Silica dust or respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is a danger to most any front-line restoration worker, in addition to millions in other industries, due to silica’s presence in drywall, concrete, brick, mortar, stone, sand, and other common building materials. With asbestos, once we identify materials that contain asbestos, those materials must be handled only by licensed companies and certified personnel. Silica interaction, on the other hand, is not confined to a select few.

However, exposure to silica dust is just as dangerous as exposure to asbestos dust, and in both instances, there is a tremendous risk of being subjected to a cancer-causing dust. Both silica and asbestos are carcinogens. Inhaling RCS particles can cause several diseases including lung cancer, COPD, kidney disease, and, most infamously, silicosis, a deadly lung disease that makes taking in oxygen difficult.

OSHA lowered the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for silica to 50 micrograms (µg) per cubic meter of air in 2016, and before that time, the limit was much higher. Every time restoration workers cut, drill, sand, etc. into silica-containing material, they must be conscious of the potential for exposure and the means to limit their risks.

This article aims to provide restoration companies an overview of the risks associated with silica dust, special implications to the restoration industry, and means to keep workers safe and in compliance with OSHA regulations. This is part of a larger series on P.A.L.M.S. (Look for more articles in this series in upcoming issues.), which is an acronym used to discuss these contaminants of concern:

• PCBs/Pandemic
• Asbestos (March/April 2021 issue)
• Lead/Legionella
• Mold/Metals (Nov/Dec 2021)
• Silica.

Facing the restoration problem

Image courtesy of author. A city building labeled with silica damage.

Silica has a direct effect on restoration professionals because everything we touch may have implications concerning silica health hazards and regulatory compliance, specifically when we are cutting drywall (gypsum board, sheetrock, wallboard, etc.), as it contains silica.

In March 2016, OSHA published regulation on silica that specifies how silica-containing materials should be safely handled, providing the “Table 1 Example,” which details silica-related activities that take place on worksites. With this, OSHA provided safe work practices and the required minimal respirative protection for those activities. Table 1 contains the 18 most common worksite activities that put workers at risk of silica exposure, but it, unfortunately, does not include our industry’s biggest concern: drywall. In fairness to OSHA, it is difficult to include every possible task or activity that could take place on the worksite; however, this is obviously a very important one for the restoration industry.

Out of OSHA’s failure to include drywall in Table 1 emerged a question that the restoration industry continues to grapple with: Are the workers involved in restoration work being unnecessarily exposed to silica health hazards? An industry task force that included myself, Lee Senter, and many other restoration industry leaders have been working in an effort to determine what risk, if any, there are for the most frequent activities in the restoration industry. We conducted a pilot test throughout the U.S., with the assistance of IICRC Certified Firms, through which we have monitored workers’ exposure.

We observed the following: Provided the proper work activities, safe work practices, and engineering controls are used, we can alleviate unnecessary exposure to silica dust by the restoration industry in activities related to drywall. Namely the cutting, demolition, or general disturbance of drywall should not occur unless:

1. It is properly wetted.
2. The use of ventilation, filtration, and HEPA-filtered vacuums are employed.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we compiled our data and submitted it to OSHA for their review and critique with the request of adding it to Table 1. In June of this year, OSHA responded regarding our study on silica exposure potential and the recommended hazard control measures for the restoration industry, reporting that it was assessing comments and developing the best way forward, with plans to publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the issue by April 2022.

Adhering to OSHA silica regulation

Image courtesy of author.

In Standard 29 CFR 1926.1153, OSHA requires employers to limit worker exposure to RCS and stipulates the 50 µg PEL. To limit exposure, employers must either 1) use proper work practices and engineering controls laid out in Table 1 for other activities to ensure no dust is being generated, in which case no additional PPE would be required, or 2) use appropriate respiratory PPE to protect workers.

Throughout our task force’s pilot testing, we used silica-specific testing to collect air samples around workers’ breathing zones. Those samples were then sent to a certified laboratory that provided silica exposure results. If the result of testing showed more than 50 µg per cubic meter of respirable crystalline silica, then respiratory protection was necessary according to OSHA. If less than the PEL was found, then no respiratory protection was required.

In simple terms, if your work activities do not generate dust above the PEL, no respiratory protection is required by law. But how does one know? And how do you prove compliance to an OSHA inspector?

OSHA first asks, “Did you follow the methods described in Table 1? If workers are drilling through concrete, cutting a cement block, etc. on a jobsite they can easily refer to Table 1, document OSHA requirements were followed, and employ OSHA-required PPE to prove compliance. However, in the case of restoration workers, we cannot simply rely on Table 1 because our most commonly interacted-with silica-containing product, drywall, is not included. In this case, OSHA requires companies to either

1. Monitor and do testing like our task force did (using objective data)
2. Prove the activity is the same as activity you have previously monitored on a worksite in which you encountered the same materials and activities currently being employed (using historical data).

Using historical data is a bit tricky but not impossible. To use historical data on a project, it must be similar to the project you compare it to in every way: the work being done, how you perform the work, the materials you are working on, and the tools you are using. For example, the drywall must be the same drywall; your utility knife must be the same utility knife; etc. When we monitored on pilot sites, companies had to utilize the same engineering controls on both sites.

The task force’s studies showed that wetting the materials down and employing ventilation, filtration, and HEPA vacuuming sufficiently limited silica dust. If you’re diligent and recognize that, if the proper work practices are not utilized, you and your workers will be exposed to an extremely dangerous carcinogen, you can bring silica levels below the PEL and ensure worker safety.

Per OSHA, anyone who could potentially be exposed to silica should be trained in silica hazard awareness. This training covers silica OSHA regulations, work practices associated with exposure to silica dust, and the severe impact that dust could have on your health and the health of those around you.

Avoiding future issues

Don’t assume that, by continuing old-way practices, no exposure is occurring to you or your workers. In our task force’s research, we saw cases in which we did not expect our testing to detect any kind of silica in the air, but it did.

A company found to be in violation of OSHA rules on silica faces severe fines from OSHA and potential civil suits from employees. OSHA’s maximum penalty for serious and other than serious violations is $13,653 per violation, and the maximum penalty for willful or repeated violations is $136,532 per violation. These penalties reflect the irreversible nature of health effects associated with silica exposure. These consequences say nothing of the ethical and moral implications of endangering workers’ health that an owner whose company commits these violations must face.

The difficulty with silica (or asbestos exposure, for that matter) is that it does not produce acute, immediate effects. Instead, it produces chronic effects that may take years or even decades to show symptoms. You don’t want to find yourself later in life, kicking yourself, saying, “I wish I knew, and I wish I had protected myself and my workers from hazards.”

Restoration workers must recognize that the death toll and diseases from silica are quite extensive while primarily avoidable. It is important that we do our part to limit silica exposure in the restoration industry. It is crucial to acknowledge that the activities those in the industry perform have a hazard associated with them in silica and that silica in the lungs is just as dangerous as asbestos. Remember that the regulatory PEL is still not a “safe” level; it is simply permissible by law. Exposing workers to zero µg per cubic meter of RCS is a much better goal.

I recommend companies pay attention to all of the steps associated with potential exposure to silica dust. Provide anyone who could be exposed with proper training, implement proper work practices, use engineering controls, and rely on PPE when necessary. This is the only way to protect yourself and those around you from silica exposure.

Further reading:

Mark Drozdov is known for his diverse work in environmental, health, and safety projects worldwide including HazMat remediation; industrial hygiene; hazard/risk assessment; and compliance training, certification, and audits. He actively contributes to the AIHA/RIA/IICRC Crisis-Response Joint Task Force, IICRC Board of Directors, ISO infection control and EHS standards, and AIHA government relations. Drozdov’s PALMS program is the go-to method for dealing with contaminants of concern. He has received multiple awards and commendations, including for his work at Ground Zero. Connect with him on LinkedIn or email him at mark.drozdov@cooper.edu.  

Amanda Hosey is the managing editor of Cleanfax. She has worked as an editor and writer for more than a decade, including seven years with Cleanfax. Reach her at amandah@issa.com.

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Command Hub Integrations

Leveraging the built-in capabilities of Command Hub technology now included in Dri-Eaz LGR dehumidifiers, the gives restoration professionals 24/7 remote command of their jobs, including controlling equipment and monitoring current conditions, equipment status, and drying progress.

The also integrates with Next Gear Solutions’ app for fast and accurate data capture and high data integrity—and faster payment for jobs.

The Dri-Eaz Command Center app connects via Bluetooth and WiFi with Command Hub-optimized Dri-Eaz dehumidifiers, including the Revolution LGR, 7000LXi, 6000Li, 2800i, 3500i, and related models, as well as the PHD 200 crawlspace environmental control unit. Customers can integrate Command Hub into their existing i-Series dehumidifiers in less than five minutes.

Manage work remotely 24/7

“Job automation starts with using the Command Hub and Command Center app to remotely manage and control from anywhere,” says John London, product manager. “But that’s just the start—users will enjoy five times the benefits with the Command Ecosystem as we continuously release new capabilities—and for no extra cost.”

Before Command Hub dehumidifiers go out on jobs, the Command Center app can deliver firmware updates to take advantage of new system features and performance enhancements as they are released.

Upcoming Command Ecosystem expansions will encompass HEPA air filtration and airmover monitoring, and future plans include app control for truckmount operation, automating work with geofencing, and more.

To learn more about the Command Ecosystem and the Dri-Eaz Command Center App, visit our website.

Contact: 800-932-3030 |

View all the companies featured in the Restoration Industry Leader Profiles.

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Designed from the ground up by our engineering team and backed by extensive human factors analysis, these meters are built for industry professionals. The new BDX-20 and BDX-30 are essential tools in your arsenal—whether you are in the general building trades, water damage restoration, or building inspection.

Features of the new BDX-20 meter include:

• A custom display with auto backlight, making it easy to read in all lighting conditions,
• On-screen statistics for up to 100 readings,
• Wood temperature correction in both °C and °F,
• Color-coded LEDs, plus built-in calibration and battery checks.

For maximum flexibility, opt for the BDX-30 with Bluetooth® and gain the additional benefits of access to the Delmhorst EDGE app. Available for your smartphone or tablet, this new feature allows you to customize meter settings and share data from anywhere.

The EDGE App Offers:

• Timestamping and geotagging,
• Data export to the CSV format,
• The ability to save unlimited readings,
• Customized LED ranges,
• And support for additional languages.

Both the BDX-20 and BDX-30 are packaged in a patent-pending, robust and ergonomically designed case that provides a premium, tactile feel and intuitive user interface with a dashboard-like display. Of course, both models come backed with Delmhorst’s legendary customer support.

Experience moisture meter technology that packs all of the power of Delmhorst’s 75 years of experience into a sleek, streamlined, cutting-edge device that makes your job faster and easier than ever before.

Contact: 877-DELMHORST (335-6467) | | info@delmhorst.com ������

View all the companies featured in the Restoration Industry Leader Profiles.

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For more than 15 years, Aero Tech has been providing technical support and knowledge to ensure we deliver unmatched cleaning performance with the XT from Aero Tech. We engineer greatness into every XT that leaves our manufacturing facility.

Creative engineering blends well with quality construction and continued innovation to create the most powerful cleaning system available today. XT technology just keeps getting better, giving you the power and control needed to save time, conserve fuel, and increase your profits.

The XT’s simple design and ease of maintenance make the unit versatile. Whether for cleaning, restoration, large jobs, or small, this system is ready and reliable day in and day out.

With heat-as-you-drive technology, true dual-wand capability, deeper vacuum, customized storage, and billboard-sized advertising wherever you go, the Aero Tech XT makes dollars and sense.

In addition to the XT’s power, its versatility is a real game changer; wherever your next job takes you, whether a residential or commercial carpet, tile, and/or both, the XT offers extreme heat and true dual-wand capabilities.

Additionally, the dual pressure regulators allow for cleaning at two different pressures simultaneously. Have a third guy on a crew? A third connection can be utilized for prespray application.

Aero Tech’s direct approach to the market removes the middle man and provides a level of customer service and response needed for today’s busy professionals.

New features:

• 5 dB noise reduction
• All-new, 4-stage heating system produces more heat for high-flow, dual-wand cleaning.

XT’s standard equipment:

• Hydraulic-activated transmission PTO,
• New Helical Tri-Lobe/Sutorbuilt blower, 660 ICFM @ 16-inch HG and maximum cleaning speed (engine rpm’s) of 1,550 RPM,
• Water pump, 6 gpm, 1,600 psi max,
• Last-step chemical injection system,
• 7-gallon chemical tank,
• 210-gallon fresh water tank: Stainless steel, round design for added strength and durability (heats as you drive),
• New 155-gallon waste tank: Stainless steel, round design for added strength and durability,
• Electric Vacuum Hose Reel: Stainless steel (400-foot capacity of 2-inch hose), furnished with 200 feet of hose,
• Solution hose reel: Stainless steel, (300-foot capacity of ¼-inch hose), quantity of two furnished, each with 100 feet of hose,
• Lint traps: Stainless steel, two each,
• FRP van body, aluminum flooring,
• Box fluorescent lighting, three each,
• Dual wand hookup, 2.5-inch inlet connection,
• Control panel: Stainless steel, industrial switches, industrial gauges,
• Digital temperature control.

Contact: 866-390-2376 |

View all the companies featured in the Restoration Industry Leader Profiles.

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A short while ago, I was listening to the podcast of an interview Tim Ferriss did with Ken Burns, a highly acclaimed American documentary filmmaker. In the interview, Burns talked about the three things he uses to keep himself centered and to help him through difficult times. Naturally, I immediately thought about business owners—how we struggle through tough times and how we just as frequently enjoy successful times.

While Burns’ three things are easy to say, they can be extremely hard to follow, especially when life gets tough. But they’re worth working on.

1 | All things are transitory

In other words, “This too shall pass.” When things aren’t going well in our business, it’s easy to think they never will. On the flip side, it’s also easy to get lulled into thinking that when things are going well, the good times will continue.

If you’ve ever lost a key employee or a long-term customer, you know it can seem like your world is collapsing in on you. Or, if your company experiences a significant financial setback because of a lawsuit or financial downturn, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. While these situations can be traumatic, they can also often open doors to new opportunities we might not otherwise have experienced.

While we’re on the topic of all things being transitory, it’s worth mentioning that this refers to our working careers as well as our businesses. Whether things are going well or poorly, we all have a shelf life, so it’s a good idea to make the best of our time while we have it. Now stop gloating or fretting and get to work!

2 | Get help from others

It’s important to realize that getting help doesn’t need to come in the form of professional consultants or at great expense. Sometimes, what we really need is input from the people around us, but we’re hesitant to ask for fear of looking stupid or vulnerable.

No business owner can have all the answers, nor are we expected to. What we are expected to do is make good decisions, which frequently involves input from others—but that means we must ask.

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve received on this topic came from a book by author Richard Bach. He writes, “There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hands.” The people around us have gifts they’d like to share. Sometimes we just need to be open to receiving them.

3 | Be kind to yourself

I’m convinced that most successful business leaders are their own worst critics. We’re backwoods judges who confuse failing with being a failure. We use bravado to hide our insecurities and fears.

Sometimes, what we need most is to give ourselves a break, to acknowledge that, behind our titles, positions, or rank, we’re just human beings trying to do our best.

Burns’ three ideas are simple yet profound. There have been times in my life when I wish I would have had this wisdom… or at least listened to it. (Number three rings especially true for me.) And while none of these phrases may succeed in fixing anything in our businesses, any of them may be just enough to get us through the tough times.

Chuck Violand is the founder and principal of Violand Management Associates (VMA), a highly respected consulting company in the restoration and cleaning industries. For more information, visit .

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Last year’s hurricane season was the most active on record, with 30 named storms (a record), 14 hurricanes (second most on record), 11 storms that made landfall on a U.S. coastline (a record), and seven major hurricanes (average is three)*, causing more than $65 billion in damage. Last season also saw many more “rapidly intensifying” storms, which scientists have found are caused by higher ocean temperatures. As the average sea temperatures are steadily increasing, these scientists warn rapidly intensifying storms will only get worse.

The general consensus among forecasters is that the 2021 hurricane season will be yet another highly active one. Accuweather predicts 16-20 named storms, 7-10 hurricanes, and 35 major hurricanes; NOAA predicts similar numbers, with 13-20 named storms, 6-10 hurricanes, and 3-5 major hurricanes.

As I write this in late June, we’ve already seen three named storms: Ana, which arrived quickly on May 22, more than a week before the official start of hurricane season on June 1, before dissipating in the Atlantic. Bill became a named storm on June 14 and looked to be a threat before breaking up on June 16. Claudette was named on June 19 after it made landfall on the Gulf coast when its core was finally defined enough. It resulted in floods and tornadoes across the Southeastern U.S. and 14 deaths and major damage in Alabama.

Weather scientists have made great strides the last few years in hurricane prediction, including predicting how hurricanes will act upon landfall, aiding in response planning in locations where inland damage can be severe, as in the case of Claudette. Recent studies have found** a link between a hurricane’s cold core structure and its inland threat. We are also seeing major improvements in hurricane path prediction, especially the ability to pinpoint and warn a specific area in the last few days before landfall.

These increases in storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes are likely the new normal, so it’s more important than ever for restoration companies in areas of heightened storm activity or those who travel for catastrophic response (CAT) to be prepared. If you are considering traveling to areas hit by storms, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Planning is key in successful CAT work, and if you’re just considering jumping in this season, it might be too late unless you already have a network in your target area.
• It’s essential to build good relationships with area restoration and related companies, as well as suppliers of temp labor, equipment, and other needs.
• You should plan ahead for legal risks like extra needed licensing and insurance in the area.
• Plan how you will take care of your normal customers while working on CAT projects.
• You need to market in your target area ahead of storms.***

If you will work with other restoration companies on projects, be sure to set monetary goals (like revenue splits); coordinate documentation; create a communication schedule; clarify expectations and responsibilities; and agree on protocols.****

Good luck this busy weather-related restoration season, and safe travels if that’s in your future.

*

**

*** cleanfax.com/cat-response

**** cleanfax.com/cat-collabs

Amanda Hosey is the managing editor of Cleanfax. She has worked as an editor and writer for more than six years, including four years with Cleanfax. Reach her at amandah@issa.com.

The post Eye of the Storm appeared first on Cleanfax.

We were called in to clean a local Mexican restaurant with carpet completely blackened by grease and traffic. We used a mixture of presprays to cut through the grease and then extracted with my HydraMaster Titan 575. The carpet came out so clean that the owner said customers thought he had put in new carpet.

For an opportunity to win a gift card worth $250, send your images and a brief 100-word description on how you obtained your results to Amanda Hosey, managing editor, at amandah@issa.com, or submit via Facebook Messenger at . Contest rules available by request.

[infobox title=’DID YOU KNOW’][/infobox]

Adequate dwell time is essential in breaking down grease when cleaning because it takes time for the necessary chemical reaction to occur.

Read more at cleanfax.com/science-concepts.

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Anthony Edelen’s journey to success with the now 55-year-old in Vermillion, South Dakota, has been a busy one, full of learning from other ventures. He has built a company and a life he loves by looking for chances to grow and learn whenever possible.

Forging a path

Anthony started working for a local cleaning company in his hometown at just 14 years old. By the time he was 20 and a sophomore in college, he had started his first cleaning company. He reached out to the owner of the company he worked for in high school for advice, bought the equipment he needed, and created Miracle Detailing, an automotive detailing clinic he used to pay for his travels.

After graduating, Anthony worked in a corporate position in Aspen, Colorado, but he found the corporate mindset unfulfilling and returned to the entrepreneurial life. He started an ATM vending company, brought Miracle Detailing to the area, and opened The Carpet Cleaning Company of Aspen, all by age 23.

Anthony decided to move back to his hometown where he adapted his carpet cleaning business into The Carpet Cleaning Company of Vermillion. At age 28, he was approached with an offer to buy Louie’s Carpet Cleaning Service, and on January 1, 2003, Anthony became Louie’s official owner.

Making it his own

Anthony worked from the start to form Louie’s into his own vision of a successful company. He changed the name to Louie’s Cleaning and Disaster Restoration and began growing it into the successful, one-stop shop it is today. Louie’s covers a large swath of surrounding areas, including all of South Dakota, central and northeast Nebraska, northwest Iowa, and southwest Minnesota with eight associates and five trucks and offers disaster restoration and mitigation with an emphasis on hazardous materials and abatement in addition to carpet cleaning, trauma and crime scene abatement and mitigation, environmental consulting, indoor air quality air assessment and testing, and janitorial services.

Anthony loves the work he does. “Taking homeowners from a precipitous and precarious situation to putting their lives back together,” he says, “it’s these situations that arise where clients find themselves not knowing what to do, and they call Louie’s Cleaning and Disaster Restoration for local expertise with the understanding that we will put them back together [that I like most about the work].”

Communicating for success

Since Anthony bought it, the company has seen tremendous growth. This year, Louie’s is on track to reach 10 times the revenue it was making when he took over. That growth and success comes down to how the company treats its customers.

“I feel providing professional, one-on-one, honest direction to our clients has given us a competitive advantage” that results in significant professional referrals for Louie’s, Anthony explains. He says referrals are by far their best marketing tool.

The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t changed that; in fact, it has only increased referrals. Anthony says despite this uptick in client needs, scaling a company, which is always difficult, is especially so in the midst of an extremely tight labor market. Since the pandemic began, associates at Louie’s have rarely worked less than a 40-hour week, and Anthony has rarely worked less than a 100-hour week.

“During these trying times, we have found that people look to us as professionals,” reports Anthony. “This is where Louie’s excels, providing a level of one-on-one professional service and communication.”

Becoming a strong leader

The most difficult part of being an owner to Anthony has been learning not to micromanage. He finds empowering his associates to make their own decisions an essential part of being a good leader. He has also struggled against perception of the industry. Anthony says, “People feel like the jobs and positions we offer are low paying, but actually Louie’s offers one of the highest starting wages in our area.”

To help with leadership challenges, Anthony recommends owners find a mentor early on who can “help a small-town entrepreneur deliver on his mindset of ‘there are big things to come’” as well as listen to others “who will help make your small business grow.” He stresses the importance of creating a strong business plan as a living document and relying on those close allies to read, evaluate, and provide feedback—and using that feedback to foster your company growth.

“Track all of your dollars. Manage your expectations. Create a marketing route,” Anthony lists as other important things to focus on. But, most importantly, he says, “Don’t let your business overwhelm you, and when you do become overwhelmed, take a step back and look at your business plan as a whole. It should be a living, working, ever-changing document.”

Well known in the industry for his exciting family vacations, Anthony adds in closing, “Enjoy your business and all its attributes, but remember there are more important things in life.”

Read other 2021 Restoration Industry Leaders Review profiles:

Christenson Cleaning and Restoration

Sage Restoration

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In the earliest days of starting their business, Stephanie and Alan Sage, owners of Sage Restoration in Kansas City, Kansas, were confronted with one of the company’s biggest challenges that they promptly turned into one of its most important assets: being a female-led company in a male-dominated industry. When the couple began taking restoration training courses, Stephanie was the only woman in attendance. Several men told her she would never be able to “do the work” in restoration, but Stephanie never shied from the task and set out to prove these naysayers wrong.

She not only succeeded but excelled where her competitors fell short by turning her unique perspective in the industry into an asset and thinking outside the box about marketing, customer care, and team leadership. Today, Sage is a successful and trusted company in the Kansas City market, and the Sage leadership team prides itself on encouraging women to enter the restoration field. “The thing we most enjoy in our line of work is the satisfaction of knowing that we have helped a family during some of their most challenging times and done our part to get their property and lives back on track or minimized the downtime of a business owner affected by disaster,” says Stephanie, CEO of Sage.

All in the family

Image courtesy of Sage Restoration.

In business since 2010, is a true family-owned and operated company and one of the few in the restoration industry headed by a woman. Stephanie leads the company as CEO, establishing strategic goals for growth and overseeing the entire marketing program. After starting her career as a sales representative in the mortgage banking industry, Stephanie left the corporate world in 2010 because the real estate market was floundering. She knew she still wanted to work with homeowners and found a recession-proof avenue for that in the restoration industry.

Her husband and business partner, Alan, also has a background in the corporate world and joined the company full time in 2012. As CFO, Alan manages Sage’s financials, accounting, and administrative functions. Together, Stephanie and Alan turned a one-person operation into a competitive small business that has grown significantly in the past 11 years.

Their son, Connor, first joined the team as a technician in the field. With a natural aptitude for leadership, Connor worked his way up to emergency services project manager, then director of sales and operations, and is now the current president of Sage. He officially became a co-owner in January 2021.

Sage is a full-service restoration contractor offering water mitigation, fire and content cleaning, pack out services, mold remediation, inspection and testing, and specialty cleaning services (hoarding, odor control, biohazard, and biological disinfecting) with plans to offer build-back and repair services in the near future. Operating from a 15,000-square-foot facility, Sage runs with 13-15 employees, and the company is on track to do about $2.5 million in sales this year.

Start-up challenges

The start-up phase of Sage Restoration was painfully slow as they struggled to gain a strong foothold in the Kansas City marketplace. Stephanie faced a huge learning curve to enter the physically demanding, male-dominated industry and figure out how to compete with larger national franchises operating in the region. Many of these franchises have major contracts with the insurance carriers and adjusters on top of large advertising budgets.

Rather than butting heads with “the big guys,” Stephanie used her background in residential real estate to establish connections with local realtors. “When a homeowner is considering selling their home, they may need to have mold removed or other problems corrected before they can list it. They often turn to their realtor who will then suggests a company,” she explains. “I learned to look for markets that are untapped by the larger competitors and then service them and their clients to the highest level possible with a think-outside-the-box mentality.” Sage grew for years on realtor referrals, and in hindsight, Stephanie believes networking has been one of her most fruitful strategies.

Image courtesy of Sage Restoration.

Her resourceful marketing helped establish the business as a reputable restoration contractor in the Kansas City area, allowing Sage to expand into the commercial marketplace, develop relationships with insurers, and land larger projects. “Sage’s first year’s revenues were only around $37,000, but year by year we managed to grow at a steady 15% average until we finally reached our first milestone of achieving $1 million in revenues in 2017,” recalls Stephanie. For her, this was a major achievement, as only 10% of all U.S. businesses grossed between $500,000 to $1 million in 2017 and just 4.2% of U.S. women-owned businesses had revenues of $1 million. In addition, Sage succeeded in becoming a preferred vendor with several national insurance programs, which she sees as significant given her company is an independent, family-owned business.

With a strong referral base and recognition as a local industry leader, Sage continued to see steady growth. “Now on track to do $2.5 million in 2021, we feel we have reached a place of being a major player in our market,” Stephanie said; however, growth presents its own challenges. Stephanie admits that she had put management systems and processes on the back burner, so when Sage entered a high-growth period just before 2016, the company was ill-prepared to handle the additional workload. Fortunately, Stephanie and Alan’s son, Connor, joined the company at that time, allowing Stephanie to focus on developing management processes so that Sage is always prepared for growth.

Female leadership

Stephanie has built her brand around being a woman-owned company that listens and truly cares about taking time for customers. Her unique perspective informs Sage’s company culture, which is centered on taking extra time with customers to explain the process and listen to their concerns. “Our technicians are trained to work the Sage Way which is to approach every job with a sense of urgency, care, and compassion,” Stephanie explains. She says she discovered some of her competitors simply went charging into a customer’s home, dragging along equipment and technicians and getting to work with very little communication. “We take the fact that we are literally strangers in our customer’s home or business seriously and try to show respect, care, and compassion while on the job.”

Stephanie brings this same culture of care and compassion to how she leads her team and is passionate about mentoring and developing her employees. “Without them, we would not be able to help hundreds of customers every year and truly make a difference in people’s lives,” Stephanie says. “We encourage our employees to set personal and business goals every year so that they can achieve and live out their own dreams and aspirations.”

Lessons learned

Stephanie notes that starting Sage Restoration was particularly challenging because she and Alan were completely new to the industry and lacked experience and connections in the early days. She says that hiring experienced salespeople from inside the industry earlier would have helped Sage scale much more quickly. Last year, the company added a business development manager to the payroll, and Stephanie notes that resource has been instrumental in making new connections in the insurance industry and commercial segment that will help fuel Sage’s future growth.

For those considering getting into restoration, Stephanie says, “One thing I always tell employees who haven’t worked in this industry before is that this type of work isn’t for everybody.  It can involve working odd hours in extreme temperatures, and you never know what a phone call or the day could bring you.” If the industry is the right fit, then Stephanie believes success comes down to service. “Our main

Read other 2021 Restoration Industry Leaders Review profiles:

Christenson Cleaning and Restoration

Louie’s Cleaning & Disaster Restoration

The post 2021 Industry Leaders Review: Sage Restoration appeared first on Cleanfax.

As the second-generation owner of his family’s business, Charlie Christenson has never known a career outside the cleaning and restoration industry. “I have helped with the business ever since I can remember. From vacuuming, to collecting trash around different sites, and anything else my parents asked me to do. I grew up in the industry,” he says. Started by his parents in 1983, Christenson Cleaning and Restoration of Hastings, Nebraska, has been in business 38 years.

The business began when Cindy and Eric Christenson, parents of Charlie, took on a single cleaning job in the evenings to make some extra money. That one account grew to many accounts, and in 2015 at just 22 years old Charlie took over the business and grew it into a full-service cleaning and restoration company with over 70 employees. Today, services multiple cities in Nebraska and travels to six states across the U.S., specializing in fire, water, and mold remediation. The company is IICRC-certified and has additional training and certifications from the EPA for lead paint removal, the Midwest Training Institute for mold remediation, and GBAC for COVID-19 disinfecting.

Growing pains

Having worked in the business his entire life, Charlie took the reins six years ago after his mother died of pancreatic cancer. At the time the Christensons were the owners/operators of one truck with 15 part-time employees, but despite the sadness of his mother’s passing, Charlie could see a bigger and brighter future for the company she helped start. He grew the staff to more than 70 employees and began offering restoration services in fire, water, and mold. He invested in training, certifications, and more equipment, including two truckmounts, one pick-up, one trailer, and three support cars. The company also expanded its accounts across the state and throughout the Midwest region.

This rapid growth didn’t always come easy. “Going from 15 employees to now well over 70 was a challenge at times,” Charlie notes, and if he had it to do over again, he says he would put a stronger focus on making sure to put the right people in the right position.

“As culture, speed, and expectations vary from company to company, it has been hard to find the right fit at times,” Charlie explains, but he was able to meet those challenges. With a focus on training new employees and implementing systems and procedures for day-to-day operations, Charlie built a strong core team that is at the heart of the company today. As he worked to create a new structure for the growing business and expanded service offerings, Charlie was careful never to lose sight of where they began: a family-owned and operated company with a commitment to great customer service.

Customer care

In fact, the customers are what Charlie likes most about the work he does. He says, “My favorite part of the job is knowing that we can help someone out in their time of need, whether that’s through carpet cleaning, a water loss or fire, or nightly janitorial service. I like being the person that people can lean on.”

This commitment to customer service doubles as the company’s chief marketing strategy: “By creating happy customers, those customers then use word-of-mouth and refer us to others in the community.” Charlie explains that they also ask for reviews after each job to build the company’s credibility and reputation when a potential customer performs an internet search. Additionally, Christenson has partnered with other local businesses in the community, creating a strong network of local referrals that serves as the foundation for other strategies like online marketing and cold calls.

Looking ahead after a challenging year

These marketing strategies have been fruitful as the company has grown over the past six years and managed to weather the ups and downs of the COVID-19 pandemic. Charlie explains that while the residential carpet cleaning side of the business slowed, with customers reluctant to have service contractors in their homes, the disinfecting services picked up significantly with increased demand to maintain healthier public buildings and minimize the risk of transmission. “Our company has performed bio-cleaning, but unlike some of our competitors, we became certified through the Global Biorisk Advisory Council for COVID-19 disinfecting to ensure we are meeting the standards of the industry,” Charlie explains. GBAC offers training and accreditation for infection prevention, response, and recovery. “We also invested in electrostatic sprayers so we could pair the right equipment with the right training to combat the virus.”

As things slowly begin to normalize, Charlie is looking ahead to the company’s plan to open an Omaha office in late 2021 or early 2022. He plans to deploy salespeople, online marketing, and cold calls to introduce Christenson Cleaning and Restoration to customers in Omaha and intends to continue the company’s expansion across the state.

For those just starting out in the industry, Charlie’s advice goes back to his company’s core value of customer service and his ability to see a bright future even in tough times: “Creating happy customers will be instrumental to your success. Staying positive through ups and downs is also essential as there will be slow times and extremely busy times during the year.”

Read other 2021 Restoration Industry Leaders Review profiles:

Louie’s Cleaning & Disaster Restoration

Sage Restoration

The post 2021 Industry Leaders Review: Christenson Cleaning and Restoration appeared first on Cleanfax.