Safety and Customer Information

Have a conversation with your client about what you are doing, why and stress the importance of resolving what caused the problem, your remediation process and the subsequent removal of whatever organic load may be present.

This is very important in setting the stage accurately for what your customer can expect from you.  Communication is key!

FAQ’s:

Important Cautions

There are certain circumstances where extra time and thought should be given when contemplating the use of The Serum System or other cleaning products when cleaning crawl spaces, basements, attics and or large commercial jobs.

As with the use of proper PPE, Proper Containment is critical to a successful remediation.  Avoiding cross contamination, creating negative or positive air, removal of vapor barriers, sealing of intrusions (like plumbing, electrical or HVAC to name a few are all important and as a blanket statement should be assessed and completed before any remediation begins.  Drying the space and structures is essential to setting the job up for a successful result.   

Review of the IICRC Guidelines is necessary to proceeding professionally. 

1. When estimating a job for remediation, what should I pay attention to?

The rules of engagement are pretty much standard but keys to a successful outcome have to do with a proper estimate of what actually needs to be completed.  Proper documentation, photo’s, moisture readings, testing if applicable are vital and necessary to providing your client with the best result.

Remember, time is money and the goal is to use technology (The Serum System) as your friend to speed up the process by enhancing your cleaning efficiency lowering labor requirements and if effect driving unnecessary cost out of your estimate. 

Large Loss Considerations
This comes into play when estimating the cleaning of large multi floor or multi building sites (primarily new construction). 

There are certain building materials that you should be aware of that have a reputation for failure. 

CPVC or Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride which is an orange looking pipe material much like PVC found in general plumbing situations and fire suppression systems. 

Special Conditions:
The history with this particular building material is considerable with its higher than normal failure rates (leaks and actual pipe fractures).  Installation requires specifically trained technicians and even with all the guidance provided by the manufactures, incorrect installations are the number 1 cause of failure. 

The chemical makeup of this material can cause brittleness when exposed to other building materials such as certain oils, soaps, calks, certain cleaning compounds and paints found on the job site.  How the pipe material is handled and stored can have an impact, which is beyond your control, so care should be used when cleaning around existing installations.

Containment is required and should be addressed in your quote to account for the recommended draping of the piping with 3-6 mil plastic to avoid any direct contact with Serum or any other cleaner for that matter.  It is strongly recommended to walk the entire job site and take pictures of the installation where the pipe is not lying flat and true from hangers.  Any bends in the pipe between junctions can cause stress points on those junctions causing failure over time.  Documentation is good practice on these types of jobs as there are always a number of issues. It is also important to take pictures of any stored pipe on site so that a record can be memorialized as improper storage can contribute to early failure later.

You are the odd man out on these large jobs, and it is always best to take steps to protect yourself and your company.

PPE and Safety:  Honoring the job site is critical and proper safety precautions taken when entering the job site.  Reflective vests, hard hats and safety glasses should be worn at all times (see additional safety precautions and OSHA requirements that are specific to your state).  Proper PPE is required for the preclean, set up, dry down if required and the actual cleaning/removal steps in the job.  This reminder is to reinforce your own safety program.                                    

Preclean and dry out if necessary:  It is very important to either have the general contractor or your crews preclean the space to a broom clean condition.  Saw dust and debris can inhibit any cleaning process.  If the job requires a dry out, appropriate containment should be used to effectively dry blocks of spaces enough to get to standard.  IICRC STANDARDS APPLY HERE                                    

Removal can be either HEPA VACUUMING OR AIRWASH with negative air depending on whether it is being surface tested or just inspected visually.  Obviously, an air wash is the least expensive method due to the labor/time needed. 

It is important to note this is a cleaning and not a remediation as the space is too large to effectively contain in such a way that this project would be affordable or practical.