Record heat and char separately from soot
Black residue is not automatically structural char. Visible charring, finish blistering, distortion and heat lines should be documented independently.
Fire & Smoke · Wood + Cabinetry
Wood can be finish-sensitive, porous, structural, concealed—or all four at once.
A cabinet face, an unfinished stud and an attic truss are all “wood,” but they should not be evaluated as one material class.
Finished wood requires finish-aware testing
Cleaning response depends on the coating, heat exposure, residue behavior and whether the surface has been physically altered.
Exposed framing can become an odor reservoir
Open wood may retain contamination after surrounding surfaces are cleaned, so the exposed assembly should be part of the verification plan.
Cavities require pathway evidence
Smoke can enter openings, penetrations and utility paths. Do not assume every closed wall is contaminated, and do not assume concealed pathways are clean without evidence.
Structural conclusions stay with qualified professionals
SDM Intelligence can document visible conditions and restoration observations but does not determine structural capacity.
Verification rule: the endpoint is not “a method was applied.” The endpoint is whether the retained material, connected pathway and surrounding area have been re-checked for remaining residue, odor, damage and recontamination.