Water damage incidents can wreak havoc on homes and businesses, causing structural damage and leaving behind unpleasant odors. Whether from floodwater, sewage backups, or slow-leak mold infestations, addressing odor removal promptly after water damage is crucial for restoring a clean and healthy indoor environment.

Moreover, our brains devote considerable energy to remembering odors and aromas of all kinds. This is important because when you return a customer’s home to them, and it still has a faint smell of whatever their disaster was lingering in the air, you’ve failed. They know it, and their reluctance to pay the bill will be when you feel it, too!

To avoid this situation and many others, follow proper odor removal protocols and procedures to please customers and benefit your bottom line.

Prompt water removal

The cornerstone of odor control after water damage is swift water removal. It seems obvious. That’s because it is. All restoration experts know that standing water provides the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and mold, which can emit foul odors as they thrive. But this menace isn’t waiting around for standing water to be removed.

Mold spores will use the water vapor present in the air itself to grow wherever possible. This means that even if the flood was on the other side of the home, it could still cause an infestation elsewhere if it has been moist enough or has settled in long enough.

Many restorers don’t use this as an opportunity to expand the operation. Instead, they view it as an obstacle to finishing the job at hand. For example, suppose a property with unmitigated water damage is now causing mold in other areas unaffected by the original cause of loss. In that case, this can be a profitable expansion of the project.

Thorough drying

Thorough drying is essential to prevent mold and mildew growth from taking hold once you have removed the water. Mold and mildew are the major sources of persistent musty odors in the home after water damage. Employ industrial fans, air movers, dehumidifiers, heaters, and proper ventilation where appropriate to accelerate the drying process.

Pay special attention to hidden areas such as wall cavities and under flooring where moisture can linger. If moisture accumulates in these areas, it can cause an infestation that even technology won’t easily see. This then becomes the territory of air quality testing, which then turns into a search-and-destroy mission for any errant mold lingering anywhere in the home. This can be avoided by performing proper due diligence at the beginning of the incident.

Cleaning and disinfecting

Cleaning and disinfecting affected surfaces are paramount to not only eliminating odors but also preventing microbial growth. Use U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-approved disinfectants to sanitize surfaces and remove any remaining contaminants and fungal spores. Scrubbing walls, floors, and furniture with soap and water can also help remove residual odor-causing substances.

For restoration professionals, this step is usually a bridge too far because it isn’t generally cost-effective during the mitigation process. Many companies in the restoration field won’t take on this kind of work because of this fact, but others include it with their services as an add-on that they then charge extra for if a customer opts into it.

Essentially, this is turning a potential problem that a restoration company will likely face the blame for anyway, into an opportunity to increase a project’s profitability. For restoration companies, this may mean taking a more skilled crew off a project and swapping them out with a labor pool that requires less overhead for the service to be profitable, but each market can dictate if this is viable.

Remove damaged materials

Materials such as carpets, insulation, and drywall saturated with water must almost certainly be removed and replaced. These materials have an enormous amount of porous surface area and harbor most of the ingredients that mold needs to thrive.

Preventing mold and musty odors means removing the carpeting and any other porous items affected from the premises to prevent lingering odors from taking hold. These materials trap moisture and the organic matter necessary for mold and fungus to grow rampantly, which causes the offensive smells that restorers are trying to prevent and avoid.

Contents restoration

Many restoration companies use this material proximity damage as another means of extracting the most profitability from a project. Sometimes, people care about the items they place in their property as much as they care about the property itself, and for the enterprising restoration expert, this also presents an opportunity.

Item restorations such as furniture, clothing, art, collectibles, etc., are costly and not easy to clean up, but because of this, the restoration experts who can do the work reap the profits. If adding a contents restoration service is within the restorer’s technical capacity and skillset, then not offering this service is akin to throwing money down the drain.

Contents removal

Additionally, from the other side of the coin, for those that have the storage capacity, some restorers can take advantage of the content removal aspect of the mitigation process. Not all restorers can provide content service because it tends to require both space and a different skill set from their employees. Still, if this combination is something within range, this is another way that restoration experts can turn a penny on a mitigation project.

Odor neutralizers

After cleaning and drying the affected area, odor-neutralizing products will be necessary to eliminate any remaining aromas. In many situations, effectively absorbing and neutralizing unpleasant smells can be a line item or an add-on service. Following the existing mitigation and restoration procedures will often be enough to avoid any odor infiltration, but other times, it won’t. A seasoned expert can identify when these situations occur and how to utilize them as well.

Ensure a thorough restoration

Water damage incidents tend to leave behind more than just physical damage. They can also typically result in stubborn odors that linger long after the water is removed. By following these methods for odor control after water damage, you can ensure a thorough restoration and maximize the profitability of any mitigation project in the process. Providing customers with a clean, restored, odor-free environment maximizes their happiness and also increases your profitability.

Al Ruggie is the marketing and business development director for ASAP Restoration LLC. He has a proven record for growing businesses, both large and small, with strategic planning and targeted content that delivers results.

Joshua Rudin owns ASAP Restoration LLC and is a certified restorer. Before opening the doors in 2008, Rudin had been a successful entrepreneur in the restaurant industry, owning and running several thriving locations for over two decades. To reach Rudin, visit AsapRestoration247.com, call 602-515-7918, or email jrudin@asaprestoration247.com.

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Many consumers and even other businesses misunderstand the terms licensed, bonded, and insured. Behind these seemingly mundane words lies a world of significance, both for providers and the customers they serve.

Understanding these terms from a consumer perspective, a business perspective, and even from the views of various state and federal authorities is critical to achieving customer satisfaction, business growth, and compliance with the certifying agencies.

But what do these terms really mean?

Licensing: The foundation of legitimacy

Simply put, being licensed means a service provider has obtained official approval or authorization from the relevant governing body to operate within that particular industry or profession. This authorization typically comes after meeting specific requirements such as passing exams, completing specific training, specialized education, and adhering to industry regulations.

From a business perspective, obtaining a license is not merely a bureaucratic formality; it’s a badge of legitimacy and competence, too. Licensing signals to potential customers that the service provider possesses the necessary skills, knowledge, and qualifications to perform their job. In essence, it’s a promise of quality and accountability made through reputation verification.

That said, consumers may not fully grasp the importance of hiring a licensed service provider for their projects. Consumers may assume that all businesses with an online listing operate on a level playing field, regardless of whether they hold a license or not. The reality is quite different! Unlicensed operators often lack the necessary expertise, oversight, and quality control mechanisms, posing significant risks to both consumers and the industry’s reputation. By choosing a licensed provider, consumers can mitigate these risks and ensure they receive reliable and professional services from experts.

Bonding: A safety net for consumers

Bonding refers to a type of insurance that protects consumers in the event of financial loss or damage caused by the service provider. When a business is bonded, it means they have purchased a surety bond from a bonding company, which serves as a guarantee that they will fulfill their obligations to the consumer.

This is different from insurance coverage in that it protects the consumer against specific incidents and issues that arise as a result of the service provider’s work. It also differs from regular insurance in that specific stipulations must be met for the bond to be paid out.

For service providers, being bonded demonstrates a commitment to accountability and customer satisfaction. It provides reassurance to consumers that in the rare event of a problem or dispute, they have recourse to seek compensation for any losses incurred. Moreover, bonding helps to instill trust and confidence in the business. Licensing and bonding both enhance the businesses’ reputation and credibility within the market.

Despite its importance, bonding is often overlooked by consumers who may not be aware of its significance or even what it really means. Many assume that all businesses carry insurance to protect themselves and their clients, but this is not always the case. Insurance may cover the workers on the job site but not necessarily the property where the work is being done or the occupants who reside there.

By understanding the role of bonding, consumers can make more informed decisions when selecting service providers. A clear understanding of what bonding is can help consumers to prioritize their protection and peace of mind.

Insurance: Safety nets for pros

Much like bonding, insurance provides a safety net for both businesses and consumers alike. Insurance offers the company financial protection against unforeseen circumstances and liabilities that can occur. Whether it’s property damage, bodily injury of an employee, or professional errors, insurance helps to mitigate the financial risks associated with running a service-based business for providers.

Consumers choosing a restoration company might not know the specifics of your insurance policy as a provider, but the fact that you have one can give them peace of mind and help make a sale when they are already on the fence about a project.

From a business perspective, having insurance coverage is not just prudent—it’s essential. Most municipalities have regulations that prohibit the operation of service industry businesses without an insurance policy. Insurance coverage safeguards the company’s assets, reputation, and long-term viability in the face of potential lawsuits or claims. Moreover, insurance can be a competitive advantage, giving the business an edge over the competition, who may lack adequate coverage.

For consumers, hiring an insured service provider is a matter of risk management. A project may be more affordable when purchased through an uninsured provider because they don’t have this expense to pay, but it may cost more in the long run, should the worst occur. A fully equipped insurance policy safeguards providers against being held liable for any accidents or incidents that occur during service. This is especially true when dealing with high-risk industries or complex large projects. While insurance may add to the cost of doing business, the peace of mind it offers is invaluable for service providers and consumers alike, even if the consumers don’t necessarily realize it.

Selling the selling points

Service industry providers like restoration companies may not realize the advantage of having these qualifications for their businesses simply because they are viewed as necessities by experts and burdensome expenses by those uninitiated in disasters.

When service providers get on-site, they’re the experts in their trade, but they are also selling themselves through those skills, expertise, and reliability to customers on every potential job. That means they need all the tools they can get to sell the job and then do it, too.

Tools of the trade is a common phrase in the construction and restoration industry, and being licensed, bonded, and insured is just a set of marketing tools that need to be maintained to keep them sharp.

When the paint dries

Licensing, bonding, and insurance play a fundamental role in the world of service providers. Yet, despite this, their significance is often overlooked by consumers who don’t realize what the terms mean for them. From a business perspective, they are more than just regulatory requirements. They are symbols of professionalism, reliability, and accountability. For consumers, understanding the nuances of hiring licensed, bonded, and insured service providers can help them make informed decisions that will protect their interests.

For service providers, licensing, bonding, and insurance can seem like wasted resources, but if the worst happens, it will feel like money well spent. And ultimately, with a shift in perspective, these qualifications can help to sell a potential client or project that might have otherwise been reticent to sign the dotted line.

Al Ruggie is the marketing and business development director for ASAP Restoration LLC. He has a proven record for growing businesses, both large and small, with strategic planning and targeted content that delivers results.

Joshua Rudin owns ASAP Restoration LLC and is a certified restorer. Before opening the doors in 2008, Rudin had been a successful entrepreneur in the restaurant industry, owning and running several thriving locations for over two decades. To reach Rudin, visit , call 602-515-7918, or email jrudin@asaprestoration247.com.

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In the ever-changing and evolving world of restoration and reconstruction, success is often contingent upon the ability to adapt and plan for various weather conditions. From the relentless hurricane seasons in the south to the challenges posed by freezing rain in northern Arizona, weather plays a pivotal role in shaping the business operations of restoration companies. Fortunately, there are systems and strategies that can help you navigate and thrive in the face of constant weather-related challenges.

Understanding the impact of weather

Weather profoundly influences the restoration industry because it is the most extreme challenge a home can face. Whether torrential rain, hurricanes, freezing temperatures, or melting snow, each weather pattern poses unique challenges. Additionally, each weather event demands specific planning measures from restoration professionals.

Hurricane preparedness

The southeastern states are familiar with the destructive forces of a hurricane. These natural disasters can bring about widespread flooding, structural damage, and other issues that require immediate efforts. Restoration companies operating in hurricane-prone areas should establish comprehensive preparedness plans that include:

• Early warning systems: Monitoring the weather forecasts and early warnings allows businesses to anticipate the impact of an approaching hurricane and be proactive.
• Resource allocation: Ensuring an adequate supply of manpower, equipment, and materials are ready for deployment in the aftermath of a hurricane is essential.
• Collaboration with authorities: Establishing partnerships with local authorities and emergency services enables restoration companies to coordinate efforts effectively.

Freezing rain and temperatures

Freezing rain and sub-zero temperatures can present unique challenges, particularly in northern states. These conditions can lead to frozen pipes, ice dams, and other issues requiring specialized restoration and plumbing services. Key strategies for businesses in areas where freezing temperatures occur include:

• Preventive measures: Implementing preventive measures, such as insulation and regular maintenance, helps minimize the risk of frozen pipes and related damage. While customers typically take preventive measures, they can also be an added-value service for restoration companies or a separate offering.
• Emergency response plans: Having a well-defined emergency response plan in place allows restoration teams to address issues promptly. Make sure equipment is ready and capable. Additionally, prepare with your teams to ensure they are ready for the influx of work in conjunction with lowered maneuverability and decreased access to resources.
• Customer communication: Transparent communication with clients is crucial. Informing them about potential risks and providing guidance on preventive measures can help build trust and loyalty. Additionally, trusted providers are called first to the scene of disasters and to perform preventative maintenance.

Integrated planning systems

Restoration businesses can utilize integrated planning systems to plan for weather-related challenges effectively. These systems are designed to streamline operations, enhance communication, and ensure a coordinated response to varying weather conditions, no matter what season it is.

Technology integration

The integration of advanced technologies plays a pivotal role in planning for weather-related challenges. Restoration companies can and should leverage the data of weather forecasting tools, geographic information systems (GIS), and real-time tracking technology to monitor and analyze weather patterns. These technologies enable businesses to make data-driven decisions and allocate resources strategically, rather than just guessing based on a weather report.

• GIS mapping: GIS technology is a hybrid of location and topographical data. This information helps to visualize and analyze geographical data relative to a weather phenomenon. Doing this allows companies to identify high-risk areas and plan resource distribution accordingly.
• Weather forecasting tools: Access to accurate and timely weather forecasts empowers restoration businesses to anticipate the impact of weather events, enabling proactive planning and resource allocation. Additionally, even when there aren’t extreme weather events on the horizon, this can still help with planning for everything from gas fill-ups to materials delivery.

Communication protocols

Effective communication is paramount in dealing with weather-related challenges. This is true from the standpoint of disasters and safety, but also from the perspective of growing a restoration company business. Restoration companies should always establish clear communication protocols to ensure seamless coordination among team members, clients, and external partners. But this is doubly true for emergency scenarios and weather-related catastrophes that can drive business forward.

• Emergency communication systems: Implementing robust emergency communication systems ensures that all stakeholders are promptly informed of developing weather situations and response plans. This means that your mitigation crews and reconstruction crews will be aware of everything they need in order to get the job done correctly.
• Client engagement: Restoration businesses prioritize maintaining open lines of communication with clients. Keeping clients informed about potential weather-related risks and the steps being taken to address them fosters trust and transparency. Typically, your customers will get this information from news sources, but with existing clients, restoration companies should have a system in place for continued communication. Maintaining a clear line of communication with customers when they find themselves in dire straits can give them peace of mind and make you their first call the next time there is trouble.

Training and preparedness programs

Comprehensive training programs are essential to equip restoration teams with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate various weather-related scenarios. These programs cover safety protocols, equipment operation, and specific challenges posed by different weather conditions.

• Simulated exercises: Conducting simulated exercises and drills prepares teams for real-life scenarios. This includes practicing response protocols for hurricanes, floods, snowstorms, and other weather-related events. Testing these procedures allows business owners to find any weak spots in their operations and plug them before a real emergency occurs. Exercises also allow teams the chance to prioritize their own personal systems of readiness prior to a catastrophe forcing it upon them.
• Continuous learning: Given the evolving nature of weather these days, restoration businesses need to invest in continuous education for their teams. This might include classes on how to better integrate or use the GIS mapping system or increased certifications in the areas where deficiencies already exist in your teams. Staying up to date on the latest technology and certifications can put your business above the competition when comparisons are made by customers making decisions about who to trust with their property restoration.

Flexible resource management

Weather-related challenges often require flexible resource management or at least the ability to stretch existing capacities to their limits. Restoration companies must be agile in allocating resources based on the severity and location of weather events. These events might also pose logistical challenges, such as inaccessibility issues for the business service area, and having resources prone to these events can help mitigate lost revenue.

• Mobile response units: Deploying mobile response units equipped with the necessary tools, materials, and personnel allows restoration businesses to reach affected areas quickly. This approach can be especially fruitful in the aftermath of severe weather events like hurricanes, tornados, and polar vortexes.
• Strategic partnerships: Establishing partnerships with suppliers, subcontractors, and other industry stakeholders ensures a reliable supply chain, even in challenging weather conditions. It might seem counterintuitive to collaborate with a competitor. Still, when a disaster strikes and each of your businesses needs assistance that the other can provide, it’s better to have a pre-organized working relationship that can fill the gaps.

Marketing for the weather

By aligning marketing strategies with weather patterns, restoration companies not only stay ahead of the competition but also position themselves as proactive partners ready to assist homeowners in safeguarding their properties against climate-related risks. This approach not only enhances brand visibility but also builds a reputation for reliability and expertise in addressing weather-induced restoration needs.

Seasonal campaigns

Preparing and systemizing for weather-related business can take some planning, but doing so now can pay dividends in the future. Simply having an idea of what campaigns will need to be executed at specific times of the year can put restoration companies a leg above the competition.

• Targeting regularity: For restoration companies based in locations with seasonal changes, these can be incorporated as regularly as the seasons themselves. For example, freezing weather necessitates “frozen pipe” campaigns. Monsoon season in the Southwest would engender “flooding” campaigns at the appropriate time of year.
• Plan for influx: Systemizing weather-related business will also necessitate planning for increased marketing budgets around these seasons. In the north, winter shifts marketing budgets away from liquid water and onto frozen water issues. Having seasonal campaigns designed at the ready can help to mitigate flux in the marketing budget.

Service packages and discounts

Black swan weather events aside, systemizing for the seasons also allows service providers the opportunity to create incentives and packages that curtail to the needs of customers relative to the weather they are experiencing.

• Bundling opportunities: By extending to customers the option to join in your planning efforts, you can make everything from budgeting to scheduling vastly easier. Provide customers with the opportunity to couple your similar seasonal services together. For example, they might desire to purchase air duct cleaning with a mold inspection as a yearly checkup.
• Discounts for early birds: Giving customers the chance to feel like they are saving money while simultaneously being good stewards of their property is a win-win. Not only will the restoration provider be able to administer services succinctly, but opportunities like these can fill up downtimes in the provider’s scheduling.

Seasonal social media

Maintaining a consistent social media presence is critical for most businesses these days, and this is the same for restoration service providers. Systemizing the social engagement calendar can make the process vastly easier for restoration companies to manage, making an audience feel that much more catered to when posts feel prescient.

• Tips, tricks, and advice: While it might feel like providing restoration advice is simply giving away business, the method by which you do so can often be a business boon. Offering customers the chance to use DIY methods for home protection from the elements won’t curtail business and could lend authority to your services as an administrator.
• Geographical targeting: With the functionality of social media, it’s possible to geo-target specific ad campaigns to certain audiences. Doing this can save on budgetary resources in preventing ad spending in places unaffected by the weather event that is targeted. Geographical advertising can also show your social audience that you are attentive and timely in your restoration offerings and capabilities.

In the restoration industry, planning for weather-related catastrophes isn’t just a strategy; it’s a necessity. From the devastation of hurricanes in the south to freezing rain in the north and tornadoes in between, businesses in this field must be resilient and adaptive to stay on top.

Integrated planning systems, advanced technologies, and a commitment to continuous improvements are all critical components of successfully navigating weather-related restoration opportunities. Additionally, strategic marketing around seasons and specific weather events can be a bonanza for restoration providers savvy enough to plan for it.

Al Ruggie is the marketing and business development director for ASAP Restoration LLC. He has a proven record for growing businesses, both large and small, with strategic planning and targeted content that delivers results.

Joshua Rudin owns ASAP Restoration LLC and is a certified restorer. Before opening the doors in 2008, Rudin had been   a successful entrepreneur in the restaurant industry, owning and running several thriving locations for over two decades. To reach Rudin, visit , call 602-515-7918, or email jrudin@asaprestoration247.com.

The post Monetizing Mother Nature appeared first on Cleanfax.

When home and business owners face a plumbing issue on their property, whether it’s a leaky faucet, a clogged toilet, or a burst pipe, they want a trustworthy and skilled operator to come to their rescue. However, as disgusting as a property owner may already view their blackwater toilet leak, it can get a lot nastier when plumber referral fees are considered. The plumbing business can get downright dirty!

One of the significant reasons that referral fees complicate the process is that they are often hidden charges passed down to the customer in one form or another. This not only forces contractors to increase prices to compensate for the lead cost, but also creates a lack of transparency that can be a problem for operators who pride themselves on giving customers a fair and accurate price.

Additionally, the restoration company that does come to finish the job, as well as the homeowner, will now be allotted slightly less due to the referral fee than they would have received if the property owner called a full-service operation from the start!

Moreover, “plumber chaser” companies, as they are often called, are far more likely to lie, cheat, and steal while influencing property owners to assist them in defrauding their insurance company to benefit the contractor’s bottom line.

Basically, everyone but the plumber loses out when referral fee practices are taken to the extreme, and sadly, this has become an all-too-common practice in the industry today.

Narrowing the pipeline

In the plumbing business, where skill and trustworthiness are vital, the practice of plumber referral fees has emerged as a hot-button topic among industry professionals devoted to giving the customer the best value possible.

What are the implications of these fees, and how do they affect the relationships between plumbers, downstream companies and professionals, and property owners as well?

Understanding plumber referral fees

Plumber referral fees describe a practice where an industry-connected company, such as carpenters, roofers, drywallers, painters, mitigation specialists, or restoration companies, pay a plumber for the opportunity to do the rest of the work.

Consumers often don’t think of all the many services they will need help with after a flood or other water damage event. They tend to think of what caused the problem, be that a pipe burst or toilet leak, and assume when calling a plumber that this professional will be able to solve all the damage on their own at a responsible cost.

While this assumption makes sense from a property owner’s viewpoint, in reality, plumbers are often not licensed or trained in anything but their own trade. Home and business owners often don’t realize that the hole a plumber puts in their wall while searching for a water damage leak isn’t always a hole that they can fill themselves once they are done fixing it.

But the hole still needs to be filled, and because you already have the plumber on the job, it feels natural for consumers to let them tap their network of professionals to make the space look new again. When that happens, the plumber won’t necessarily contact the company that is most capable or most highly rated; they’ll contact the company that pays them the most for a referral fee to do the work.

At first glance, this may seem like a mutually beneficial business arrangement. Still, a closer look reveals a web of complexities that affect how plumbing professionals operate and interact within the industry.

A matter of trust

Trust is the backbone of the service industry no matter where on the spectrum the business falls. Service industry professionals rely heavily on their reputation as well as recommendations from peers. When referral fees enter the picture, the trust shared among industry specialists downstream becomes strained.

When a company pays for referrals from plumbers, their motivation is seen as profit-driven rather than based on the quality of service they can provide to the end user—the consumer.

If the referred company provides high-quality work, it tends not to become an issue, but when the work is subpar, the paid referral becomes a liability for both providers.

Poor quality work infuriates property owners, and then they feel doubly taken advantage of by paying more and getting less than what they expected in the end.

Additionally, contractors who provide high-quality work, but aren’t willing to pay exorbitant referral fees, may lose out on the job, or worse, ruin the relationship with the plumber who originated it. Moreover, plumbers who don’t charge these fees are at a disadvantage compared to their plumbing competition who does.

All these factors have led to a whirlwind of referral fees, with consumers and ethically guided contractors always on the losing end of this. This has resulted in profound distrust within the industry at every level of business operation.

The influence of referral fees

Referral fees are nothing new to the restoration industry, or service companies as a whole for that matter, but in recent years, the practice has gotten unruly and led to both consumers and contractors feeling cheated in the process.

The concept of a referral fee is rooted in logic. If you trust your plumber, then you should be able to trust the person that they refer you to when the job is above their head. But with the explosion of service industry provider specialization, very few consumers have already “got a guy” when it comes to plumbing, construction, or any other home service business.

In years past, consumers would have a local provider that they trusted for everything. Homeowners would have a guy that they have been using for years to fix the air conditioner, and a similar guy for the water heater, and the plumbing, and the roof, etc.

With the advent of the internet, consumers now tend to shop around for the best deal they can get a la carte on the services they need. This means they don’t develop the same relationship of trust with a provider over time that homeowners used to when they needed help in the home.

Referral fees went from being an affordable trust handoff between one local provider and another, to being a significant source of revenue, and plumbers are at the heart of this debacle.

Hidden costs result in price inflation

One of the fundamental drawbacks of plumber referral fees is their hidden nature. Customers are often unaware that a service provider, such as a restoration professional recommended to them, may have paid a substantial fee for that very recommendation. This lack of transparency can lead to price inflation and the passing of unnecessary expenses down to clients.

In a competitive environment where all contractors are vying for the same customers, companies may choose options to recoup these expenses, such as increasing their labor prices or line-item markups simply to recover the referral fees they’ve paid to get the job.

The outcome is a pricing structure that might not align with the actual market value of the services being provided, and the misalignment can be so extreme that even consumers ask about the costs of individual line items.

Leaking trust and fraud pressure buildup

Another way hidden referral fees influence the cost of a project and potentially cause higher levels of fraud is through project stuffing from disreputable “plumber chaser” restoration companies and other specialists. This tends to happen as a way of recouping the cost of the exorbitant referral fee paid to get the job.

Project stuffing can happen in a variety of ways, from leaving machinery on-site for longer than necessary and thus increasing line-item costs to outright fraud by influencing the claim through false damages that never existed.

These referral fees and the disreputable operators that use them to game the system will eventually result in reputational damage to all providers in the industry, not just the ones project stuffing.

Project stuffing is highly correlated to increased referral fees, and ultimately, both practices make it more difficult for reputable providers to operate. Additionally, these practices increase the risk to homeowners from false insurance claims, increased premiums, or potentially even dropping them from coverage.

Conclusively, this makes it harder for reputable providers to function in the marketplace. The last thing that high-quality service providers want is for this industry to become disreputable, taking on the same stigma that other sectors, such as used car salespeople, have shouldered for decades.

The future of referral fees and providers

While referral fees are already at an extreme level, this means there’s light at the end of the tunnel. At a certain point, when the referral fee becomes more than the job is worth, the plumbers charging these extremes will begin to face pressure from all sides—the provider (or lack of them,) the enraged consumer, and their own diminishing bottom line.

If the quality of work suffers, plumbers will face an avalanche of bad reviews that affect their revenues more than the increased fees can offset them. At this point, plumbers will either reduce fees or solidify relationships with the few connected providers who can afford them.

Given a long enough time period, this could lead to a stratification within the industry itself or to the collapse of this extortion approach to trading business. In either scenario, the opportunities for companies that offer trusted services at affordable rates will be easier to explore.

How service providers can still make waves

In an environment where restoration companies and other service providers compete, not just for customers but for access to them from plumbers, it becomes critical for these partnerships to be as mutually beneficial as possible.

Here are some ways to find the right plumbing companies for service providers to align with:

• Professional conduct. Look at the online reputation of a potential referral source to determine if this is a company that might fit well with your existing operations. If the company has a list of bad reviews, it might not be worth partnering together, no matter what the referral fee cost is.
• Clear communication. Service provider companies can and should use ease of communication as a factor in determining who to partner with. If the plumbing company can’t return a phone call, how will they be when functioning as the liaison between you and a potential customer?
• Existing network. Investigate the existing group of people, providers, and associations that a potential plumbing referral source already has. If they are groups that you wouldn’t want to work with or do business with, then this might not be the referral source your service provider company needs.
• Ethically trustworthy. It can be hard to determine easily if a potential plumbing referral source is ethically on the same page as your company, but this is also the type of information that finds its way into the light the quickest. Have a lengthy conversation with any potential plumbing referral sources and ensure everyone is on the same page.

Vetting your potential referral sources is as important as determining what the final referral fee will ultimately be, and doing so can save your business from financial turmoil or even ruin in the long run.

Capping it off

Unfortunately, for those who are committed to business as usual, it appears as though referral fees and the unethical environment that they inspire are here to stay. This means that restoration companies and other service providers must either find a way to play the game or a way around it to do business.

While this is a potential death knell for some contractors who refuse to participate, it might also be an opportunity for other service providers to find a niche to occupy and make their own.

Additionally, for those with the resources to stay in the game and provide high-quality work simultaneously, this can lead to an extraordinary increase in business if done correctly.

Referral fee systems like this can force out small providers lacking the resources to play at the same level. Still, it can also make them a more attractive option to a different demographic of the client pool looking for hidden gems, too.

Typically, industry stratification is good for those who can keep up with the pace of change and a way for companies straddling markets to find a profitable spot to land.

No matter what happens to the nature of referral fees, when the dust settles, service companies that go the extra mile for their customers will always have a reliable stream of business by being trustworthy providers in an industry of questionable ethics.

Al Ruggie is the marketing and business development director for ASAP Restoration. He has a proven record for growing businesses, both large and small, with strategic planning and targeted content that delivers results.

Joshua Rudin owns ASAP Restoration, LLC, and is a certified restorer. Before opening the doors in 2008, Rudin had been a successful entrepreneur in the restaurant industry, owning and running several thriving locations for over two decades. To reach Rudin, visit AsapRestoration247.com, call 602-515-7918, or email jrudin@asaprestoration247.com.

The post Drip by Drip appeared first on Cleanfax.

What do you get when a professed contents cleaning geek and a known mold geek collaborate on an article for Cleanfax magazine? Hopefully, a piece that is informative, interesting, and fun to read. It sounds like a tall order until you realize the respect and appreciation that each of the authors has for their co-writer.

The basics of mold remediation

When fungal contamination plagues a structure, it must be dealt with. The majority of the guidance documents instruct individuals to:

1. Remove the source material.
2. Clean the isolated work areas where the mold was removed.
3. Make sure the fungal spores have not compromised the HVAC system.
4. Assess/clean the contents.
5. Clean residual contamination (known in the industry as Condition 2) from the structure.

Most inspectors and contractors focus on the first item. Some will also include a review and remediation of the HVAC system. Sadly, in the remediation industry, content and whole house cleaning are often the elephant in the room. While we hope to come back and provide information in a future article about whole house cleaning, this piece focuses on contents cleaning.

The risk of ignoring contents cleaning

While most contents are of the modern variety, you will have antiques and other valuables to restore.

One of the reasons that contents “get so little love” regarding remediation is that many inspectors do not know how to properly evaluate them for contamination, and many contractors are not set up to deal with them efficiently or effectively. This is no surprise, as many mold remediation contractors originally started as restoration contractors. In that industry, content cleaning for smoke and water damage has evolved into a specialized sub-section of the restoration field. That transition is just starting to take place in the mold remediation arena.

The impetus for, and value of, contents being cleaned for mold by a specialist has grown over the last five years. This change has been fueled by a much deeper understanding of the health risks mold-sensitized individuals face. Significant symptoms can be triggered by what would seem to be trivial exposures to most people.

A skilled technician can work magic with contents restoration.

The push to evaluate and clean contents properly has also been encouraged by the growing awareness of mycotoxins, poisons produced by mold, and their prevalence in water-damaged structures. Forward strides have matched this medical and scientific information about contents in both testing and cleaning methods. Indeed, the restoration industry now has an earned the designation of Contents Loss Specialist (CLS) to accompany the Certified Mold Professional (CMP) industry recognition.

As more and more clients understand the risk of mold exposure, the more research they are doing. Many internet information sources (such as Change the Air Foundation at changetheairfoundation.org) are quite good and lead individuals to understand that each of the five parts of the puzzle detailed in this article must be addressed in a comprehensive mold remediation project.

The contractor who ignores the possibility of contaminated contents, either because they haven’t addressed them in the past or because they don’t have the proper skills in-house or a subcontractor lined up, will quickly find themselves at a disadvantage. Worse yet, they will risk dealing with multiple callbacks and unfavorable reviews when limited remediation does not resolve the health issues of sensitized occupants.

The challenge of properly cleaning mold from contents

Over the past several years, Lori Young has developed a passion for helping people with substantial exposure to mold in their homes. Many of these individuals were ill or have illnesses that have been exacerbated by mold and/or mycotoxin exposure. Many of her clients went so far as to have testing that proved that they had mycotoxins in their bloodstream.

One key consideration in many of those cases was the fact that a mold remediation project had been completed that focused on removing visible growth. Even if the remediation was done well, the work did not address the residual contamination on the surface and contents. As Young learned more about mold (different types, different exposures, etc.), she became fascinated with answering the question of which contents could be safely cleaned so that they could be kept, even by sensitized individuals.

Working with Wonder Makers Environmental for testing and data, Young was able to intentionally build a base of information about the effectiveness of various content cleaning practices. The data has provided critical insight, allowing her to consult intelligently with individuals affected by highly allergenic and, in some cases, highly toxic, living environments. From books, photos, artwork, children’s toys, textiles, and furnishings, Young evaluated various cleaning approaches and did the testing to understand and have documentation about what could be saved.

Some items you will handle are more sentimental in nature, but valuable to the client. Keep up-to-date on modern contents restoration technology.

Unique challenges with upholstered furniture

With the high replacement cost and all the questions about proper cleaning approaches, one of the areas of particular interest for Young was upholstered furniture.

Using the previously published evaluation criteria for tape lift samples used by Wonder Makers, Young explains to her clients that the sample results fall into categories from 1–5. In that data interpretation system, Categories 1 and 2 are “no spores detected” or “normal fungal ecology.” These two classes of results are acceptable for individuals with a normal immune system. In contrast, Categories 3–5 indicate potential problems. One of the unique aspects of the Wonder Makers’ evaluation criteria is that even one spore of Stachybotrys or Chaetomium will result in a classification of the sample data as Category 5.

Over many years, Young discovered that Category 5s, with proper cleaning and treatment, can become Category 2s. This has been proven on books and other random porous items that cannot be cleaned utilizing a water source. However, a foam cushion and/or pillow covered by an outer fabric of the upholstered item poses a true difficulty for thorough cleaning. Specifically, she was trying to determine if the upholstered fabric is contaminated with mold spores from airborne deposition, specifically reaching Category 5. Do the mold spores migrate down into the pillowing?

The combination of fabric and stuffing is the issue

This is a critical question as, in most cases, such deep contamination is almost impossible to clean or treat thoroughly. In such situations, even if the fabric can be brought down to a Category 2, the pillowing below runs the high risk of re-contaminating the entire piece. This results from the air movement through the various layers of the upholstered furniture as people sit on it, compress the cushions, etc.

In one representative example, testing was done on a chair before cleaning. The tape sample results came back as a 5. Testing of the same chair after thorough cleaning using a HEPA vacuum and hot water extraction yielded a result of Category 2. Unfortunately, when the foam/pillowing below the upholstery was accessed (i.e., cut open) and tested, the results came back as Category 4, which indicates fungal contamination through deposition.

This test and several others strongly suggest that a mold-sensitized individual should not keep an upholstered piece that starts as a 4 or 5, regardless of how clean one can get the exterior fabric. In contrast, if the upholstered piece starts as Category 1, 2, or 3, and the individual is willing to clean the item properly, then there is most likely an option to save it. Even with low initial testing results for upholstered pieces, Young is adamant that such furniture is not an option for a sensitized individual to keep unless cleaned.

Expanding the lessons from upholstery

Clothing, shoes, books, toys, textiles, artwork, exercise equipment, electronics, craft supplies, photo albums, and many more specific types of items make up the specific category of “contents.” This variety of objects must also be matched with an understanding of the client’s individual exposure and specific sensitivities to make good decisions about cleaning techniques and effectiveness.

While it might seem that the results from Young’s work would mean that all stuffed items contaminated with spores must be replaced instead of cleaned, that is not the case. The unique aspect of furniture is that it cannot be treated using a laundry process. Pillows, quilts, sleeping bags, winter jackets, and even detachable furniture cushions can be cleaned in a wash system to remove mold spores.

The Esporta Wash System organization conducted third-party, controlled testing, where intentionally contaminated contents were cut apart to measure inside and outside cleaning effectiveness. The results were amazingly impressive for mold and a variety of other contaminants.

There is a way to clean and test for mold contamination

It remains a mystery why contents cleaning in many mold remediation situations get ignored. Perhaps it is because removing the source of fungal growth in a building generally leads to a dramatic improvement in mold spore levels and air quality. However, in cases where there are mold-sensitized occupants, content cleaning can be critical. As such, it is good to know that contents and mold geeks have combined their efforts to research what is practical and what is not when cleaning mold from contents.

Lori Young is a Certified Restorer, Contents Loss Specialist, Environmental Risk Specialist, and Certified Home Mold Inspector. Still, content cleaning is her real passion, helping real people keep sentimental and valuable items. As the president of Bartwood Construction in Irvine, California, she is dedicated to excellence in fire, water, and mold restoration. She can be reached at Lori@Bartwood.com, or visit her website at .

Michael Pinto is the CEO of Wonder Makers Environmental and has expertise in asbestos control, general safety and health, indoor air quality, and lead contamination, in addition to the dangers of mold. He has six different professional certifications to match his academic achievements. He has developed and taught classes to thousands of students, written two textbooks and multiple manuals, and authored more than 260 published articles. He can be reached at map@wondermakers.com.

The post The Unappreciated Aspect of Remediation appeared first on Cleanfax.

Who wants to run the ball the length of the football field only to fall inches from the goal line? In comparison, building a brilliantly designed and executed containment, followed by practical remediation work, only to “fumble” inches from successful post clearance is equally tragic. As the saying goes, it is snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

This article will provide time-tested guidance on completing restoration projects and ensuring poor demobilization processes do not sabotage the project.

Remember: The ‘why’ guides the ‘what’

Projects needing temporary barriers constitute a completely different class of work than those activities not needing containments. Temporary containments segregate structures to keep “bad stuff” in a defined space.

Whether the debris/contaminants are drywall dust, mold spores, asbestos fibers, lead paint chips, or other contaminants likely to be airborne, temporary containments prevent cross-contamination of previously unaffected areas.

Dealing with the fall-out

The reality is some debris will go airborne during any demolition and cleaning procedures. Eventually, all particles will settle onto surfaces. The best practice is to minimize the amounts of particulates by careful, well-considered handling of items and using tools that collect dust at the point of creation (e.g., cutting tools designed to connect to a HEPA vacuum). The most effective approach is control and direct versus chase and capture.

Small airborne contaminants are often removed by adding negative pressure to the contained area utilizing air filtration devices (AFDs). Supplemental procedures also aggregate small dust pieces into heavier clumps that settle quickly. This can be done electronically using ionizers or physically by fogging liquids that attract the dust onto the droplets.

Yet to be discussed is what to do with the exhaust of the AFD. Hundreds of job site “brag” photos are posted of projects where the exhaust of the AFD is terminated within the structure on the “clean” side of the temporary containment. The proper procedure is to exhaust the AFD to the outside of the building, if possible. Why?

Is your AFD functioning correctly? Most contractors never test the functionality of the AFD. If it is not filtering appropriately, you did more than stumble and fall before the end zone. This fundamental error is akin to running in the wrong direction and scoring for the other team. Don’t exhaust the fallout of your containment into the unaffected structure.

Another critical component is an exit strategy. How do you exit the work area with debris, and tools, or go home at the end of the work shift? A piece of plastic over the doorway with a zipper qualifies as a temporary barrier until you unzip the zipper. At that moment, you often will lose negative air, and the weight of the particles floating in the air will cause them to fall out of the contaminated room. Even if dust does not fall out, you are contaminated and will take particles with you as you traverse the building. To avoid this, you must have a decontamination chamber on most projects.

Cleanup is a process

The remaining structure and air must be cleaned with the demolition complete and debris removed. The solution to the pollution is dilution. Having clean air enter the containment area from a known clean air source will ideally direct particulates across the containment area to the intake of the AFD, where the air will be filtered and then exhausted outside the building. AFDs can also be placed in the work area with thoughtful plans regarding redirecting the exhausted air utilizing a diffuser tail. A diffuser tail is a lay-flat tubing attached to the exhaust, tied at the far end with slits or holes cut along the length, which exhausts air more strategically and efficiently.

Cleaning the air is then matched with cleaning the surfaces. Remember, not just horizontal surfaces within the containment must be cleaned of particulates. Walls and vertical surfaces must be addressed, including the surface or containment. Contaminants left on walls will contaminate the air and vice versa.

How to check your work

Post-remediation verification (PRV) often involves visual inspections and some form of sampling. Before scheduling PRV, do a thorough visual inspection. A helpful technique is using both white and dark-colored gloves. The different-colored gloves wiped across various surfaces will provide physical evidence that the surfaces need additional cleaning.

Another inspection technique is to shine the beam of an LED flashlight across the surface, rather than pointing it perpendicular to the area being examined. The light shining along the length can highlight the dust by showing irregularities and shadows. This method can provide visual evidence that a surface still needs cleaning.

You are ready for sampling once you pass your internal quality control inspection. If sampling is part of the protocol, the temporary containment barriers (and negative pressure if utilized) must be maintained until after the sample results have been received. Too often, negative air is shut down or containment is demobilized before obtaining testing results.

When lab results indicate the air inside the work zone is still contaminated, any savings that might have been realized by having the barriers taken down while the crew was still on-site will be completely lost. The additional cost of having to send people back later to remove the containment pales in comparison to the cost of additional cleaning, not to mention a damaged reputation and potential liability.

What sampling?

Microscopic particles cannot be identified by visual inspection. It is true that residual dust particles clearly indicate that the air or surfaces are not clean, but only sampling can determine the concentration of the different possible contaminants that might remain.

What samples should be taken? An individual with an extensive background in remediation techniques and sampling strategies would be the best person to answer that question. Sampling should be appropriate to the work area. General dust, like sawdust or drywall sanding dust, can be sampled with electronic particle counters, providing real-time numerical data. Following all laws and ordinances, asbestos, lead, mold, silica, and other hazardous items require sampling methods by people properly qualified to identify the substance. Asbestos sampling techniques, for example, can provide a distinction between dust particles and fibers, down to the detail of what type of asbestos it is or if it is merely paper residue or even fiberglass.

Combining aggressive visual/wipe inspection and appropriate air sampling confirms that the properly cleaned containment barriers are ready to be removed without putting adjacent areas at risk of work-related contamination.

Finish strong

A good goal is to have no dust/contaminants in the work area after remediation. Even though zero can be difficult or even impossible to achieve economically, it is still fantastic to aim for such a goal. There’s a saying: Shoot for the moon; even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars. This approach is critical when the contaminant is hazardous (e.g., methamphetamine or fentanyl). All residual dust must be cleaned to a predetermined acceptable level in those situations.

One of the keys to finishing strong is knowing the playbook. You must understand what the post-clearance criteria will be.

The effort put into designing, constructing, and working correctly inside temporary containments is only well spent if the closeout, final cleaning, and teardown are completed correctly. Do not become complacent and drop the ball at the end; you will never get into trouble for finishing too strong!

Let’s end at the beginning

Professionals do not practice during the game; they perform. They practice on the practice field. Learn how to build containments properly in classes. Many classes are provided by the National Organization of Remediators and Microbial Inspectors (NORMI), as well as the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) via its approved Applied Microbial Remediation Technician (AMRT) courses.

Practice in your office and warehouse, figure out what went right and wrong by critical debriefings, and learn how to repeat it or delete it. Make it better and keep mistakes from happening again in an actual situation so that you perform at the top of your game at the clients’ property. Study the playbook (for mold remediation, it is the ANSI IICRC S520), run the drills, practice how you play, and win the day!

Mark Cornelius has been in the restoration industry for more than 38 years. He is president of Disaster
Recovery Industries Inc. and owns Emergency Mitigation Technician Academy.

Keith Gangitano co-founded Airwalls by Zeppelin, a company with restoration containment solutions.

Michael Pinto serves as the CEO of Wonder Makers Environmental and has more than 45 years of experience in the industry.

The post Finishing Strong on a Restoration Project appeared first on Cleanfax.

Commercial carpet maintenance has undergone significant changes in the last 20-plus years. But first, what does commercial carpet maintenance include?

Commercial carpet maintenance is more than the science of cleaning. Cleaning professionals need to know and understand what they are cleaning, the installation type, the fiber type, and more.

The past two decades have seen many changes in carpet maintenance. It’s a great business, but entering into this vertical is difficult. Back when we started, one needed extraordinary business skills, friends in high places, or both, but things have changed.

20-plus years ago

The commercial carpet maintenance methods of 20-plus years ago primarily consisted of using portable hot water extractors for the first 10 feet from a hard surface followed by absorbent pads (such as bonnets) for most other areas. But then something new happened that turned this industry upside down.

DuPont Flooring entered the commercial carpet business using an unusual method of cleaning. This method’s chemistry was something that seemed inconceivable. In a matter of a few months, DuPont captured a sizable amount of market share. They had noticeably better cleaning results. They were more than competitive. What were they doing?

Encapsulation chemistry

It was the introduction of encapsulation cleaning. It was faster than bonnets, had superior appearance retention, was more profitable, took much less skill, and eliminated most of the wicking issues. The big bonus was that there were fewer issues with carpet manufacturers’ cleaning specifications.

Thus, the encapsulant introduced a new form of chemistry to the carpet cleaning industry. The primary difference was that hot water extraction and bonnets used surfactants, which suspended soil, while encapsulants formed films. When similar products were introduced to these companies, you either joined the technology or lost your business to someone who did. The problem was that industry educators should have paid more attention even though revisions were made to update training in 2002.

The COVID-19 era

We hit a second major transformation in commercial maintenance in 2020 that changed a lot of things. It was called COVID-19. Many offices were closed, and employees worked from home. If you did go into an office, there were new social distancing and masking rules. Thus, commercial carpet maintenance significantly declined, but an opportunity of significant importance arose.

A few commercial carpet companies experienced their greatest success yet. They started sanitizing with new technologies. These innovative technologies included extraordinary oxidizers such as chlorine dioxide and peracetic acid. In addition, newer technologies in UVC lighting were introduced to the marketplace. For example, using a UVC light could achieve more than 90% efficacy

in 15 minutes compared to 70% effectiveness with four hours of cleaning by four highly trained technicians. Do the math! This made the revenues from entering the age of encapsulants look like pocket change in comparison.

But how do we get ourselves educated in the latest technology? Currently, education is kicking around methods of cleaning and whether we will be able to keep our “wear warranty” from the carpet maker. Unfortunately, education has not grown to where it needs to be. There are so many opportunities and so few well-trained companies.

Focus on maintenance

In the meantime, as we wait for education to catch up with technology, our focus should be on maintenance.

When you have a new car, do you wait till it breaks down before maintaining it? No, of course not. You maintain the car regularly, such as by changing the oil every so many miles. The same is true in commercial carpet cleaning. Cleaners must understand their customers’ needs.

Many carpet cleaners have commercial jobs where they clean a heavily soiled carpet for a customer once a year. To convert this to a maintenance program, the cleaner needs to say to the customer: “Let’s put a program together to maintain your carpet so it will always look clean.”

Show the customer how a maintenance program works

When explaining to your customer how a maintenance program works, first walk the complete facility and determine:

• Where all the traffic areas are, such as the main areas, the secondaries, and so on
• Where the pivot points are
• Where the coffee stations are located
• Where food might be served.

Once these areas are determined, a color-coded floor plan can now be created. This will allow you to review the benefits of an ongoing maintenance program with the customer. There are excellent programs available via the internet that can be adapted for your use. There are also consulting companies that can come to your aid.

Commercial carpet maintenance has certainly evolved over the years, but its purpose is still the same: to keep customers’ carpet clean through a regular program of maintenance, no matter how time moves on.

James “Jim” B. Smith is an IICRC-approved instructor and a senior practicing inspector, with nearly 50 years of experience. His educational studies come from Texas A&M University and the University of Houston. Learn more at www.carpetinspector.com/jbs or email him at jsmith@ carpetinspector.com.

Graham Bedwell is the director of Bedwell Consulting, providing IICRC certification and commercial maintenance consulting. With more than 30 years of experience, he is an IICRC-approved instructor and senior inspector. He is also a past IICRC board member and past Carpet and FabriCare Institute (CFI president.

The post Two Decades of Commercial Carpet Maintenance appeared first on Cleanfax.

It’s time to go to the doctor. The doctor that we all want is someone that has seen our condition hundreds, maybe even thousands of times. We need to believe that our doctor has seen our condition so many times that they’ll know exactly what to do about it.

Restoration and remediation are not that different from medical practice. As a contractor, you need to remind yourself of this and think of yourself as a doctor. You must remember that, just like a cancer diagnosis, this mold job is likely this person’s first mold loss, and they’re scared, sad, frustrated, and probably a little grumpy. Or even worse, this isn’t their first mold job, and they have experienced a few worst-case scenarios.

Now they are completely terrified, angry, and ready for battle. What they need more than anything from you and your team at this time is competence and compassion. They need to know that you truly understand their unique situation and that you absolutely have this in hand.

This is not a democracy; it’s a benevolent dictatorship.

Now is when you take control of the situation. Doctors don’t ask their patients what kind of medicine they would like or how they would like their disease to be treated. In fact, when you think about it, the medical field, in general, is all about control; it’s about imposing order on chaos. From janitorial services that keep the hospital hygienic to telling all of us where to enter, where to go (with excellent signage), what to eat, where to sit, and who we talk to and when, it is all about control.

As the contractor/expert, you should do exactly the same. You shouldn’t defer to the homeowner or the adjuster; you are the expert. You have the training, the certifications, the experience, and the assets, both in people and equipment. More importantly, if things go wrong, nobody blames the homeowner or the adjuster; they blame you, so you get to call the shots.

That being said, there is a way to exert that control without appearing belligerent, callous, or arrogant. If you attempt to wrestle it away, even if doing so gives you the control you need to do the job right, you could still find yourself fighting throughout the project, getting your bill cut, or even getting sued.

To control correctly means to lead, and effective leaders are chosen by those they lead. Gaining that leadership role is a simple two-step process, with a little added zhuzh.

First, you must observe, evaluate, and listen. Do your best to understand not just the scope of work, but the limitations you might encounter. Take the time to understand the story of the individuals affected; there is always a story.

Second, move slowly with purpose and care. The client might be ready to start, but will an extra five minutes or even five hours make a measurable difference? Moving too fast often leads to mistakes that must later be fixed. It can even lead to broken equipment or injuries.

Remember, slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. A constant, purposeful, linear movement where every step is intentional and deliberate is calming. It says to everyone that you’re a professional, know exactly what you’re doing, and won’t be rushed. Rushing says that you might not have total control of the situation or might even be afraid. It could also give someone the impression that you are doing a “rush” job, that they are just one of many clients you plan to fleece that day, and that they are not worthy of your best work.

And that zhuzh that was mentioned—that’s the communication. It can be the most annoying necessity for many contractors and crews, but those soft skills can completely change how you interact with other interested parties. If you communicate more than you think is necessary, you’re probably still not communicating quite enough.

You have the control; now use it.

In the world of remediation, one technique, in particular, communicates control like no other. We know it as containment. It clearly says to the world that up to this point, you are safe and all’s right with the world as you know it, but beyond this point all hell has broken loose, and as is said in Lord of the Rings, “You shall not pass.”

There are just three different recognized levels of effective containment, while there are countless examples of containment theater. Your job as a contractor is to know the difference and how to effectively execute the appropriate containment for the situation. Once you have decided on the suitable containment for the job, it is up to you and your crew to make that containment perform.

Containment is, first and foremost, about preventing cross-contamination. In the case of source containment, the process is fairly straightforward: encapsulate and remove.

Regarding local containment, things get a little more interesting. This requires the entire process to take place within a window dictated by biology. In other words, the job must be completed before the crew needs to eat, drink, cool down, or use the restroom.

Then we have full containment, which should be the majority of most remediators’ practice. However, it is the least utilized due to its complex build designs, intense consumption of single-use materials, and labor component, both in terms of pure man-hours and the cost of labor, as well as the need for qualified personnel to execute a successful build.

Full containment, when done properly, is incredibly effective but requires extraordinary attention to detail. It must be well constructed, which we went into extensively in the previous article in this series, and it needs to be used correctly. As a tool, it has a right way and a thousand wrong ways to use it. Have you ever tried to put a screw in with a hammer or turn a hex nut with a regular pair of pliers? Well, containment, when used incorrectly, is no different.

This stuff is either important or it isn’t.

Sadly, containment is often looked at no differently than a dust barrier. A dust barrier, “painter’s plastic” draped over stuff (often just theater), or plastic affixed to a doorframe with a zipper allowing access, usually leads to patient and doctor frustration when shockingly, the dust has spread all over the remainder of the previously clean structure and contents.

The image on the left shows an attempt to cover and protect some furnishing, and the one on the right shows how it failed because the loose-fitting plastic did nothing to stop dust buildup.

Many remediation projects require the use of full-scale containments. Each of the components—framing, plastic, critical barriers, tape, zippers, ducting, filters, and controlling chamber(s), must be used with the skill of a surgeon.

To properly use containment, it must not just deal with the local disease but prevent it from spreading. If you think about it, no one that works at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) walks out of a room full of Ebola straight into the employee lunchroom. While Ebola and mold are not the same, many contractors do their best to convince clients they are and then proceed to ignore most or all the protocols that they would use if they were actually the same.

Do your best to be better than the rest.

Whether you choose advanced or traditional, effective and reliable containment must be achieved.

Traditional containment builds have a very limited visual impact, as they often don’t look very impressive, and they do virtually nothing to remove the remediation activities from the awareness of the building occupant. In terms of sound mitigation and temperature control, there is no effect. Though incredibly wasteful, two layers of plastic, one on each side of the framework, can help. Until recently, there hasn’t been a more viable option for gaining control of these variables. Reusable inflatable modular containment offers that solution. This advanced form of containment also makes it easier to construct and use, which will inevitably encourage more use and, thus, better outcomes.

To be a contractor in control of the total environment, you must master all the senses. First, you must address the safety component with airborne particulate management; if you can smell it, then it’s not safe. Then you must move on to controlling sight, sound, and touch (temperature).

By exerting this level of control, you elevate yourself to a premium contractor. Practice these tips and tricks, and gain absolute control of this environment, until it is safe to return the building to its owners.

Mark Cornelius has been in the restoration industry for more than 38 years. He is president of Disaster Recovery Industries Inc. and owns Emergency Mitigation Technician Academy.

Keith Gangitano co-founded Zeppelin, a company that provides restoration containment solutions.

Michael Pinto serves as the CEO of Wonder Makers Environmental and has more than 45 years of experience in the industry.

The post The Remediation ‘Doctor’ Is in the House appeared first on Cleanfax.

It has become relatively clear that, for now, the supply chain issues brought on by COVID-19 have largely passed. That said, it could be argued that we are entering a new age of scarcity. Dwindling resources, population growth, labor shortages, global conflict, and the proliferation of catastrophic events have all converged to create the perfect storm currently making landfall on our supply chain. It is possible, even likely, that in the future, what you need may not always be readily available.

As we all learn to live differently, you, as a contractor or remediation specialist, must also learn how to do more with less. It isn’t always raw materials; it could also be equipment or personnel. It takes creative problem-solving to do this job and to do it well.

The first installment of this series primarily covered the “why” of using containments. This article is designed to provide the reader with an explanation of developing your containment options. This will represent a combination of tried-and-true approaches that many professionals in the asbestos, lead, mold, blood-borne pathogen, and drug lab cleanup industries already use, along with techniques that must be integrated into various industries. In short, the readers will leave with at least one new takeaway or be reminded of the importance of some technique that may still be useful but has fallen out of favor. We present the information here in ascending order, from the most common containment-building methods to the more innovative ones.

Plastic affixed to surfaces with poles, spray adhesive, and tape

An example of a decon chamber.

Since the purpose of containments is to control contaminants and often to withstand the rigors of negative pressure, the barrier must be impermeable, fire retardant, and strong/durable. Afterward come things like ease of use/setup, light transmission, price, and availability. It depends on the application, but if you are setting up negative air, then the choice is clear; no less than four mil thickness on the plastic will likely survive the intense demands of this environment. More importantly, that minimum is required by various federal and state regulations related to asbestos and lead abatement.

The latest guidance regarding mold remediation includes another encouragement to move up to heavier plastic. According to the current ANSI IICRC S520 2015 edition, “containment systems normally consist of 6-mil polyethylene sheeting.” In high-risk situations where redundancy is required, it may be recommended that double-layered plastic be utilized. One layer is theoretically just as effective as two. However, one critical difference is that a single tear or puncture can compromise single-layer plastic containment.

With space in the truck already at a premium, how many types of plastic do you carry, and how much? When dealing with others to choose supplies, the decision is sometimes more complex than one would think.

When, where, and how to use poles as your basic framework can also be daunting. The larger the piece of hanging plastic, the more critical it is to have some structural support such as poles or framing. When to use the specialized aluminum extendable poles (often with spring-loaded tops to facilitate secure placement) can often be as simple as whether you have enough of them and if they are bent, broken, or missing critical parts. Poles also make the most sense when timber, steel, or inflatable barriers are in short supply.

Another consideration when using poles is whether negative pressure will be employed.

The critical distinction that must be kept in mind is that dust control is not the same as negative pressure containment. Because there is not as much stress on the barriers, poles are better suited to the lower standard of dust control. Another evaluation tool to decide on the use of poles is when the speed of set up and short duration of the barrier are key factors. It is also important to remember that a bit more training is required for crews that will construct wood or steel for plastic barriers.

Plastic affixed to sliding steel or temporary wooden framing for a compression fit

Sometimes you have to tape the containment to the wall.

Strictly speaking, both techniques are similar to compression poles. Temporary compression steel framing is typically constructed out of steel wall framing studs. Wooden framing, usually built from 2-x-2 inch or 2-x-4 inch lumber, can be screwed, nailed, or held in place with special corner brackets. Overall, such products provide a solid framework that takes most of the stress away from the attachments of small areas or adhesives and spreads it more evenly throughout the structure.

With proper thought and implementation, little to no additional damage will be caused, but some assembly is required. Think of these methods as the Ikea of containment without the super easy-to-understand instructions. Because all jobs are unique, these contaminants do not come in “kits.” You will have to shop for and stock volumes of materials or take the necessary time to identify the needed sections and custom shop for each containment setup.

Fewer professionals in the restoration industry are familiar with the techniques of setting up steel support structures. They are most useful when carpentry tools, the skill to use them, or the timber is in short supply. There are unique advantages of using metal wall studs, with one of the most important being that the process does not require measuring in the traditional way. Instead, the remediation technicians cut two pieces of steel studs that equal the gap they are trying to fill, plus an additional 15% to 20% per piece. Cutting the extra length will ensure sufficient overlap between the two pieces and allow enough material for screws to lock it together.

When setting up steel isolation barriers as vertical supports, nest the two pieces of steel stud to fit together like two letter “Cs.” Once nested, put them in place and slide them apart such that they push against the top plate and sill plate. Once the initial expansion of the steel assembly is set, move them aside and then slide the two pieces just slightly so that they are longer than they were. Now with a 1/8 inch or so extra, screw them together in that position and then push or tap them back into place. The extra “slide” that you affected will have made them just a bit too long for the gap, thus creating tension.

Doing the same thing with wood requires precise, oversized measurements, but not too oversized. And if you cut it too short, you will have to shim it or possibly try to use the beam in another part of the structure. All the rest is similar to compression poles or wood. One distinct advantage, however, is that, unlike poles and lumber, magnets are easily integrated to connect the plastic to the framework. Furthermore, although tape, foam, spray adhesive, etc., are all still often necessary, steel does offer some distinct advantages. Strength, cleanability, reusability, low weight compared with green studs, and magnetism are some of them.

Reusable inflatable modular barriers

Relatively new to the industry are modular inflatable barriers. Like all the other options, these come with advantages and disadvantages. Some apparent disadvantages are up-front costs and the 10-foot ceiling height limit. However, any containment constructed over 10 feet tall will require special care and consideration to ensure that it is sturdy enough, even when it is only serving as a simple dust barrier.

An example of venting contaminants out of a window.

One of the significant advantages of reusable inflatable modular barriers is the savings on consumables. While this may seem like a fake benefit to many in the United States today, look around the other areas of the globe where single-use plastic for everything from water bottles to sheet plastic for barriers is being curtailed for environmental or cost control reasons. Inflatable modular barriers can also be an economical alternative because of the savings in the far more impactful labor category. Labor is the highest single cost for any business, but the skillset of your crew is critical. It doesn’t matter how much it costs to build if you don’t have someone that has the time and skill to build it.

Reusable inflatable modular barriers provide a stark comparison with everything that preceded them. Unlike all other options for structural support discussed previously, it is an all-inclusive solution to containment. That is because the structure is combined with the actual barrier and is “kittified” to adapt to different heights and widths of openings that need to be sealed. Fully formed five-foot sections of containment stored and transported in small duffel bags, such as those made by AIRWALLS, allows the contractor to quickly construct isolation barriers in various settings without resupplying or stocking any consumables.

Because the inflatable barrier is actually four layers of protection, it far exceeds the isolation requirements of some protocols, even for highly sensitized individuals. The four barrier layers also provide sound-reducing properties and thermal resistance of R20 for unmatched insulating properties. They move far beyond dust control into the realm of complete environmental control.

As one of the newer containment techniques introduced to the restoration and abatement industries, many professionals need to become more familiar with their advantages. Modular inflatable barriers are easily set up with little instruction and no specialized training. They will not cause collateral damage to the building and do not require any consumables associated with the standard forms of containment, like tape, plastic, spray adhesive, and assorted hardware. They have few parts and go up fast and effectively. Most importantly, using inflatable barriers eliminates the single failure points plaguing traditional containment.

Additional tips and tricks

To finish this section, here are several additional ideas to assist with reconstructing containments, presented in no specific order.

A properly sized containment will help maintain effective negative air.

Make your own double-stick tape. Roll off two-three feet of tape, but do not tear it yet, let the roll hang there. Hold the end of the tape, sticky side away from you, in your left hand, with your index, middle, ring finger, and thumb. Your thumb will be pointing away from your body. Press your thumb toward your middle finger, grasp the rest of the roll with your other hand, and spin it. That’s it, double-stick tape.

Use spring poles to aid with the setup of stud framework. Especially when setting up sliding steel or wood containment, use the compression poles to hold your top plate and sill plate in place to get your measurements and place the vertical members.

Filtering replacement air and regulating negative air, with this simple technique. Tape a pleated filter to the plastic sheeting’s outside (clean) side, 12-x-12 inch minimum. Once secured, step inside the containment and cut a U-shaped flap approximately one inch smaller on the other side of the filter. You can adjust the negative pressure and airflow by taping the plastic flap to cover more or less of the filter. Inflatable modular barriers have this as standard equipment.

Cover critical barriers with speed and ease. For electrical outlets and switches, remove the cover plate, place an oversized piece of plastic over the outlet or switch, then replace the cover plate with the original screws. You may also choose to tape the edges of the plastic. Do not use this technique if the wall plates are otherwise sealed to the wall; instead, just tape over the surface of the wall plate, outlet, and switch.

Many other materials, such as prefabricated wall sections with adjustable top pieces, can be used for temporary containments. Regardless of the materials, the key is ensuring the containment barriers are secure and decently airtight. The third part of this series will focus on using temporary containments to minimize cross-contamination.

Mark Cornelius has been in the restoration industry for more than 38 years. He is president of Disaster Recovery Industries Inc. and owns Emergency Mitigation Technician Academy.

Keith Gangitano co-founded Zeppelin, a company with restoration containment solutions.

Michael Pinto serves as the CEO of Wonder Makers Environmental and has more than 45 years of experience in the industry.

The post The Components of Temporary Containments appeared first on Cleanfax.

What does the February report on the discovery of ancient Roman ruins in Germany have to do with an article about temporary containments used in many areas of cleaning and restoration? The archaeological report reminds us that different forms of containment have been used continuously, dating back thousands of years, to protect people from threats both inside and outside the containment. Whether it is wooden stakes positioned to protect an encampment from invaders or the bars and razor wire used in prisons, the concept of containments has been with us since ancient times.

For the sake of relevance, this discussion will focus on threats that are decidedly smaller than a barbarian horde or a carefully planned jailbreak. The threats we will cover here are spores, asbestos fibers, lead dust, volatile organic compounds, fire residue, biological pathogens like the COVID virus, or any other contaminant that is likely to be or become airborne.

By minimizing the movement of harmful agents from a contaminated area to adjacent spaces, temporary barriers contain the problem in order to protect human health. These agents range from things like mold and asbestos that represent a health risk, to things like fentanyl and biological weapons that represent a clear and present danger. The former is defined as something that may or may not cause illness now or in the future, an unfortunate feature that tends to engender complacency. Whereas the latter is something that will definitely kill you and everyone around you, a truly unfortunate feature that limits complacency to one and done.

‘Tough guy’ syndrome

We are all guilty of “holding our breath” while creating a temporarily unsafe environment like spraying some chemical for a couple of seconds, and have come away mostly unscathed but have you ever skipped the respirator in an attic because you are going to be “in and out,” only to spend the next several hours coughing? There is a lot of machismo and denialism (ostrich syndrome) in this industry. The ultimate bandage after all is duct tape and a new glove but that kind of thinking is just dead wrong!

One of the forgotten aspects of many cleaning and restoration projects is the repetitive nature of the tasks, and potential exposures! The exposures of many dangerous substances can be cumulative. Lead dust is a good example; as the material collects in the blood, then the soft tissues, and eventually the bones. One well-documented pathway to lead poisoning (as well as asbestos and silica, among other contaminants) is from dust being brought home on the clothes of the worker. A child doesn’t care that their parent is a self-styled tough guy when they are exposing them and their family to dangerous levels of contaminants.

Tripping over a dollar just to save a quarter

So many people skip solid containment, or containment at all even on mold jobs, because they are expensive to execute well (labor and materials) but then they end up cleaning the whole house. Not only is that ultimately more expensive but it’s bad for business. If the TV in the master bedroom, upstairs, down the hall and behind a closed door is covered in drywall dust then that is just shameful. It is downright unprofessional and entirely unnecessary. That doesn’t even account for the guilty conscience, liability, and potential lawsuits when someone gets sick.

Another reason to skip containment is that the contractor may not actually have people that know how to do it.  One way to avoid this conundrum is to pay wages above the bare minimum. This all too rare approach increases the retention of experienced, skilled individuals. Employee retention and recruitment is a well documented problem that plagues the industry. The irony is that if you fix the first problem you also solve the second. When you fix both problems then everything gets better. If the job you offer isn’t easily replaced then you won’t just get good containments, you’ll get loyal people that protect your reputation and your bottom line.

The mammalian response or dive reflex

This industry is, by its very nature, reactive. After all, the next event is only ever a phone call or weather forecast away. This reality, as well as limited staff, makes it tough to be proactive. But just like the diving reflex will cause a baby to hold its breath when submerged in water, only to quickly drown because it can’t actually swim, so too will an untrained worker muddle through the first days, weeks, or months only to sink to the bottom and quit or get fired.

Early, continuous and advanced training is the best way to be proactive and stop this cycle. Everyone on the team should know the why, not just the what, and if they don’t know then teach them. Teach them also that they can be vigilant without being paranoid. Going back to the swimming analogy, by teaching someone to swim they will respect not fear the water and if the conditions are right they could learn to like it, or even love it.

When you teach someone something new then you begin to have depth on your bench that is so often lacking, and you have more eyes on your jobs. These trained eyes can often spot two things, potential problems and greater opportunities. It’s always the experienced tech that load tests the breaker with the microwave, while all of the equipment is running and before leaving for the night, and can legitimately turn a $1500 appetizer into a $5000 main course. Well paid, experienced techs also know that the containments, PPE and well established procedures aren’t there just for theater.

It is your job as the leader, or even as a coworker, not to minimize a thing and/or make it all about speed or the money. It is the job of everyone to stay alert and feel empowered, compelled even, to bring attention to incorrect applications of tools or techniques and most importantly to point out conditions that could threaten life and limb. The only way this works is if everyone is well trained to the level of their work requirements and cross trained through knowledge transfer so that, even at a basic level, everyone knows why, for example, the containment is so important and how to use it effectively.

We further must internalize the belief in a higher purpose. If it is clear to all that this work is valued, important and that the people that do it are unique, highly trained specialists and not just unskilled cleaners in bunny suits and a respirator, then everyone will begin to identify their work in restoration as a membership in an exclusive club. This club does not accept all applicants, not everyone is cut out for this type of work.

Everyone needs to keep learning. As the science supporting the mold remediation industry has advanced, we now know that for some people exposure to even small amounts of mold can cause significant health problems. Sadly, the people who are most susceptible to potential mold exposures often do not know that they are at greater risk until after the exposure has damaged them. With individuals at risk from mold potentially making up 25% of the population, why would a contractor take a chance of exposing them to elevated spore levels by skipping the use of temporary containments? Such an approach is even more short-sighted given the evolving standard of care that continually upgrades the importance of isolating the work area with temporary containments.

When in doubt, use containment

Regardless of the potential contaminant, temporary containments (particularly when matched with other engineering controls that will be discussed in later parts of this series) provide real protection for occupants, workers, and the general public. Using such protection, and doing so efficiently, can literally be a life-or-death decision. With so much riding on that choice, using protective barriers should be the default position, not an afterthought.

Michael A. Pinto serves as the CEO of Wonder Makers Environmental and has more than 45 years of experience in the industry.

Keith Gangitano is a co-founder of Zeppelin, a company with restoration containment solutions.

The post Temporary Containments appeared first on Cleanfax.