SOOT DAMAGE
Soot damage in most cases is due to the burning of wax candles. These candles burn with a yellow flame and produce a significant amount of soot.
In many cases the soot shows up as black streaks that line up with the two by fours in the wall or with the ceiling joists. The soot will be the most prominent in corners and other areas where the wall or ceiling is the coldest in the winter time. This is because of the convection currents that carry the soot to the coldest part of the wall or ceiling.
Soot can be caused by any device that burns solid fuel such as fire places, or charcoal grills. Soot is the heaviest where it is being produced. In other words if the fireplace was creating the soot the soot would be the heaviest around the fireplace unless the insured has cleaned that area. A gas fireplace can also produce soot since the flame is often yellow.
Soot can also be produced by plastic toys in an oven or burning of food on the stove or in the oven. If the soot is a result of burning of food the insured should be aware of what has happened.
Any fossil fuel burning device can also cause soot. This includes natural gas, propane and fuel oil furnaces, boilers and water heaters. Natural gas and propane ovens and ranges can also produce soot. Automobiles also can produce soot.
Fossil fuel burning appliances are tested by measuring carbon monoxide in the flue or “over the fire”. Most gas fired furnaces have a carbon monoxide level of 0 to about 15 parts per million “over the fire” if they are operating properly. Water heaters generally run from 0 to 5 parts per million of carbon monoxide “over the fire”. In order to produce soot the carbon monoxide level will be well above 300 parts per million.
Ovens in gas ranges start out with a carbon monoxide level of about 150 parts per million and then go to about 10 parts per million or less after a few minutes. The carbon monoxide reading is taken at the oven vent.
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