Duraclean Journal of Marketing, Management and Technical Topics

Labels: Announcements, Carpet, Hardwood Floors, Marketing, Stainmaster

• Prompt Water Removal is a Major Key to Limiting Damage


• Air Movers Start the Flow of the Drying Process


• Dehumidifiers' Use in Water Damage is All "Relative" - Part I


• Dehumidifiers' Use in Water Damage is All "Relative" - Part II


• How Much Equipment to Ensure Timely Drying? – Part I


• How Much Equipment to Ensure Timely Drying? – Part II


• Why Use Anti-microbials?


• Specialty Service Subcontracting - Part I


• Specialty Service Subcontracting - Part II


• Specialty Service Subcontracting - Part III


• Wall Interior Drying - Part I


• Wall Interior Drying - Part II


• Wall Interior Drying - Part III


• Hardwood Floor Drying - Part I


• Hardwood Floor Drying - Part II

To access these go to the "Downloads" section and then to the "Restoration News Publications" link. From there you can view all of the bulletins. You can also access the directly through this link: http://www.duracleanfranchise.com/downloads/restoration.htm.

The bulletins are in two different formats. One is in"Microsoft Publisher" format. If you have this software on your computer then each bulletin has a "Restoration News" banner at the top. Otherwise you can use the more common "Word" versions of the bulletins.

Restoration News Bulletin No. 1 - Microsoft "Publisher" format

Restoration News Bulletin No. 1 - "Word" format

Either format will allow you to personalize your contact information at the end of each bulletin which now says:

With your personalized file(s) you can print out exactly how many bulletins you will need and when you need them! A hard copy of the first bulletin in "Publisher" format is enclosed with the March, 2009 statement mailings.

Following is the text for the first bulletin as an example.

Prompt Water Removal is a Major Key to Limiting Damage

Most Common Causes of Water Damage
Often when you see water damage situations on the television news they are caused by disasters of major proportions. Hurricanes and river floods are two sources that immediately come to mind. Did you know, however, that water damage to structures (buildings) and their contents (items not part of the actual structures) is most often caused by leaking appliances, frozen pipes, sewage backups and excessive rainfall?! It's a fact that water damage can strike anyone at any time.

Timely Water Removal Limits Secondary Damage
A major key to limiting property damage is to remove the water. This sounds simple, doesn't it? Since the water damage has already occurred and, in many cases, has receded leaving affected surfaces wet, many of the "victims" assume that they can take their time in getting the structure dried by a restoration firm. Worse yet they may either try to do the work themselves or not do anything at all letting nature dry out the structure and contents instead. What is really wrong with taking these approaches?

When water has made significant contact with the structure and contents, failure to dry everything in a timely and proper manner causes additional damage called secondary damage. The water exposure can lead to the growth of mold, mildew and other pathogens which can seriously affect your health. To prevent secondary damage and protect your health a certified, knowledgeable restoration firm with customized equipment and solutions designed especially for water damage restoration should be utilized.

The cost of losses related to secondary damage can escalate from possibly hundreds of dollars to correct the original water exposure to thousands of dollars where drying alone will not solve the problem and replacement is now in order to satisfy the claim. Historically, these kind of situations happen when the family is on vacation and the structure is left unattended for weeks at a time. Secondary damage can easily occur starting within minutes of the original exposure! Let's look at a time line of what can happen when the damage is allowed to go untreated.

Time-related Water Damage Contamination Effects
Within minutes water can cause the spreading of contamination which can lead to typhoid, Legionnaire's Disease, fecal strep, salmonella, gastrointestinal diseases and systemic fungal infections. Furniture can permanently stain wet carpet. Moisture sensitive surfaces such as books and paper can swell and disfigure.

Within hours cross contamination (contact) of wet clothing with other clothing can cause transfer of dye colors. Think of what happens when new, unwashed jeans are wet and then make contact with another fabric surface: an unwanted blue area that is permanently stained! Furniture finishes can discolor and wooden legs and framework start to swell.

Within days doors, drawers and drywall may start to swell, buckle and delaminate. Particle board subflooring can warp, buckle and delaminate as well. Furniture legs continue to swell and can lead to cracking of the wood. Wallpaper can peel and ceilings warp. Mold and mildew can start to grow within 48 hours of the original damage, especially in wall interiors that have insulation which acts like a sponge. (Absorbed water can travel several feet up the insulation!) A common related growth is grayish/green penicillium mold. Areas left unattended for 9 days or longer can produce greenish/black aspergillus mold which is even more virulent and a greater health hazard. Dyes in Oriental rugs can run permanently discoloring the rugs.

Within weeks mold and mildew can digest plaster, drywall, paneling, adhesives, ceiling tile and organic insulation. Electronic equipment may become unsalvageable. Hardwood floors may buckle, plywood delaminates and particle board dissolve. Tackless strip which is used to secure stretch-in carpet, the most common type of residential installation, can become weak, soggy and rotten while the tacks in the strips become corroded. Alkaline in concrete subflooring can wick up due to water exposure, attack the overlying tile and linoleum including their adhesives and loosen them up.

How Specifically is Drying Accomplished?
There is a lot more to drying a water damaged structure and its contents than just extracting it with a wet vacuum type unit. Future Duraclean Restoration Network News bulletins will explain exactly what equipment and solutions are used and how their employment maximizes drying results to prevent secondary damage and related health problems.

NOTE: Here is where you would insert your personalization for the bulletin such as:

Labels: Bulletins, Marketing, Restoration, Water Damage Restoration

Blaisdell Seeking to Sell Duraclean Franchise

Charlie Blaisdell of North Adams, Massachusetts is selling his Duraclean Carpet & Upholstery Specialists franchise. He started his business in 1977.

Included in his sale are:

• Franchise rights to operate in Berkshire county.
• Customer list of 1200+
• 2004 Chevy Express Van with Bridepoint Sabre 200 truckmount.
• Portable equipment.
• Various supplies.
• Complete inventory available upon request.

Charlie's asking price is $57,000.00.

He may be contacted by phone at 413-663-9782 (ask for Charlie) or by e-mail at duraclean@adelphia.net.

Labels: Announcements, For Sale, Used Equipment

There may be occasions where you come across an environment through your cleaning or remediation services and you find that testing may need to be done. There are two options: one is a certified inspector, the other is an industrial hygienist.

Certified Inspector

A certified inspector can conduct a series of surface and air sample tests. These should be sent to a reputable laboratory and the results can explain what is present in a structure and to what degree in the amount of contamination. If the purpose of the testing is only to determine what is present and to find out probable cause(s) to the problem, then the inspector is a good choice.

How do you locate a good certified inspector? If you know of one in your area that should be your first choice. If you are unaware of any try contacting ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors.

You can go to their website at http://www.ashi.com/. Then click on "Find Home Inspectors." Then you can locate home inspectors by their zip code, metro area, name and zip code or the type of services that you are looking for along with the zip code area.

Keep in mind that inspectors are only qualified to conduct a site survey and take tests. They can't write a remediation plan if that is required as a result of the tests. If the amount or type of exposure is such that a plan would be required then a certified industrial hygienist should be considered.

Certified Industrial Hygienist




A certified industrial hygienist will conduct the same tests with the same equipment as an inspector but he/she also has the training to write a remediation plan. The remediation plan is the road map on how to deal with the structure to restore it to a safe environment. Testing after the job is completed is often part of the protocol to ensure that everything has been done properly according to the plan.

Just like the inspector if you are aware of someone in your area who is qualified in the area of mold then that should be your first choice as a contact. If you need to locate a certified industrial hygienist then you can do so through AIHA (American Industrial Hygienist Association) at www.aiha.org/content.



Once you are on their website you click on"Consultants Listing." Then click on the link for "Consumers" and do the search for contacts in your state/area.


Testing On Your Own

This is never recommended for you to do! The U.S. EPA says in its document
EPA 402-K-01-001 “Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings” that, “Sampling for mold should be conducted by professionals with specific experience in designing mold sampling protocols…a number of pitfalls may be encountered when inexperienced personnel conduct sampling…you may incur costs for unneeded or inappropriate samples.”

Plus, testing by an independent third party service adds credibility to the results leading to the work that has to be performed (scope). In addition, any post-testing cab verify that you have done the job correctly and can protect you from any liability.

10 Steps to Lockout/Tagout Protection

The following article is a condensation from the "Safety News Alert" newsletter from BLR that deals with an often forgotten safety consideration: lockout/tagout.

The OSHA Standard

Every year workers are injured, maimed, disabled or killed in gruesome accidents because they fail to disconnect the power source of machinery that they are repairing, servicing or using or because an unaware co-worker prematurely restarts the equipment. Accidents like these are preventable if you understand and follow OSHA's lockout/tagout (LOTO) standard (29 CFR 1910.147). You can print out a copy of this standard by going to: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_id=9804&p_table=STANDARDS

The LOTO standard was developed to protect workers from the unexpected energizing of equipment. LOTO rules apply to machine repairs and maintenance as well as to routine production servicing when those tasks require removing or bypassing a guard or other safety device or placing a body part into a point of operation or other danger zone during and operation cycle.

NOTE: LOTO can be applicable in our industry when, for example, you may be cleaning commercial duct work that has in-line fans or there are other building areas where there are moving parts/machinery that you may come in contact with and must be locked and tagged out. In this case it would be the customer's on-site authorized personnel that would perform this service. Regardless of the situation you and employees must be aware of the need for this process when applicable circumstances arise.

Three Groups Requiring Training

• Authorized Employees - may include electricians, maintenance personnel and some machine operators. These are the only ones authorized to perform LOTO. Through training they are the only ones allowed by OSHA to perform LOTO. Training includes understanding how machinery is powered and to recognize hazardous energy sources. They also need to learn how to isolate and control energy by implementing the stated LOTO procedures.

• Affected Employees - may be comprised of machine operators and helpers who work with machines but aren't authorized to perform LOTO. This group needs to understand the purpose and use of LOTO and that they can't perform any repairs or maintenance on their equipment until it has been properly locked and tagged out. Finally, they need to know that they aren't authorized to remove a lock or tag.





• Other Employees - includes anyone who works in an area where LOTO procedures are used. They must be aware of the purpose of energy control procedures and the importance of not operating locked or tagged out machinery and of not interfering with locks or tags.

The Ten LOTO OSHA-required Procedures

What "authorized employees" only should:

1. Notify all affected employees that equipment will be shut down and locked out for services or maintenance.
   
2. Identify the type(s) of energy the equipment uses, e.g., electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical.
   
3. Turn off the machine using the normal stopping procedure.


4. Locate and deactivate all energy isolating devices, e.g., circuit breaker or disconnect switch.


5. Lockout and/or tagout the energy control switches in an "off" or "safe" position. Tagout alone should only be used when it is impossible to lockout the energy source.


6. Release or store blocked energy, e.g., releasing spring tension or blocking spring-driven parts; relieving trapped pressure by venting pneumatic lines, draining or bleeding hydraulic lines; blocking or bracing any gravity-driven moving parts.


7. Test the operating controls to ensure energy is locked out and then return controls to "off" or "safe" position.


8. Perform necessary repairs or maintenance.


9. When the work is completed, make sure all tools and other items have been removed and that machine guards are properly reinstalled. Notify employees in the area that LOTO devices are being removed and keep everyone a safe distance from the machine.


10. Remove locks and tags. Only employees who install locks and tags are allowed to remove them before re-energizing equipment, testing it and notifying affected employees that the machine is back on line.
    

Tagout Training

Employees must be trained in the following limitation of tags:

• Tags are basically warning devices affixed to energy isolating devices and do not provide the physical restraint on those devices that are provided by a lock.

• When a tag is attached to an energy isolating means it is not to be removed without authorization of the authorized person responsible for it, and it is never to be bypassed, ignored or otherwise defeated.
  
• Tags must be legible and understandable by all authorized employees, affected employees and all other employees whose work operations are or may be in the area in order to be effective.
  
• Tags and their means of attachment must be made of materials that will withstand the environment conditions encountered in the workplace.
  
• Tags may cause a false sense of security and their meaning needs to be understood as part of the overall energy control program.
  
• Tags must be securely attached to energy isolating devices so that they cannot be inadvertently or accidentally detached during their use.

Lockout/Tagout Supplies and Sources

There are a lot sources that may be found through the web for lockout/tagout supplies. Here is one kit from Labelmaster that contains a variety of tags and locks to take care of virtually any situation. It may be found at: http://www.labelmaster.com/lmstore/default.aspx?screen=product/catalog&cataloglevel=2715

Lockout/tagout kit

For additional information on LOTO training visit BLR's website at: http://www.blr.com/.

Labels: Personnel, Safety Compliance, Safety Management, Training

Fiberlock "Green Focus" Program


Website Information

Labels: Fiberlock, Green Products, Mold Remediation