rutherford and seven other counties for residential remodeling projects above $3,000 and under $25,000. Fire damage repair
- HVAC contamination
- Soot and smoke drawn into furnace, air handler and duct systems, which can spread odor to every room when the system runs. Smoke damage restoration
- Hydroxyl generator
- A deodorizing machine that uses UV light to create hydroxyl radicals, which break down odor molecules while rooms can stay occupied. Smoke odor removal
K
- Knob-and-tube wiring
- Early electrical wiring found in some pre-1940s homes. It lacks a ground wire and can overheat when overloaded or damaged. East Nashville and Inglewood
L
- Loss of use
- Another name for additional living expenses coverage that pays for temporary housing and extra costs after a covered loss. Renters insurance and fire
M
- Metro Codes
- The Metro Nashville Department of Codes and Building Safety, which issues building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits in Davidson County. Fire damage repair
- Mitigation
- Fast steps that stop damage from getting worse, such as board-up, tarping, water extraction and soot stabilization. Fire damage cleanup
- Moisture meter
- A handheld tool that measures moisture in drywall, wood and flooring to confirm when materials are dry. Water damage restoration
- Mold remediation
- Removing mold growth and the materials it has damaged, then fixing the moisture source so it does not return. Mold remediation
N
- Negative air pressure
- Setting up air machines so air flows into a work area and is filtered on the way out, keeping contaminants contained. Mold remediation
O
- Ozone treatment
- Deodorizing with an ozone generator in an unoccupied space. Ozone is a lung irritant, so people, pets and plants must stay out. Getting smoke smell out of a house
P
- Pack-out
- Inventorying, packing and moving belongings off site for cleaning and storage while the house is restored. Contents cleaning and pack-out
- Personal property coverage
- The part of a homeowners or renters policy that pays for belongings such as furniture, clothes and electronics. Renters insurance and fire
- Post-remediation verification
- Inspection and testing after mold work to confirm the area is clean and dry before walls are closed up. Mold remediation
- Pre-loss condition
- The condition a property was in before the fire, which is the usual goal of restoration and insurance repairs. Fire damage repair
- Proof of loss
- A sworn statement listing what was damaged and the amount you are claiming. Many policies require it within a set time after the insurer asks. Fire insurance claim steps
- Protein residue
- Nearly invisible, sticky film left by kitchen fires that burn meat or other food. It smells strong and discolors paint. What counts as smoke damage
- Public adjuster
- An adjuster you hire to represent you on a claim, usually for a percentage of the settlement. Tennessee requires them to hold a state license. Working with a fire insurance adjuster
R
- Recoverable depreciation
- The part of a replacement cost payment an insurer may hold back until repairs or replacements are finished, then release. Checking the adjuster's estimate
- Relative humidity
- How much moisture the air holds compared with the most it can hold at that temperature. EPA advises keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent. Mold remediation
- Replacement cost
- Insurance that pays to repair or replace property with new items of like kind and quality, without subtracting depreciation. Homeowners insurance and fire
- Roof tarp
- Heavy plastic sheeting secured over a burned or vented roof to keep rain out until the roof is rebuilt. Emergency board-up and tarping
S
- Scope of work
- The written list of tasks, materials and quantities for a restoration job, used by providers and adjusters to agree on the repair. Fire damage repair
- Smoke damage
- Staining, residue, corrosion and odor left by smoke, often spreading far beyond the rooms that burned. Smoke damage restoration
- Soda blasting
- Cleaning method that blasts baking soda at low pressure to remove soot and char from wood, brick and masonry. Soot removal
- Soot
- Fine black particles of unburned carbon produced by a fire. Soot can be dry, oily or sticky depending on what burned. Soot removal
- Source removal
- Removing or deep-cleaning the materials that hold smoke odor, which comes before any deodorizing treatment. Smoke odor removal
- Structural drying
- Drying walls, floors and framing with air movers and dehumidifiers until moisture readings reach dry targets. Water damage restoration
- Subrogation
- When your insurer pays your claim, then seeks repayment from the person or company responsible for the fire. Landlord insurance and fire
T
- Thermal fogging
- Deodorizing with a heated fog that penetrates the same cracks and pores smoke reached during the fire. Smoke odor removal
- Thermal imaging camera
- A camera that shows temperature differences, used to find hidden wet areas in walls and ceilings after firefighting water. Water damage restoration
U
- Upholstery cleaning code
- A letter on a furniture tag that says how it can be cleaned: W for water-based, S for solvent, W/S for either and X for vacuum only. Getting smoke smell out of furniture
W
- Wet smoke
- Residue from slow, smoldering fires that burn plastic or rubber. It is sticky, smears easily and smells strong. What counts as smoke damage