It’s been another turbulent month in the world, with more than 300,000 deaths (and climbing), our country all but closed, our kids adapting to online learning, our sanity waning, and our businesses struggling to stay afloat. It’s hard to stay positive in these times, to see any light at the end of this pandemic tunnel, but Cleanfax is trying to focus on our hope for the future.

Jeff Cross puts forth some positive predictions in “COVID-19: The Aftermath for the Cleaning and Restoration Industries”. He posits that, though times are tough for most carpet cleaning and some restoration companies, the pandemic will actually help businesses in the long run because people are now much more enlightened on the importance of cleanliness.

And, while we wait for the calls to start coming in, it’s a good time to brush up on skills and develop new ones. Many certification organizations are offering online versions of courses previously unavailable online, including courses like IICRC Carpet Cleaning Technician, Commercial Drying Specialist, Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration Technician, and Water Damage Restoration Technician. Brant Insero discusses online learning—how it works and how to make the process better for employees taking classes and presenters teaching classes.

If you’re looking to add a new skillset to your toolbox, you can learn all about forensic restoration from the leading expert on it. (Fun fact: He actually coined the term “forensic restoration.”) This in-depth article explains what the work entails, what the steps of a job look like, what training is needed, who works best in these kinds of jobs, and more. It’s a great primer for anyone considering providing this service.

If you want to brush up on and improve upon existing skills, check out “Success on Water Losses” by Dan Mesenburg and the interview of Michael Rubino, “Remediation for Hypersensitive Individuals”. Each talks about ways to be more successful in restoration. Mesenberg discusses the S500 Standard and Reference Guide’s best practices. The interview with Rubino looks at mold remediation success in cases where occupants are sensitive to mold, explaining the thorough requirements of this work and why it’s so important.

Lastly, Chuck Violand offers advice on being a better leader in “The 50% Rule”. He explores the effects of misplaced blame in an organization and how to overcome it.

I hope this issue provides you some help and gives you some hope for the future. The future still exists, and it will be bright. We just have to keep working together and hold on until we make it there.

The post Waiting for the Future appeared first on Cleanfax.

Recently, Violand Executive Summit instructor Jim Bagnola stopped by our office to visit. While there, he relayed a story told to him by his friend, a retired Navy lieutenant commander and F-15 fighter pilot.

The rule

The incident began with the pilots being given orders to scramble their jets off the flight deck of the aircraft carrier. The rule for the exercise gave pilots only two tries to get the canopy to latch and lock before takeoff. If the canopy didn’t lock by the second try, then pilots were not allowed to take off and were towed over to the side.

The lieutenant commander’s canopy failed to lock after two attempts, so he was towed to the side. Obviously upset, he investigated and discovered that a screwdriver, misplaced by the aircraft mechanic, had been left in the way.

The mechanic was invited to join the lieutenant commander in his office below deck. Fearing the worst, the mechanic was surprised when the pilot thanked him for the valuable lesson he’d been taught that day. He called it his “50% Rule,” which said we all own at least 50% of our conflicts, mistakes, and shortcomings. In this case, the pilot stated that, while the misplaced screwdriver was the mechanic’s 50% of the problem, the pilot should have left himself enough time to make sure his canopy would lock before attempting to take off.

Taking ownership

A recent conversation with a business owner caused me to think about the lieutenant commander’s 50% Rule. The owner I was talking with was upset because he and his top employee had serious disagreements and weren’t getting along. I didn’t find this particularly unusual. It’s common for people in leadership roles who have strong personalities to occasionally clash. In my opinion, this is one of the ways to know we have the right people in leadership roles.

What I did find unusual was the fact that the owner wasn’t accepting any responsibility for the disagreements or the problems.

Sometimes it seems like there is an inverse relationship between being a business owner and taking ownership of the business’ problems. Too often we default to finger pointing, blaming, and finding scapegoats when things aren’t going smoothly. While nobody is expected to fall on their sword every time something goes wrong, imagine how much better things would be if we all accepted at least 50% ownership for the causes of our problems.

By the end of our conversation it became clear the business owner had some legitimate beefs about the performance of his employee. And in my follow-up conversation with the employee, it was clear that he had some legitimate beefs about the owner. But until both the owner and employee could accept responsibility for their part in the disagreements, the relationship would continue to head downhill and so would the performance of the business. Rather than impacting just their two lives, they were also impacting the lives of everyone else who works for the company.

It takes a special kind of humility for a highly trained Navy officer, who’s launching and landing a $100 million aircraft, to own 50% of a mistake that could have been avoided. Maybe it’s an important lesson for those of us in business to learn.

Chuck Violand is the founder and principal of Violand Management Associates (VMA), a highly respected consulting company in the restoration and cleaning industries. Through VMA, he works with business owners and companies to develop their people and their profits. To reach him, visit or call 800-360-3513.

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In our businesses, we try to supply our toolbox with the latest in technology and equipment so that we can not only better serve the customer, but also serve the customer in a profitable way. Success depends on our knowledge of the technology and equipment we use. But do we have the proper knowledge of the standard for our industry? The IICRC S500 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Water Damage Restoration () is the tool that can complete your toolbox and provide your business success on water losses.

In this article, we will highlight key elements provided by the S500 and how you can utilize them in your business.

Editions of the IICRC S500

The current fourth edition of the IICRC S500 came out in December 2015. The challenge in the industry today is the fact that many are still quoting the third edition and not recognizing the changes that were made. This causes issues with completing jobs and getting paid for those jobs. So, the first thing you need to do is make sure your business is using the .

The fourth edition is a great resource for your business to understand how to successfully mitigate a water loss. It consists of the standard in the front of the document followed by the reference guide. If you are in Section 10 of the standard, you can go to chapter 10 of the reference guide to get a more in-depth explanation of the information in the standard. Sections and chapters are directly related to each other, creating an easier document to explore.

Guidance by the S500

Before you start using the S500 as a tool, you must know a couple of key definitions that are used to show the levels of importance in particular sections of the text.

If you see the words “shall” or “should” in a sentence, they are components of the standard of care. “Shall” is used for text that is mandatory due to natural law or regulatory requirements. “Should” is used for text that is accepted to be followed but is not mandatory by regulatory requirements.

Other keywords include “recommended,” which means something is advised or suggested. “May” or “can” denote permissive or possible action. Each of these aids your business in determining the level of importance items in the standard have in the water loss and procedures you will follow.

Safety and health

The places safety and health at the top of the list for all losses. Each restorer needs to provide for the safety and good health of the workers and occupants of the structure being restored. This includes applying proper engineering and administrative controls as well as PPE.

Documentation

Once the environment is safe, documentation provides a safety net for your business to not only provide support for your invoice, but also to lessen the liability that accompanies not having things documented.

Today our industry has embraced technology, using tablets or computers for electronic platforms that gather our data.�� Within those, check to make sure you have the authorization to repair, the authorization to pay, and a statement of satisfaction. On the drying side, you should have a record of drying conditions and moisture points, which includes atmospherics, moisture points and dry standards, equipment numbers and placement, and other supporting documentation. Notes on each loss are a must.

Category

The category of water loss is determined by the level of contamination. The category is determined at the beginning of the loss. There are three categories:

• Category 1: Water originates from a sanitary source and does not pose a substantial risk from dermal, ingestion, or inhalation exposure.
• Category 2: Water contains significant contamination and can contain potentially unsafe levels of microorganisms or nutrients for microorganisms.
• Category 3: Water is grossly contaminated and may contain pathogenic (disease-causing) organisms.

It is important that we document the reason for the category of water loss and paint the picture of why the loss falls under the category you have chosen. The IICRC S500 gives detailed definitions and examples for each of the three categories. Don’t cut and paste the document’s information to your notes; rather, paint the picture for each loss (sight, smell, etc.).

Class of intrusion

The class of intrusion is the amount of water absorption and evaporation load. It is determined by the amount of wet material as a percentage of the combined floor, wall, and ceiling surface area. It is important to know that the class is determined after demolition or remediation activities are completed. Remember to provide humidity control during these activities until the class can be determined and the proper equipment levels are set. The chart above provides information on each class of water intrusion.

Drying

Our main goal during the drying process is to dry the wet materials. To do so, a dry standard or drying goal needs to be established for each material type. It is recommended that the dry standard is taken from a reading on an unaffected material in the property being dried. Do not use a canned list of dry standards as they can produce inaccurate results.

The science of drying can be confusing at times. The S500 provides basic background information on the terminology and science of restorative drying. This information is important to understand so your business can effectively and efficiently remove moisture from materials and the environment.

Air filtration

Air filtration devices give us the opportunity to HEPA filter the air when the need arises. The IICRC S500 outlines their use, especially on jobs that are contaminated (Category 3 water); when particulates are being added to the air (drawing moist air out of potentially contaminated cavities using negative air pressure or during demolition even if contained); and if health concerns are present with the customer. If you are working with an insurance company, you will want to be sure to get preapprovals.

Antimicrobials

The use of antimicrobials occurs on most water losses. However, this is not the case on a Category 1 loss, as stated in the standard. If a loss is a Category 1 water loss, that means the water is not contaminated and would not require an antimicrobial. Antimicrobials work best if the surface is cleaned first and when the label directions are always followed, with no exceptions.

HVAC systems

HVAC systems can pose issues on water losses. In projects where Category 2 or 3 water has entered directly into the HVAC system, you must contain, disassemble, and remove the system components. The components should then be cleaned by a qualified HVAC contractor.

Equipment

We all value the equipment we use because this is a component of not only better drying performance, but also profitability. The S500 provides a simple and detailed calculation for dehumidifiers and airmovers. These calculations provide the proper amount of equipment to most efficiently dry a structure. They also provide a justification for the equipment you have placed.

Use the IICRC S500

The IICRC S500 (fourth edition) provides background information and a roadmap of how to successfully complete a water loss. This is the first tool you should add to your toolbox to ensure you are following industry standards.

By following the S500, you can make all your water losses a success!

Dan Mesenburg has been in the cleaning and restoration industry for over 22 years. He is an IICRC board director, IICRC approved instructor, and WRT technical advisory committee chair. He and his wife own a ServiceMaster Restore franchise, and he serves as the regional training manager for a ServiceMaster distributor in the Midwest.

The post Success on Water Losses appeared first on Cleanfax.

• Start-up, small business expansion, or multi-truck fleets
• Cleaning or restoration—or BOTH
• Residential or commercial jobs

Our comprehensive truckmount line enables expanding your��offerings to include any or all of these services:

• Commercial and residential flood extraction
• Carpet and upholstery cleaning
• Hard surface cleaning, including stone, tile, and concrete
• Pressure washing

Start your search for the best machine for your business with our website’s��Truckmount Selector Tool! Choose your setting, application, budget, and other factors. To get started, visit .

With Legend Brands, you can count on ongoing support for your business. Our experienced technical team and solid business foundation mean we can adapt and help you thrive for long-term success.

Your truckmount choices

370SS: Cleaners’ #1 favorite.��Thousands have proven that the 370 is the best choice for residential and light commercial cleaning and extraction with the hottest water and strongest vacuum in its class. The 370’s space-saving footprint, fuel efficiency, simpler maintenance, and high reliability make it the best all-around truckmount.

Summit PTS Direct Drive: Superior heat, 10-year limited warranty. Proven components—stainless steel, finned-tube coil heat exchangers, Gardner Denver blower, and General Pump—drive its reliable heat and exceptional durability. You can’t beat its industry-leading warranty backed by nationwide service.

Rage: Value-priced business builder.��This��carpet, upholstery, and tile and grout cleaning machine boasts a durable 18-HP V-Twin Kohler Commander engine for solid performance and dependability.

Legend GT: Legendary reliability, compact and economical.��Powered by the highly rated 23-HP Kohler Command air-cooled engine, the Legend GT has the horsepower and torque to power through challenging jobs. Produces high vacuum and dirt-busting solution temps of up to 220 degrees.

Peak 500: Liquid-cooled reliability.��Economical powerhouse with quick warm up and plenty of heat, even for a 6-flow wand. The 31 HP, liquid-cooled Kawasaki engine is CARB compliant in all 50 states and sips fuel at only 1 gph.

Apex 570: High heat, long life, fast dry times.��Besides its highly reliable, liquid-cooled Kubota cast iron engine, the Apex 570 employs the Gardner Denver HF408 blower to accelerate drying time. Together they make it the perfect machine for multi-wand carpet and hard surface cleaning and flood extraction.

Everest 870HP: Serious power for serious pros.��The ideal combination of industrial-grade components, proven engineering, and unrivaled performance. Its Kubota 4-cylinder, 57-HP, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected cast iron block engine paired with a Eurus blower deliver unbeatable durability and vacuum. Achieve maximum multi-tool extraction, abundant hot water, and ultimate cleaning temperature control with this beast!

Whatever your business needs, Legend Brands has the right truckmount model for you. Get the details on the Legend Brand lineup at .

Contact: 800-932-3030���� |��

View all the companies featured in this month’s Truckmount Profiles.

The post May/June 2020 Truckmount Profiles: Legend Brands appeared first on Cleanfax.

The renowned El Diablo Diesel truckmount provides quality cleaning performance and equipment reliability. With a 195,000 BTU diesel heater, our truckmount maintains consistently high cleaning temperatures at up to 2,000 psi—no trukmount on the market has better heat! Despite all this power, El Diablo still uses 25% less fuel than regular carbureted engines.

El Diablo’s high performance allows for exceptionally long vacuum hose runs on difficult commercial jobs—up to 700 feet. The high performance means outstanding water restoration capabilities as well as dual-wand operation.

Key features

• Kohler 25.5-HP, V-Twin engine
• Rear- or side-mount capabilities
• Roots 45 Whisper Dual Splash Lubricated (DSL) Blower
• Sight Glass for oil levels
• CAT 3CP Pump, providing 4.2 gpm
• Kunkle Valve, preventing air-flow loss
• Hose run capabilities up to 700 feet
• Dual-wand capabilities
• 75- or 100-gallon stainless steel waste tanks
• Up to 400 CFM
• Carpet & Rug Institute gold rating for meeting the highest standards for equipment in class

What you get

• El Diablo carpet cleaning unit
• 125 feet of high-quality vacuum and high-pressure hose
• Pro’s Choice chemical welcome package—over a $250 value
• Two Jet S wands with 1,200 psi valves
• A 6-gallon fuel tank with kerosene/diesel

Mike Schaeffer is the new owner/operator of El Diablo Truckmounts. He brings a wealth of experience to the company as he has owned and operated a carpet cleaning company for 20 years. El Diablo looks forward to continuing to offer the same quality truckmounts that the carpet cleaning industry has come to know and rely on.

Contact us to today for all of your El Diablo sales, parts, and service needs!

Contact: 605-786-7538���� |���� eldiablotruckmounts@gmail.com

View all the companies featured in this month’s Truckmount 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 pre-spray 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” 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 1/4-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 this month’s Truckmount Profiles.

The post May/June 2020 Truckmount Profiles: Aero Tech appeared first on Cleanfax.

My carpet cleaning brand started as Accuclean in 2004, but I had to change the name when a business partner left in 2006. In haste, I named the company Middle Key, which missed the mark wildly. It was confusing, and everybody thought I was a locksmith. So, in 2018 we rebranded again, this time to CitruScrub. It was a huge hit! With eye-popping colors and graphics, the new brand and accompanying van wrap keep the phones ringing.

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]

Leasing equipment instead of buying it outright allows for “obsolescence” options, which can save you money and heartache if the equipment becomes irrelevant due to technology changes.

Read more at www.cleanfax.com/getting-financed.

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The months of February and March started a major shift for educators in the United States, whether they were prepared for it or not. State by state, schools and universities began sending their students home and closing their doors. Students and faculty were faced with an uncertain future while the government tried to keep people calm as a major pandemic caused the entire education profession to shift to online learning and webinar-style content delivery.

Vocational training and certification programs are quickly being woven into the online learning world as well, so this is the perfect time to understand the various types of web-based learning programs that exist and how you can effectively use them in your business now.

As a business owner, one of your most important resources is your people, but your team is only as strong as the training and education you’ve provided for them. Without consistently updated training, your company could face:

• Increased liability,
• Increased employee turnover,
• Increased asset damage,
• Increased productivity costs.

One challenge to obtaining training for all your employees is often time, but online learning makes it easier to obtain training on your own schedule and without the added time and expense of travel. And if your company is experiencing a slowdown due to the pandemic, now may be the perfect time to ensure that your team is well educated and certified in the programs that are going to help your company become even more successful. If you are a presenter, or if you provide in-house training to your employees, this is a good time to improve your skills in presenting through an online format.

The sudden shift to online learning may have been a response to a temporary problem, but it is likely to have a permanent impact on training and education programs throughout the industry. Let’s look at the different programs available, tips for engaging in the world of online learning as we know it today, and what to expect for the future.

Webinars

Webinars are seminars or sessions that are produced and delivered over the internet. Webinars can be hosted by a single moderator or presenter or by multiple people. Webinars started to find their way into the workplace in the late 1990s and have since become one of the most popular methods to deliver content for educators around the world. Webinars are often confused with online courses, but they are simply opportunities to listen to content delivered online.

Pros:

• You can host thousands of individuals on a single webinar, reaching a massive audience at one time.
• Webinars provide the ability to have a visual representation of the content while a person is speaking.
• Many viewers of webinars appreciate a raw user experience that shows the authenticity and vulnerability of the speaker.

Cons:

• Webinars are meant for speaking at people and not having a strong interactive experience.
• For a professional webinar, a lot of prep time is needed as well as a quiet area to deliver the experience for the viewers.
• Immediate interaction is difficult.

Tips:

• If you are the presenter, keep webinars extremely short and to the point. Eliminate any “fluff” or unnecessary content that is not relevant to the task at hand for the viewer.
• Always reward your employees for attending webinars with continuing education credits and measure their success. Adults like to be competitive and show their work.

Asynchronous online courses

As more companies move to online learning, most often found are prerecorded, prebuilt courses that are self-paced. This means that the learner or employee will take the course at their own pace during the allocated time set by an employer for the learning experience. These are different from live webinars that are moderated or have speakers presenting live to an audience. Webinars can be converted into a course or multiple courses.

Pros:

• Employers can manage the learning experience for their team through a Learning Management System.
• The learning can easily be data driven by quality checks within the facility or organization. If you see trends in outcomes from your workforce, you can focus the learning on those topics.
• Courses can be created as a very interactive user experience including quizzes, knowledge checks, click and drags, and videos.

Cons:

• Building a course is time consuming and can cost an exorbitant amount of money depending on the complexity of the course.
• You will need access to subject matter experts that can work in tandem to create the course.

Tips:

• Consider both micro and macro learning experiences for your courses. Attention spans are short, and you should not overload your employees with numerous long courses.
• As a presenter, put your courses into a “preventative maintenance” schedule to ensure that all your content is updated on a consistent basis and meets any standards that it should.

Synchronous online courses

Synchronous courses are a style of online learning in which the instructor is live with students on the same platform at the same time. This is meant to be very interactive, allowing students to ask questions or even take performance-based tests. This type of online learning blended with asynchronous courses is a great way to achieve success with vocational training programs.

Pros:

• Provides an enhanced user experience and keeps individuals in a social setting using technology.
• Instructors can see any “hands-on” tasks that might need to be completed to achieve certification or credentials.

Cons:

• Students must meet on the platform at a specific time and can’t study at their own pace.
• There is no ability to perfect a presentation through recording which can cause anxiety if the speaker is not prepped.

Tips:

• Begin blending asynchronous and synchronous courses together. Interaction and proof of concept on any vocational skillset is extremely important.
• For presenters, purchase high-level equipment and confirm that you have a strong internet connection that will not be compromised during your session with the attendees.

The future of online learning

After the pandemic fades and people regain confidence in their daily routines, in-person training will make a comeback as people crave physical workshops and seminars; however, the new reality is that online learning has changed the game forever. Any company or individual can find content online for free, but you must be able to trust the source and the quality of the content to leverage it for your team’s success.

Moving forward both in education and vocational studies, the landscape of online learning will become more dynamic and competitive, and costs will become lower to purchase any online course. In higher education, we are already starting to see universities compete heavily and drive price points down for online courses. If you are a presenter, you must set yourself apart from the competition.

Tips:

• Partner with online learning providers that provide globally recognized certifications and credentials.
• Partner with online learning providers that can capture your company’s specific needs and cater the work to your demands.

Technology exists today that allows your employees to use their cell phones while cleaning or restoring a location to simply “click” a pre-mounted tag that monitors the work they have performed, identifies if the person is certified, and provides any current education or protocols that are needed. As our industry embraces these new technologies, becoming ever more data driven, the demand for instant, anywhere access to online training protocols is likely to grow much faster than ever before.

Brant Insero is the director of education, training, certification, and standards for ������ý. He can be reached at brant@issa.com.

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Roughly 80 million people in the United States suffer from sensitivities that make it difficult for their bodies to detox mold and microbial toxins. For these people, the mainstream approach to mold remediation will not suffice. Cleanfax recently talked with Michael Rubino, president of , which specializes in remediation for hypersensitive clients, about the key points of working with this subsect of the population and the specialized practices needed to tailor remediation for their health and wellness.

Cleanfax staff (CF): Who are hypersensitive individuals? What makes a person more sensitive to mold or biotoxins than other people?

Michael Rubino (MR): Hypersensitive individuals are immunocompromised. The biggest classifications are chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS), Lyme disease, PANS [Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome], PANDAS [Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcus], and Autoimmune Disorder. Those are the bigger classifications. There are other smaller ones, too.

If you add up the individuals with known diagnoses of these conditions, it equates to nearly 40% of the population. It’s interesting, when you go to houses with, say, a family of four, it’s typically one or two out of four are experiencing the symptoms. The other family members are not. It’s interesting because they have different viewpoints, different realities of what’s happening. What makes them sensitive over the rest of the family is that their immune system is already fighting other things, so the mold just completely overloads their systems. This ultimately prevents them from detoxifying as someone with a healthy immune system would.

CF: What effects do mold biotoxins have on hypersensitive clients?

MR: There’s a wide range of things that can occur, but the more common ones are allergy-like respiratory symptoms and constantly feeling like you’re about to get a cold. There’s also chronic headaches, chronic fatigue, brain fog, and other cognitive difficulties—depression, slowed and slurred speech, difficulty breathing. Hives can also occur. It’s going to depend on the species present. Certain species are going to be toxigenic, others allergenic, and others pathogenic. They have different effects on an individual depending upon the species present and the individual’s immune system.

CF: How do the remediation steps on this type of work differ from standard remediation?

MR: This is something I’m very passionate about. The industry standards cover removing the sources of mold or active growth. There’s no difference there, as the standards and guidelines all include protocols for how to remove sourcing. What’s different about what we do for hypersensitive clients is we also handle the contamination created by those sources. It’s a much more involved and thorough process.

Say there is mold growing around a window where water entered; that is the source because it’s what is actively producing spores and biotoxins that damage the environment. Resolving that source by setting up containment and engineering controls and performing industry standard protocols to address that is all standard and commonly handled by any licensed and certified mold remediator.

The standards however, lack clear protocols to clean up the contamination created by those sources. That’s where the problem we experience lies. If you have Stachybotrys around that window and it’s producing trichothecene mycotoxins and mold spores, those spores and mycotoxins continuously produce into the environment.

This typically will impact the HVAC system because it continuously draws air through the returns, conditions it, and supplies it back out. A lot of HVAC systems don’t have the proper filtration to protect the unit from a mold spore that are .02 microns in size, so mold passes right through the filter and gets into the unit. The HVAC coil condensates, providing a wet environment for mold to be able to grow. This process can turn the HVAC system into a source as well.

This is why neglecting to clean up mycotoxins and mold spores from a home after the sources are remediated is a problem in my opinion. In most cases, contamination shown in MSQPCR testing as well as mycotoxin testing is ignored entirely. Let’s say there is a leak from a bathtub drain resulting in mold growth, prompting an insurance claim. The insurance company will cover removal of the source in the bathroom, but nine times out of ten they will not acknowledge the contamination present in the HVAC system or adjacent rooms as shown in MSQPCR testing no matter how obvious that these were impacted. If mycotoxins are also present because the molds present from the tub leak produced mycotoxins, they also may not acknowledge that.

The whole mantra of insurance companies is: “Peter from Company X said he can do the whole job for half the price.” What they leave out is Peter from Company X is doing it for half the price because he’s doing half the work. To top it off, the insurance company will not only push homeowners to use Company X to remediate, but also will push them to use their preferred testing contractor to validate Peter’s work was adequate. This will include basic baseline testing that won’t check to see if any of the contamination by that source was resolved properly. I think that’s another systemic problem of our industry because it’s just completely being ignored, and we as professionals allow it to happen.

Our company has developed protocols to handle that. We offer a full guarantee that we will remove the mycotoxins, endotoxins, and spore accumulation created by the sources in the home. Basically, the main difference is industry standard protocols stop at removing the source, and that’s not going to be enough for somebody who’s sensitive. You actually have to deal with the contamination that those sources created.

CF: Do the insurance companies work with you on that?

MR: Yes and no. It depends on the situation. In the past, we’ve had adjusters who understand and genuinely wanted to help the client. Because each insurance company is represented by an adjuster, the adjuster is ultimately the one who’s going to decide if whether to cover it. If the adjuster wants to be a hero and save money for his insurance company, he’s going to utilize the tools they have to fight it. We’ve had insurance companies hire an industrial hygienist on the West Coast for a claim in New Jersey to say, “The EPA states MSQPCR data is experimental only and cannot be used to diagnose problems in a house,” which is interesting.

I get the scoring methodology is experimental, but when you look at an MSQPCR analysis, it’ll tell you, for example, there are 150 spores of Stachybotrys present; there’s 2,000 spores of Aspergillus present; etc., listing 36 different molds, telling you which are present and how much were found. It tells you which molds are considered indoor water damage molds and which molds are common outdoor molds. What’s interesting is the data of how many spores are actually present, that’s not experimental; that’s data. I agree the scoring methodology is off. It doesn’t make sense. But having the data to say there are still 150 spores of Stachybotrys in the environment is useful data. It tells us the place still needs to be cleaned, and that’s not experimental at all.

It’s disheartening because so many families are faced with these components, and if you’re sensitive, yes, your bathroom is now clean, but you have 150 spores accumulated across your house that are going to get into your breathing zone and enter the body. That’s why these people are still experiencing symptoms even after remediation because, obviously, the contamination is still there. That’s part of the problem with the industry, and nobody’s really banding together. It’s almost separated the industry into two sides: One side agrees; the other wants to stick to the status quo. We’re really pioneers trying to help change things, but it’s a slow, steady process.

CF: What would you say are common mistakes to avoid?

MR: I’ve come up with basically eight common remediation mistakes.

Number one is improper engineering controls. What that means is somebody will come in and slap plastic up and cover an opening, and if they don’t contain it properly, don’t use the right plastic, don’t use any pole supports to hold that plastic up, the containment is going to fall down overnight.

Another problem with engineering controls is, let’s say you’re working in a space and need to do negative pressure, but there’s no window to draw air outwards; the solution is to create positive pressure outside the containment so, when you’re working inside, that area does not cross-contaminate the space outside of it. What I’ve seen too often is remediation companies just set up an air scrubber inside the work zone and think they’ve setup engineering controls properly. What they’ve inadvertently done is setup an air scrubber under neutral pressure, but the air can still circumvent into other areas of the home.

The number two problem is not removing enough building materials. Let’s say you have a water leak and the water affects six square feet of drywall and the company removes four square feet. You still have two square feet of drywall potentially harboring mold. You’re supposed to go four feet beyond water damage. I go into a project sometimes where we’re the second company coming in (someone already “remediated it”), and we see signs of water damage that went further than what was removed. That’s why it’s still showing up in post testing, so it’s a no-brainer for us to go further to ensure we don’t miss anything.

The number three thing we run into a lot is not drying out wet building materials. There’s a multitude of potential problems here, but imagine there’s a water event and a company cuts out the drywall 2 feet off the floor, thinking that’s good enough because there was only ¼ inch of water. The problem with that is water on the floor is going to wick up the wall. Drywall is a permeable building material that absorbs water. Maybe the water itself never got 2 feet high, but it’s possible for the water to wick up past 2 feet. That’s why having a moisture meter on hand, making sure you go past the moist material is a must.

The number four problem comes when restorers don’t dry out wet building materials between phases. Let’s say you’re treating a wall cavity with an antimicrobial agent and don’t allow that to properly dry before spraying a paint-based encapsulant on top. One problem is you’re now keeping moisture locked into the building material, which is a perpetual issue for mold and can also degrade the material over time. Another issue is you now have two compounds mixed together. Depending on the products, you may combining chemicals that mix together and create a toxic off-gas. So, it’s really important to always follow manufacturer recommendations and make sure everything is dried properly before you move from phase to phase.

The number five common mistake is not removing mold from surfaces. Time and time again we see companies say, “We killed it by spraying it.” That’s not how it works. All guidelines including the IICRC S520 say you have to use abrasive methodology to remove mold from the building material before you spray it with an antimicrobial. An antimicrobial is supposed to be a kind of failsafe after you’ve physically removed the hyphae from the building material. If you see mold on wood and just spray a chemical and wait for it to dry, you’re not physically removing the mold from the building material. Likely you’re going to let that dry, and then paint over mold. So, there’s a misconception that you can apply these products to “kill” the mold and you’re good to go after that. You do need to use abrasive methodology to remove the hyphae from the building material to ensure there’s no potential for the mold to come back. This is why I never feed into the “magic products” that come on the market. You have to do the work to get the results.

Number six is residual dirt, dust, and construction debris. For example, we were the second company in on a project where the previous company removed all the walls surrounding the bathtub but left the tub in place. It looked like a decent job on the surface until you looked between the bathtub and wall cavity. We could see all this dirt and debris at the bottom of the wall cavity.

What that tells you is A) They didn’t treat that wall cavity properly; B) They just tried to encapsulate over all the debris—and the encapsulation process doesn’t work if you’re encapsulating over debris; C) Obviously, if there’s debris, there’s still going to be mold because mold is microscopic at that level. It’s always important to make sure you vacuum all debris and any possible mold particulates before you treat and encapsulate.

Number seven: When doing the actual fine particulate remediation, you’re going to be using microfiber towels to actually remove the contamination from the building or the home, and not using enough rags to clean the surface is a problem. It’s kind of like mopping your floor without cleaning out the mop head every so often; you’re just going to be mopping dirt all over the place. It’s the same concept. If you don’t use enough rags to clean up, you’re just going to be moving mold and dirt around the room. You’re not actually going to be removing it.

The number eight problem, which I’ve touched on, is encapsulating over debris. If you encapsulate over mold and debris, you’re not encapsulating properly. It’s supposed to be a monolithic surface on the actual structure that you’re trying to protect. Not bonding to a clean surface is going to ruin the performance of the product. It also traps mold spores with the debris, which could become an issue should the conditions become possible for mold to grow again. Just using an antimicrobial product doesn’t prevent mold from growing if you’ve allowed it to stay there.

CF: Are there special training requirements for working with hypersensitive clients?

MR: Shockingly enough there are no special licensing requirements other than the standard certification needed to perform water damage or mold remediation. In my opinion, there needs to be a separate certification that expands on the initial protocols and is geared toward hypersensitive clients. There should be an optional certification set up so that mold remediation companies with an interest in helping sensitive people can get the training and certification to do so and so when a person is known to be hypersensitive, they can find a contractor who knows how to service them. There could very easily be a training program setup to accompany the certification, similar to the training programs already in place.

The hypersensitive population is severely underserved, with a lack of companies offering the same technology as us. Because of this, we have traveled as far as Reno, Nevada (from New Jersey) to help them. Some of our clients have told us companies respond to their known sensitivities with, “We don’t service people who are sensitive.” It’s kind of like saying, “We don’t know how to remove the mold fully, so if you’re sensitive, we think you’re going to be a headache and we won’t service you.”

I think it’s a systemic problem in our industry that professionals view someone who is sensitive as “crazy” or a “problem.” The truth is they are sensitive and require a higher standard than what’s currently offered. The is launching an industry education platform I think is a great place to start. We did mention this topic to them. Hopefully, after things calm down in the world, that could be further discussed.

CF: Is there anything else you think is important to share?

MR: I’m very passionate about creating awareness of the need for a more thorough approach to mold remediation. Because our industry as a whole has been using the same protocols for 20 years, it’s tough to change, but we have been making great strides. Our business grows every year because more people are realizing the impact it has on their family’s health and sees the importance of going above and beyond industry standards to ensure their home has a perfect ecology.

I think really what we need to do is start questioning whether there is a subset of the population that’s being underserved and ignored. Is there a need for this? Based upon the statistics and research we’ve done and just how our business has grown, I think there is a need for it. There’s a great demand that hypersensitive clients have, and I think we need to take a look at that as professionals and figure out how we can be of better service to them.

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You might have considered adding forensic restoration as a service of your business, and right now is a good time to be in the field because of the current pandemic and its cleanup response. But there is a misconception that forensic restoration is just “crime scene cleaning.” The truth is there is much more to the industry subsect than that.

According to the Global BioRisk Advisory Council (GBAC), “Forensic restoration is a comprehensive remediation of building structures and environments that have been contaminated or suspected to be contaminated by biohazardous materials.” These biohazardous materials could come from incidents of infectious disease, crime and trauma, suicide, unattended death, gross animal fecal contamination, hoarding houses, unsanitary dwellings, etc. The list can go on, but those are some of the primaries.

A day in the life of forensic restoration

Forensic restoration work, like all service work, starts with a phone call. Even if a client inquires about this over the internet, eventually you’re going to make phone contact with someone, so it’s absolutely critical that we try to acquire as much critical incident data as possible: who, what, where, when, and how. That helps us prepare physically, psychologically, and even spiritually for where we’re going and what we’re going to be walking into. It also enables us to get our team properly prepared: Make sure we double check that we’ve got everything—within our vehicles and our mobile support systems—and have all the tools ready when we get out there.

Set up

Once we hit that site, we’re going to be following protocol. We can put different incident sites side by side, and you’ll see how the protocol works on both of them. In one instance, we’re responding to a shotgun suicide. A very graphic scene, this is what a lot of people think about when they think of crime scene cleaning. On the other site, we’re responding to the introduction of a known infectious agent.

On both of these sites, the first thing we are going to do is a site assessment. Here, we look for our safety hazards—the same things that would be involved with traditional restoration. Fire, water, slip and fall potential, electrical hazards, sharps, and anything else that could be a safety hazard needs to be documented.

Zone creation

Next we take our initial ATP readings; we’ll be photographing, logging, and taking measurements. We must document everything. At that time, when we’re establishing the scope of the work, we’ll designate our operations zone, our transition zone, and our clear zone—three distinct zones.

Needless to say, operations is where the actual work is going on. Let’s say for a moment that shotgun suicide happened in a bedroom. That bedroom is going to be the initial operations zone. But make no mistake, whenever a firearm is discharged, there is an incredible amount of energy that’s released. The larger the caliber, the more energy that is released. Things on the biological end have been known to bounce off walls and go down halls, so you’ve got to do your due diligence and establish where your operations zone is. The same is true of the known infectious agent site. If the infectious agent originated in the bedroom, it could be confined to that bedroom, but it also might scope out to be the entire house.

Next is the transition zone where people make the transition from the clear zone to the operations zone. This is where working materials can be place and where donning and doffing can occur before moving to the clear zone. Back in the old days many called the clear zone the “clean zone.” The problem with this characterization is this: I didn’t clean it; you didn’t clean it; so, who cleaned it? We know what the definition of clean is. This area is simply clear of biological materials; it is not clean.

Pre-disinfection and load reduction

The next step on either hypothetical jobsites is to do pre-disinfecting with an EPA-registered, hospital-grade tuberculocidal disinfectant with a six-log kill, proven to kill both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria and inactivate both enveloped and nonenveloped viruses. We have no illusions about this being able to take care of all the biological threats on site. We do this as a pathogenic knock-down to make this a safer working environment for the team.

At this point, our two scenarios separate a bit. The next step in the protocol is a load reduction. The load reduction is defined as “the removal of all gross amounts of biological contaminants.” That’s pretty easy to figure out on the self-cessation via firearm, but on a tier-four introduction of a known infectious agent, there may not be a gross amount of biological contaminants. So, what do you do? You simply skip that step and go on to the next one because after the load reduction comes detailed forensic cleaning.

Any cleaner worth his weight in salt always asks himself two questions: “What am I cleaning?” and “Why?” Cleaning is defined as, “The removal of soil, both visible and invisible.” Forensic cleaning is defined as, “The removal of biological contaminants, both visible and invisible, to prepare surfaces, both vertical and horizontal, for professional disinfecting.”

Verification

Once forensic cleaning is completed, we take another set of ATP readings, which lets us know our cleanliness level. If we bring those numbers down to single digits, possibly even zero, we know our disinfectant can do what we want it to do. Everything that we’ve done so far—from our pre-disinfection, to our load reduction, to our detailed forensic cleaning and testing—is to set up that final disinfecting. Now we apply an EPA-registered, hospital-grade tuberculocidal disinfectant with a six-log kill, and what we have done is taken a hostile environment and turned it into a user-friendly environment.

Laws and safety

On a forensic restoration site, we’re usually going to be operating under a risk level three, which requires full microporous suits, two sets of nitrile gloves, an exterior set of heavier gloves, booties, respiratory protection, and eye protection. For my team, we always wear powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs) because I want to go one step above to ensure their safety. When people training with GBAC don gear, they wear PAPRs because we try to simulate real world conditions. You’ll be wearing PAPRs if you train with GBAC.

There are regulations for forensic restoration teams as well. Before anyone goes out into the field, they need bloodborne pathogen training. They also must see an occupational medicine specialist to ensure they are physically fit to wear a respirator and must have a respiratory fit test. There is only one respirator I am aware of that requires no fit test. For every other respirator, by law, you have to have one.

Employers must offer employees the option of having a hepatitis B vaccination. If an employee wants the vaccination, the employer is required to pay for that, as well as other regulations that come into play including the disposal of medical waste. These regulations aren’t federal. In fact, these aren’t even made by states. They can vary county to county and municipality to municipality. You have to be aware of where you are working and what you’re going to do with medical waste.

Training and investments

Training for forensic restoration really should be hands on. You can go sit in a classroom and look at a bunch of PowerPoints, or you can go to an environment and try. Kids learn; warriors train. Have no doubt in your mind, this is microbial warfare, so, when we at GBAC conduct training, that’s exactly what we train for. We try to get as close to battlefield conditions as we can.

Trainees actually don and doff PPE. Which is more dangerous? Doffing. You’ve been in a hazardous environment. You’ve got to make sure you don’t contaminate yourself coming out of PPE. That might sound simple, but it’s a common and dangerous mistake. We also go into environments, using real biologicals, and trainees have to follow the protocol to acquire the needed numbers on an ATP test and then be able to professionally disinfect.

Outside of training, the biggest investment for this work is a matter of ensuring the company is stocked with the needed chemicals and delivery systems for them. Let’s go back to the incident site again. What’s the first thing we did? We predisinfected with an EPA-registered, hospital-grade tuberculocidal disinfectant. You need a delivery system for that disinfectant. What’s it going to be? A pump-top sprayer, ULV wet sprayer, electrostatic sprayer, binary-ionization technology with ionized hydrogen peroxide? You have to make your decision.

Some people ask what to disinfect with, to which my reply is, “What’s the incident site?” I never make the decision of what to use. The incident site decides for me.

After that, I’ve got to do a load reduction, and I’ve got to have the tools to be able to do that. The load reduction specialist needs to be the strongest person on the team. That doesn’t necessarily mean he can out bench press anybody. It means he or she should be strong psychologically and spiritually because they’ll be down in the load, removing it, and placing it in containers for proper disposal as medical waste.

What type of tools will you need to do forensic cleaning? Anyone can spray something on a horizontal surface for cleaning and disinfecting, but you must consider how you will get cleaner and disinfectant to adhere to vertical surfaces for proper dwell time. I would highly recommend foamers because foam sticks and will give you that dwell time. There is, of course, special equipment available, but I’ve been doing this for 48 years. Back in the days when we started this (My father did his first one back in 1969.), we didn’t have specialized equipment; we just had cleaning equipment.

Choosing technicians

I can teach forensic cleaning techniques to anyone. That doesn’t mean they’re the right person for this type of work. Everything that we do in this life is always going to be a part of us—from the best Christmas we ever had to the high school breakup when you thought the world was going to end, but somehow it just kept on turning. It’s the same with each and every one of these jobs.

If I wanted to, I could remember every job I’ve ever done in the last 48 years. I don’t because that’s not a balanced way to live. Someone who is grounded and stable is going to be a lot better at this. I’ve met some fine young people who got into this industry, but it’s usually people with a few years behind them, with a few life experiences, and who know why they want to do this. I’ve seen my share of people who thought it was going to be really cool to be a so-called “crime scene cleaner.” They found out really fast there’s nothing cool about this. No one’s calling you because they’re having a good day. In fact, they’re probably having one of the worst days of their lives.

There’s not a classroom or book you can read to prep you for every type of circumstance you’re going to enter into. You’ve got to be like Bruce Lee said, “like water,” and you’ve got to be adaptable and be able to fit under any circumstance.

We don’t get a guidebook for life, so there’s no instruction manual for how to grieve, but in forensic restoration, you will frequently deal with grieving people. I’ve been asked many times, “What should we say to the people?” You are not an ordained minister, pastor, or clergy person. You’re not a licensed psychologist. We are there to perform a service. You want to be a really good conversationalist? Learn how to be a good listener. Don’t try to use 20 words when six will do: “I’m sorry. Let me help you.” That’ll suffice in what we do.

You need to hire people who are balanced and who want to do this work for the right reasons. What you must look for are passionate people who have a desire to be of service. If someone has a warrior’s passion and a servant’s heart, I’ll gladly teach them anything. That’s the type of person who shines in this industry. This is about service, and there is honor in service.

The client

I’ve worked for everyone from insurance companies, to homeowners, to business owners, to government agents on forensic cleaning projects, so the customer expectations can vary greatly from job to job, as can the circumstances. For example, in the case of sites that are involved in a crime scene, you need to make sure the incident site has been released by law enforcement. The last thing you want to do is go in and clean the site for the perpetrator. In a case of a homicide or suicide, if you’re dealing with an insurance company, it’s generally a given that the site has been released, but if you have any doubt, find out. I’ve called local authorities and said, “This is who I am. This is what I do.” Sometimes they have referred me to a detective who confirms it’s been released. It’s not a bother to them, and as a matter of fact, it’s a great line of communication to open up.

A lot of people think we are simply crime scene cleaners or that we are out recovering bio. Here is what we do: We’re biorisk management and infection control specialist, utilizing the techniques of forensic cleaning and professional disinfecting. That’s great; you can put that on a business card.

But let me tell you what we really do. When someone calls us, their world is upside down. Their lives are out of balance. The Navajo word for balance is “hózhó.” The Navajo believe that if a person wants to live a long, healthy, and happy life, it’s essential that they live in hózhó—psychological, physical, and spiritual balance. That balance has been disrupted for our clients, sometimes very violently. What we do is go out and put things back in balance so that people can once again live the nizhóní, the beautiful life.

What we want to do is create a state of perfect balance. That’s really what we do.

Jeff Jones is the director of forensic operations and the master trainer for the , where he trains industry professionals to be Microbial Warriors. He is an international expert in the development and implementation of��forensic restoration best practices. Reach him at biosheen@gmail.com.

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.

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