Over the course of the past couple of years, particular interest has been focused on indoor air quality and circulation. With the rise of remote work and the general population investing more into their at-home offices, the attention to the air we breathe inside has become a focal discussion point.
We invest significantly in our home’s HVAC systems and air filters, and those, along with regular duct cleaning and maintenance, do a lot for our indoor air quality in most scenarios. However, another trending talking point now is disaster restoration. When your home is affected by the forces of nature, your home systems are going to need some assistance.
We’ve seen the extremes of both wildfires on the west coast and torrential flooding in the midwest. With the continued impacts of record breaking climate shifts, understanding the remedies for residential and commercial disaster restoration will be key for both small remediation companies and larger services alike.
When fire, smoke, or water are introduced to the indoor setting, pollutants make themselves comfy and immediately begin to penetrate every surface. One of the best ways to counter this contamination, is to remove airborne mold and other pollutants, is with the use of air scrubbers.
Filtration in Layers: What Air Scrubbers Do
Air scrubbers are portable air filtration devices that remove pollutants, harmful chemicals, and other particles from the air. The air within a given parameter is drawn into the machine, which is then “scrubbed” through a series of filters. Most machines offer 2-3 filters, while some offer as many as four, such as the X-2580 4-Stage Air Scrubber.
The different layers of filtration have unique roles in their remediation process:
Pre-filters: the first layer that comes in contact with the incoming air. These are designed to capture varying amounts of contaminants in the air, and thus should be changed before the start of every job, or even daily depending on use and affected area.
Carbon filters: these activated carbon filters are designed to effectively absorb and neutralize a wide range of odors and other pollutants, often used in fire and smoke remediation, or sewage damage.
Primary filter: the real star of the show, the final stage HEPA filter removes 99.97% of 0.3-micron sized particulates. This filter layer works to eliminate bacteria, allergens, and sub-micron sized dust.
It doesn’t matter how clean the area or building is before the damage is done, water and fire can immediately contaminate the space or even mix with contaminants already present, creating a deadly air cocktail. Once the immediate remedy of addressing the smoke or standing water is solved, the solution needs to be looked at beneath the surface.
Air Scrubbers for Fire Remediation
A business or residential building damaged by fire and smoke can almost seem beyond repair. The ugly truth is that even when the primary cause of the damage is alleviated, there’s still a ways to go before occupancy can occur again. Get started right away and begin with air scrubbers for proper fire remediation.
Visual cues are not always the key to identifying all of the damage done by fire and smoke. Further and future damage can be caused by the lingering side-effects of odor, water, and soot build-up. Fire and smoke can create deadly, toxic pollutants, so make sure the affected area is completely clear of all persons and personal effects before beginning the remediation process.
A typical fire damage remediation process will include steps such as:
- Air Cleaning
- Deodorizing
- Damaged Material Removal
- Soot Remediation
Air scrubbers are essential tools in the air cleaning and deodorizing process. The layers of filtration offered with air scrubbers will ensure improved air quality within the space treated. Getting people back in their homes and businesses is important after disaster restoration, but tackling the lingering issues that could cause trouble further down the road is paramount.
Stop Mold at the Source with Air Scrubbers
While fire damage can be much more visual, water damage can be a trickier situation to assess. Even when the damaged area has completely dried out, there’s no good way to identify what surfaces may or may not have begun to foster mold spores. Chances are though, it’s every surface that’s come in contact with the flood water.
The best solution for stopping and preventing further mold growth is stopping water intrusion, drying the affected structure, physical removal of surface mold, and filtering the air with the use of air scrubbers. Multiple units to create a system can be incredibly effective, and mini, portable units are particularly handy for smaller disaster restoration businesses.
The key with water damage, like fire damage, is to act quickly. Preventing the escalation of damage from residual factors like mold and bacteria growth before it becomes structural.
Preventative Remediation, Thermal Flow Air Scrubbers
No matter the type or extent of damage, Thermal Flow air scrubbers get the job done right. Healthy air flow and quality are key in maintaining a clean and safe environment both during and after fire and water remediation.
Smaller remediation businesses to larger disaster restoration service providers will find out line-up of air scrubbers to be the perfect tool in their arsenal.
If you have questions about any of our air scrubbers or other disaster restoration equipment, be sure to contact us or call: 888-968-2080
