Steamatic of Sacramento Healthy Home Blog

Uncle, HELP!!! I have mold under my carpet and in my wall and I think I have spread it to the rest of the house!

My niece recently called me with the following apology: "I hate calling you when I need help but I didn’t know what else to do."  She explained that while one of her children was showering, she discovered wet carpet and pad by the shower and there was mold on the subfloor of her second story bathroom. The drywall was also rotted at the base and there was mold on the exterior and in the wall cavity.

Next she anxiously explained that she probably compounded the problem by removing the water, the moldy pad, cleaned the subfloor and placed a fan in the area for drying. After doing these normal homeowner activities (I assured her) she called her insurance company.  They informed her that she probably spread the mold by using the fan and that there was a limited amount of coverage for mold remediation.  They offered to send out a leak detection company to determine the source of the water damage.  Then she called me.

I take many of these calls at SOS and there is a common issue: Homeowners of all ages and capacity have no idea what to do when they encounter either water damage alone or water damage and active growing mold.  I told my niece that I was going to broadcast my message to her and others in hopes of helping those faced with these situations.  For those of you who hate bullet points – sorry:

• Don't panic.  Find the source of the water and turn it off.  In this instance, she stopped the shower and the water stopped.  In worse case scenarios, you may have to turn off the main water supply. Find out where that is before you need to know!
• If you find mold in any of the damaged areas, remove the water but proceed carefully with the steps listed below.  When the area is wet, the mold is contained in the water and wet surfaces. When the surfaces begin to dry, the mold spores can easily become airborne and spread to other areas of the structure (my niece thought she did a bad thing by using a fan to dry the wet areas – yep!).
• Remove as much standing water as possible: rags or towels to absorb excess water; a wet/dry or shop vacuum, mops, whatever.  Obviously this is easier to do on hard surfaces but it is also effective on carpet.  
• If the carpet is wet, the pad below the carpet acts like a sponge.  You can lift the carpet off the pins on the tack strip when carpet is wet (it grows a bit with water). SOS crew use 5 gallon buckets to collect small sections of pad (and the water) to remove it from the area.
• If you find a lot of mold on the subfloor, walls, baseboard or other surfaces, cover (contain) it with plastic and have it removed professionally. Likely, you will also have the problem in the wall cavity or cavities nearby.  Having the moldy areas of the structure removed properly and professionally will not normally exceed your limited coverage for mold.
• If you can live with the wet areas for a short period of time (4-6 hours) it is often best to have a professional restoration company handle the claim from the beginning.  You are not required to use the insurance company's vendor if you have a qualified company you prefer.  Look for members of the Restoration Industry Association  (www.restorationindustry.org) or the IICRC (www.iicrc.org) for professionally trained technicians to assist you.

Many professional restorers have associates throughout the US that they can refer.  I connected my niece with a longtime friend and professional in her area whose staff was at her home within hours.  Not only did they handle the entire loss, start to finish, but they also presented the correct information to the insurance company so that they covered all of the loss except her deductible.

How do you know you are working with a professional restoration company? They contract with you directly, work for you (not the insurance company) and provide you with an itemized invoice for payment that details the services provided.  There are some very good professional companies that participate in the insurance vendor programs but they are managed and restricted by third party administrators, much like managed medical plans.  These programs were instituted to save the insurance company money and that is the bottom line.

Swine Flue - a lack of good information abounds

Cleaning for Health has been a major emphasis at Steamatic for many years.  Back in the early seventies, our organization paid a microbiologist from Texas Christian University to determine the reduction in soil and microorganisms from our patented Hot Water Extraction Process™.  The results, then, were notable – bacteria reduction in excess of 80% following cleaning with the Steamatic patented process.

Since then, sewage, mold, bacteria and now viral pathogens have become a reality of the 21^ST Century.  The swine flu that started in Mexico in late April now occupies a large section of the printed space in our local Sacramento Bee newspaper.  On line information is generic and undeveloped.  What are the other routes of transmission?  What is the incubation period for the virus to develop? Perhaps the public health authorities do not want too much information shared but it appeals to me to know as much as possible to avoid the problem and the anticipation of having the problem! 

I was in Mexico for the first eleven days of April and I was never concerned about the swine flu outbreak because I have not been ill.  However on a recent trip to San Antonio, I flew in close proximity to many individuals on several small regional jets and have been experiencing some health issues normal to the beginning of the flu. The last two days, on page one of the Sacramento Bee, photos of a janitor cleaning a desk with rubber gloves only and health professionals with new hooded-masks learning how to deal with swine flu-effected patients.  There’s a mixed message to the public and in the public interest I have attached a bulletin from a trusted environmental professional that provides the specifics I was seeking.

Call me at 916-386-8191 for more information on Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and specific EPA registered products that are effective in these matters.  The information is free but we charge for providing Cleaning for Health services.

 

Download Article by Patrick Moffett

Molecular Cleaning and Other Interesting Facts

OK - I can't stop relating everyday events to cleaning and restoration.  After 36+ years, it just happens.  Every day, around my home and office, I am reminded of what I have learned in my career; no escaping the connections.  Soon, I will produce a "White Paper" on the subject.

Yesterday, I was in a condominium in Sacramento.  Nice unit, many late model cars and very pleasant surrounding open spaces to enjoy the out of doors.  I was on an assignment as a Consultant to determine the need for mold remediation in a pristine, empty two-bedroom, lower-level unit.  The carpet and pad was pulled and piled up revealing large cracks in the slab.  There was a core sample hole in the middle of the living room floor, drywall and baseboard were removed from several areas under two south-facing windows and some walls throughout the unit.  Supposedly, the unit was sold to a new owner who was not informed that the unit had previous water damage and mold amplification.  One could never have guessed this based strictly on the appearance of the space.  Yet, the issue was discovered simply and now, officially, by costly expert investigations, destructive testing and environmental sampling.

Visual observation of mold appearing at windows, near water reservoirs (think water closet or toilet tank) and along baseboards on a regular basis may indicate high interior relative humidity.  Often, it is the ill-health effects of microbial mycotoxins in the occupied space compared to the lack of same outside of the space that may alert the occupants that something is amiss.  Both parties are now locked in litigation to determine who will assume what financial responsibility and both parties are spending gobs of money to prove their case.  The bigger picture for me, as an Expert in this field, is you can't fool Mother Nature regardless of the appearance of the structure.

There are obvious indicators that this unit is problematic based on the simplest of observations; the surrounding land slopes toward the slab foundation on the south exposure that receives the majority of the weather.  The core hole reveals a proper slab construction with vapor barrier in tack.  All other simple observations point to a slab moisture problem throughout the entire space, some worse than others.  There are major cracks in the slab that have been filled previously - someone knew of the problem and tried to fix it but this was not properly disclosed at the time of the sale.  I have no direct knowledge of what I am about to say, but you think the neighbors who watched all of the attempted corrective activities might someday mention that to the new owner?  Duh.

So what does this have to do with "molecular cleaning and other interesting facts"?  Not much that you would understand - I just needed to try a catchy by-line to garner your attention.  Let me know if it worked and watch for my "White Paper" on the SOS web site (www.steamaticofsacramento.com) to get the real story of molecular cleaning and other interesting facts.

New York City Mold Guidelines Review

The City of New York has a large issue with mold in both private and public housing – about 15,000 complaints a year are received.  Most readers may not know that the original guidelines for cleaning and remediation of mold originated from the NYC Department of Health in 1993.  Under consideration, are the guidelines for cleaning and remediation [1]of different levels of mold contamination: Level I: Small Isolated Areas (10 square feet or less); Level II: Mid-Sized Isolated Areas (10 - 30 square feet); Level III: Large Isolated Areas (30 - 100 square feet).  Each level, one through three, has different recommendations for the containment, cleaning and protection of the building occupants and the workers performing the remediation. 

You may be wondering why the square feet of mold contamination is the measure of difference between the cleaning and remediation guidelines.  There is a simple but not well understood explanation: the dose-response relationship between the volume of mold present and the potential danger to building occupants and remediators is the critical to the medical and scientific communities.  The more mold present, the greater the possibility of allergy-type reactions.  The question at hand driving the review is the amount of mold stated in each level of the guidelines.  Many feel that the amounts are too liberal and need to be revised.  This is a sticky issue for those affected and the medical and scientific communities.  Normally, medical and scientific advice is driven by epidemiological studies – scientific and medical studies of the causes and transmission of disease and health issues within a population.  Mold-related health effects are not yet verified by epidemiological evidence and therefore, rest on individual interpretation of the medical and environmental science practitioners.  The common divide exist: those who claim medical affects (to the bizarre) and those who claim there is no evidence that the problem is specifically related to the presence of mold and the mycotoxins that cause the health issues (to the bizarre).  What’s at stake is a great deal of money – and that should surprise no one who understands what drives change. 

Case law has made a difference in this arena.  Landlords who pay large settlements, personally or through their insurance carriers, now find it cost effective to be more pro-active in managing their properties to prevent mold.  Water is the real issue.  Buildings leak or accumulate moisture from occupant use.  Construction defects are the real culprit and much of the current scientific evidence indicates that moisture (wetness, especially as droplets of condensed or absorbed liquid, or in a vapor) in the built environment presents more potential for medical issues than any other single factor.  Water causes most things to grow, including mold and bacteria.  The fix is simple – stop the water or water vapor (above 60% relative humidity – Rh in the abbreviated form) and eliminate the associated or presumed health risks, some known and many unknown. 

Meanwhile, get to know a qualified restoration specialist[2] who has the equipment to assist you in finding and fixing water intrusion and elevated relative humidity (Rh).  Consider this as part of the annual physical maintenance of your home. It will save you thousands of dollars in potential damage to your home; prevent a real estate disclosure that can kill a sale; and provide maximum comfort and health for you and your family.

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[1] Refer to http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/epi/moldrpt1.shtml for a complete copy of the guidline.

[2] Consult the Restoration Industry Association’s list of Certified Specialist at http://www.restorationindustry.org/omnisam/memberdirectory_custom/search.cfm

News - Water Intrusion & Health

There are a number of organizations that research and develop standards: ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials); ANSI (American National Standards Institute); ISO (International Standards Organization) and others.  The inclusion of International standards is a sign of our world trade opportunities that require more than "American" considerations in the development and publication of standards.  Standards are intended to be guidelines and methods of assessment for quality control and risk management.  There is a large number of these standards that deal with water intrusion into buildings.

ASTM has approved a new standard for the Practice for Assessment of Vapor Intrusion into Structures on Property Involved in Real Estate Transactions - E 2600.  It is no surprise to this writer that this standard addresses the mired of legal issues regarding real estate transactions where both the seller and the broker are sued for alleged vapor intrusion issues that affect the health and well being of the new occupants.

In 2007 a study at Brown University found a "statistical link between depressive symptoms and indoor fungal growth (mold) and dampness."  The study was published in the American Journal of Public Health, October 2007.  Studies by other health professionals over the past decade support this conclusion.  So what is the link between water damage buildings and depression?  According to the study; 1) A perceived lack of control over one's environment, and 2) An association between chronic respiratory distress and depression "because of their ailments."

Another study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine indicates a link between cardiovascular disease and indoor air pollution.  Water intrusion in structures is the primary cause of indoor air quality.

More and more epidemiological evidence supports the conclusion that water in structures, in any form, requires assessment and corrective measures to protect the physical and mental health of the occupants.  S.O.S. knows this from first hand experience and we have the knowledge, tools and resources to assist occupants in this area.  Refer to http://www.steamaticofsacramento.com/faq.html for information regarding equipment and methods used for water intrusion testing.

The above information was condensed from the publication Indoor Environment Connections (http://www.ieconnections.com), Volume 9, Issue 7 – May 2008. 

Change in Venue

Interesting to me how I have tried to maintain a formal approach to blogging and I am not having any fun.  So, a change in venue is in order.  Vern Harnish, the Rockefeller Habit and personal growth guru, has a great email presentation: snippets of information with links to what strikes him as pertinent each week.  It is enjoyable to read, inspirational and a great source of business and personal growth material.  So here goes.

I remain bothered by the claims practices of most insurance companies.  I wonder if these organizations are so bureaucratic that they simply do not know what is happening at the point of settling claims with their customers.  That's my nice side.  My nasty side feels that the insurance companies conspire to pay less than the standard value of a claim.  As a result, an insurance claim is a miserable experience for most of us and we end up rolling over and settling for $.55 on every $1.00 we pay in premiums; used to be $.70 for every $1.00 we pay in premiums.  No wonder the insurance companies are now in their forth consecutive year of "unjustified profits, padded reserves and excessive capitalization" claims the Consumer Federation of America (Download 2008_INSURANCE_RELEASE_FINAL.pdf ).

A recent article in the Sacramento Bee discusses the largest fines ever levied against an HMO (http://www.sacbee.com/103/story/672192.html).  What I found interesting about the story was the connection between the medical providers who wait extraordinary long periods for structured payments and our experience with the vendor programs provided by third parties for the insurance companies.  It is the same model and it is the reason that one should avoid "guaranteed" vendor programs for providing services.  They are paid less than market value for their services and wait long periods of time to be paid, all justified by the absurd bureaucracy managed by an independent third party.

Cleverly, the insurance companies now require all vendors to carry Pollution or Environmental Liability Insurance with minimum deductibles of $5000.00.  This coverage is required because most insurance companies now exclude mold and other biological contaminants from their policies.  Some even exclude water damage and their is a national data base maintained in Atlanta called CLUE that records every insurance loss you report (even if you do not make a claim! - see http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs26-CLUE.htm for more information).  A true story: a major carrier failed to report a water damage for four days, then sent it to a third party vendor who in turn assigned it to an "approved" vendor who attended to the loss.  The vendor attend to the damage according to the standard of care in the industry, ANSI, IICRC S500, Third Addition (http://www.cleancareseminars.com/iicrc_standard_reference_guide_s500.htm),  The insured learned about the mold-is-gold phenomena and sued all three for the delay.  The administrative law judge found the insurance company at fault but the pollution liability insurance company agreed to pay for some of the attorney's defense cost.  Net result: the third-party walked away from the suit unscathed; the carrier bore the brunt of the claim and the vendor, who did nothing wrong, paid a $5000.00 deductible for defense of his position.  Does anyone besides me see a transfer of liability to the little guy who did nothing wrong to defray the expense of the guilty party. 

Please let me know what you think of the new format and I will get shorter in my delivery with practice, promise.

Insurance Claims Practices Raise Concerns

Sacramento Bee, Chuck McFadden and Bargara McFadden: From the Ashes: Rules for recovering, Tuesday, July 3, 2007.  Advice following the Angora Fire in South Lake Tahoe.

  "We were among the thousands of Oakland Hills homeowners who faced that question in October 1991, after a firestorm destroyed nearly 3,000 homes, including ours. From that, we learned several lessons that maybe useful to those who are starting to pick up the pieces. 

Insurance companies are not your friends. They spend millions on reassuring commercials to make you think they are, but they are not. They don't have to be your enemy, either, but realize the money they pay you doesn't help their bottom line. Sure, that's obvious, but it may be hard to remember faced with a sympathetic claims adjuster who presents you with a large initial check to begin the settlement process.  What will the company pay for a rental home while yours is being rebuilt? What about furniture rental?"  What is "replacement" value? You want what you are entitled to, and the company wants to minimize losses. It is not a win-win situation.

Attorney General files lawsuit against six large insurance companies alleging price-fixing (January 2008):

Attorney General Charles Foti filed a lawsuit in Orleans Parish Civil District Court late Wednesday alleging collusion, price-fixing and anti-trust violations by six major insurance companies - including Allstate and State Farm - as well as the firms that manufacture their claims-processing software, and the companies that offer them advice or collect their data.

Charles Foti says that these groups conspired to manipulate commerce for their own enrichment "by rigging the value of policyholder claims and raiding the premiums held in trust by their companies" and that companies "coerced their policyholders into settling their claims of damages for less than their value by editing engineering reports, by delaying payment and by forcing policyholders to litigate claims to receive full value."

By using claims processing software manufactured by Marshall & Swift/Boeckh and Xactware, the industry has been able to standardize its tactics for low-balling claims, and create a "tainted" database of claims settlements figures which the industry uses to further depress estimates for what people need to repair their homes, according to the lawsuit.. Meanwhile, all of this data is centralized by Xactware's parent company, Insurance Services Office, better known as ISO, allowing companies to collude.

By using these outside vendors to unify "power and control," insurers systematically reduced the percentage of premium dollars that companies return to policyholders in the form of claims payments "under a shroud of secrecy." While the industry has historically paid 70 cents on every premium dollar collected back to policyholders in claims payments, in Katrina, they paid 50 cents for every premium dollar, the suit says.” 

Following the storms that caused major property damage in Northern California, Homeowners and others who have a contract of insurance should be aware of the current claims practices in settling claims.  The full articles are attached.  Caveat Emptor!

Download rules_for_recovery.pdf

Download attorney_general_files_lawsuit_against_six_large_insurance_companies.doc

Homeowner Education

For the past two years, we have been conceptualizing and preparing to introduce Steamatic of Sacramento Healthy Home Services (HHS) to the public.  The concept of Healthy Home Services was an epiphany. For years we have specialized in all types of in-home services centered on indoor air quality (IAQ) issues, but we were unable to conceptualize our core in-home service business.  The inclusiveness of what we do under a unified banner of Healthy Home Services appeared realistic as a centerpiece of our future marketing efforts.

We knew we needed to take our message directly to the home-owning public and so we applied for a Trade Mark for Healthy Home Services (HHS).   The concept of HHS incorporates the total building envelope as the primary factor of a truly healthy home; a reality we observed long ago from our every-day experiences.  How does one communicate to homeowners that their crawl space and their attic issues (out of sight, out of mind) need fixing?  That only happens with education, plain and simple.

Have your heard the local radio advertising message from European Sleep Design regarding overheating while sleeping and the affects it has on one’s body and how their mattresses are designed to minimize this problem? Since hearing it, I cannot stop associating it with my personal experiences with these types of events – that’s what education does when we can associate it with our own experiences with explanations based on physical science and how things work.

We began our marketing efforts with our web site as the center-piece of our efforts to educate the general public.  We started advertising on radio station KNCI, banner advertising on SacBee.com, a home show at the Sacramento Convention Center and direct mail to homeowners around existing customers.  We seriously track all of our inquiries and leads, and we have become marketing monsters who pay attention to every call, referral and opportunity presented.  Frankly, we should have started this a long time ago but we became complacent with our success and we were not planning for the future by not marketing for the future.

The point to all of these words is this: Steamatic of Sacramento is a technically advanced cleaning and restoration business that has observed and learned that the health of the building occupants is dependent on many more factors than meets the eye.  We offer free educational information simply by calling (800) 564-1846 or visiting our web site www.steamaticofsacramento.com .  If you have an emergency situation, we educate homeowners and handle emergency services concurrently, 24/7/365 by calling (800) 564-1846.  We have been doing this since 1972.  We welcome inquiries and the opportunity to educate.

The Concept of Healthy Home Services

The concept of Steamatic’s Healthy Home Services™ developed over the past 35 years of doing business as Steamatic of Sacramento.  Cleaning is essential to human health.  Humans create the most dust, dander and debris found in the built environment.  Add infants, dogs, cats or other pets or pests to the equation and you have a sure-fire recipe for a “dirty” environment.  Add cigarette smoke, tar and nicotine to the interior environment and you have a dirty and toxic environment to living things within that environment.

Dr. Michael Berry, Ph.D., an employee of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, on his own time, published “Protecting the Built Environment: Cleaning for Health” in 1993.  He begins with the following acknowledgement:  “Much of the information and many of the insights presented in this book are the result of numerous conversations I have had over the past decade with hundreds of professional cleaners who protect the quality of life indoors day in and day out.”

In our day-to-day business, I was repeatedly aware of a common issue, no matter what service we were performing:  Caring parents dealing with sick and unhealthy children or older relatives in what appeared to be “healthy” living environments.  The science of environmental assessment and management developed coincidently with the science of cleaning, restoration and remediation and we paid attention and incorporated this science into our attempts to improve indoor air quality.  Building defects that cause moisture and water intrusion are normally associated with issues affecting human health, especially the health of the immune-compromised. 

Armed with this information SOS has incorporated standardized analytical testing into our list of available services:  1) Whole house moisture intrusion testing[1]; 2) Moisture testing of slab foundations[2]; 3) Infrared camera, penetrating and non-penetrating hygrometer inspections, crawl space and attic inspections for discovered moisture or infestation problems; 4) Destructive testing that includes containment, demolition and environmental controls to document and correct water intrusion damage.

Our S.O.S. Healthy Home Services™ Inspection includes a complete interior and exterior inspection, use of a non-penetrating hygrometer, specific inspections of interior plumbing terminations, a detailed floor plan including measurements, floor covering identification, a collection of historical information on your home or office, a general report of our findings and recommendations based on our inspection.  We will also provide you with access to pertinent web-based educational materials based on the findings of our inspection.

What is unique about S.O.S.’s Healthy Home Services™ is that we include the entire building envelope in our assessment of your cleaning, restoration and remediation needs.  We are also staffed with certified staff and recognized experts in the fields of cleaning, restoration and remediation that can document , present and represent our findings on your behalf if further professional or legal action is required.

Detailed attic, crawl space and infrared camera inspections are not included in the basic Healthy Home Inspection but can be requested or recommended following the initial inspection.  Sign up today at www.steamaticofsacramento.com or contact us at 800-564-1846 for an appointment.

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[1] ASTM E1105-00, Standard Test Method for Field Determination of Water Penetration of Installed Exterior Windows, Skylights, Doors, and Curtain Walls by Uniform or Cyclic Static Air Pressure Difference

[2] ASTM D 4263, encapsulation of concrete for condensation testing; ASTM F 1869, calcium chloride testing; ASTM F 2170, relative humidity slab testing.  One method or several methods can be used concurrently.

Who's Calling & What Do You Want?

What happens when you call a company and you receive a recorded message or voice mail routing message?  I am always disappointed with the "unavailable" human whom I would like to speak with about the nature of my call.  Sometimes (actually most times), I am equally disappointed with a disinterested or rude human who answers the phone and behaves like you are bothering them with your inquiry.  Frankly, this is the fault of the business owner and indicates their lack of understanding of how important each and every call is.  Steamatic of Sacramento has always provided a "live" phone response for our customer's inquiries.  We are currently creating a Frequently Asked Question sections for our web site, www.steamaticofsacramento.com.  Normally, the inquiry begins with the cost of the service; it's an easy beginning point and quickly qualifies the discussion for the calling party.  If we answered this cost question straight up, I doubt that many callers would stay on the line.  Why?  Frankly, quoting a cost for any service is the least useful information available to qualify a purchase.  Those companies that quote flat fees without the normal qualifiers (size, how much furniture to move for access and other essential data to determine the labor time, equipment and expertise needed to accomplish the job) are selling a "foot in the door" approach that may change dramatically when they show up.  In fairness to both sides, the consumer and the provider, an exchange of real information is the ideal setup.

What I prefer are the details of what I am buying and the attitude of the provider of that information.  This brings me to my point and a challenge to all readers.  Call any large yellow page ad in the carpet cleaning section (easiest to find and lot's to choose from) then call S.O.S. at (916) 386-8191, or toll free at (800) 564-1846.  Ask the responder about what services we provide or any other question of interest.  If you do not get the response you desire and are not impressed with the information and attitude of the responder compared to any other call made, I will personally send you a Steamatic Spotting Kit (a $25.00 retail value) for your time and effort.  There's a catch to this offer: you must be prepared to discuss your findings with me personally so we can do a better job the next time!

Charles E. Cassani, President

Steamatic of Sacramento, Inc.

Readiness

The clear threat of major flooding in Sacramento has convinced our company to participate in the Safely Out Program (http://www.citizenvoice.org) that provides kits for the elderly and physically-limited citizens who live in the greater Sacramento Area.  It's a simple idea borne out of first-hand experience in New Orleans by Gary and Elyse Dietrich, the founders of Citizens Voice.  The $10-per-donation kit includes a simple door hanger that indicates "safely out" in green or "need help" in red on the flip side that would have saved lives and valuable time in New Orleans.  Other items in the kit are equally simple and they would effectively assist authorities and concerned citizens in the time of an area-wide catastrophic event.  Amazingly, many residents in the Sacramento Area appear unconcerned in light of the events brought on by Hurricane Katrina.

On our web site we have provided links to many organizations that provide valuable information regarding emergency preparedness.  One of the very best is The San Francisco Office of Emergency Services (http://www.72hours.org/) that covers "what to do" in case of an emergency.  The obvious need of evacuation can be daunting and deserves consideration by all citizens before the need arises as indicated on this web site.

I also believe that contagious disease presents a grave danger to many in our community and SOS is now preparing an emergency plan for such an event.  The main component of our plan is to quickly establish "isolations zones" within our organization and within the homes of our employees.  To do this we will employ engineering controls that we use daily within the course of our remediation business.  Air Clarification is something that we deal with on a daily basis and includes: HEPA filtration for removing 99.97% of airborne particles; activated carbon filters for removing Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's); and Ultra Violet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) that kills viruses and bacteria.  This process represents full-spectrum air clarifying that is now available in professional quality units from NQ Industries (http://www.nqinc.com/cms/front_content.php).  I've attached an information sheet (Download steamatic_news.doc) on this great equipment and why I believe it is the best unit available for residential and commercial use.

Feel free to contact SOS at (800) 564-1846 for additional information.