ABC did a feature on bed bug detection dogs and heat treatment for the bed bug infestation on Nightline.
Meet Cruiser and Freedom, two bed bug detection dogs working in New York and watch ThermaPureHeat at work killing all stages of bed bugs in an apartment. There are also interviews with other bed bug sufferers and researchers.
If you discover that bed bugs have invaded your home, apartment, condo or building, you need a professional to make sure that they are eradicated as soon as possible. In California, Alliance Environmental Group has offices near you with crews who can come in and eliminate all stages of bed bugs—eggs, nymphs and adults—from an area, room, apartment or entire building with ThermaPureHeat treatments. Heat treatment raises the interior temperature to over 130 degrees for 2-3 hours, killing any insects living inside in one treatment.
What are the advantages of using heat to kill bed bugs?
1. It works! Insecticide treatments often do not work due to resistance to common pesticides that bed bugs have developed over time. They also leave viable eggs which can hatch and start the whole cycle over again.
2. No dangerous chemicals! DIY treatments for bed bugs can be dangerous unless you follow instructions exactly and that is hard to do when you are freaked out by bugs that attack in your sleep! The psychological impact of bed bugs can be worse than the physical one.
3. No need to bag food or move out! Even if you have a pest control company treat your home, if they use insecticides, you have to bag all the food in your home and move out for 2 or three days to let the poisons dissipate. And then you are left with the task of washing all of your linens to get the pesticides out. Heat treatment leaves no residue.
Please do not try to treat bed bugs by yourself! You will never know if you got them all—and you probably won’t! Contact Alliance Environmental Group for help!
Wendy Stackhouse is the Online Community Manager for Alliance Environmental Group and AirTek Indoor Air Solutions. She welcomes your comments! For more news and tips or to ask questions of our experts, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! For updates on indoor air challenges, Like us at AirTek on Facebook!
We would like to think that asbestos is a problem of the past. After all, we have known for over 100 years that it causes disease. Many countries have banned its use altogether. Where can you find asbestos in your house? Check out this graphic from the British Health and Safety Executive.
1. Water Tanks are usually made of asbestos cement and are often found in older properties (pre 1978).
2. Pipe insulation—used to keep heat in or cold out. Often painted over or protected by outer coating so not obviously asbestos.
3. Home Insulation—loose asbestos can be found as insulation in wall and floor cavities and in lofts.
4. Textured ceilings and walls.
5. Roof overhangs can be made from asbestos cement or asbestos insulating board.
6. Toilet cisterns can contain asbestos-reinforced resin composite materials.
7. Outdoor siding and indoor paneling—particularly around windows.
8. Fuse box—each fuse wire can have an individual asbestos flash guard and the panel behind the fuse box can be asbestos.
9. Boiler enclosure can contain asbestos insulating board.
10. Floor tiles—vinyl and linoleum floor tiles can contain asbestos. The tile backing may also contain asbestos paper.
11. Roof gutters and down pipes can often be made of asbestos cement.
The United States Geological Survey has released a report showing a dramatic increase (34%) in asbestos imports into the United States from 2010 to 2011.
The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization responded with a strong statement of condemnation. Here is a PowerPoint presentation of their statement:
There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is often present in buildings constructed before 1978 and becomes exposed during renovations and after natural disasters. It is not safe to remove asbestos materials yourself. There are strict rules governing the removal of asbestos for your safety and the safety of the removal crews.
If you are planning a renovation of an older home or find exposed asbestos at your residence or commercial building in California, please call in a professional. Alliance Environmental Group provides all necessary asbestos removal services with strict adherence to safety regulations to protect your family, your employees and your community from exposure to these carcinogenic fibers. Contact us if you need help with asbestos removal! We have offices all over California including our newest office in Anaheim.
Please do not handle asbestos yourself—the fibers are tiny and extremely dangerous!
Wendy Stackhouse is the Online Community Manager for Alliance Environmental Group and AirTek Indoor Air Solutions. She welcomes your comments! For more news and tips or to ask questions of our experts, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! For updates on indoor air challenges, Like us at AirTek on Facebook!
Every house gets a little mold every once in a while—it’s inevitable. But there are ways to prevent a major mold problem before it starts!
Anywhere there is moisture, there can be mold. And there will be, if it is left alone. Bathrooms, kitchens, basements and roofs are classic places where moisture collects and can become harbors for mold spores to grow and spread.
How can you prevent mold?
1. Keep it dry—Monitor the moisture level in your home and use a dehumidifier if the humidity inside is high.
2. Keep it aired out—Use the fans in the bathroom and kitchen to remove steamy shower and cooking water vapor from the house before it gets a chance to condense on the walls or in the corners.
3. Fix leaks—Water damage is a major cause of mold growth. If you have a leak, fix it right away or call in a contractor to deal with the problem. Mold will grow where you can’t see it if there is water present in walls, foundations or basements.
4. Clean your gutters—Clogged gutters can cause water to back up into your roof, causing mold to grow where you are least likely to be aware of it. Make sure you get the leaves out of the outflow.
What if I have mold?
A little mold can be cleaned with a mild bleach cleanser and some elbow grease. But if you have a big mold problem, you need to call a professional cleaning company. In California, Alliance Environmental Group uses Thermapure heat treatments to kill mold and then our highly experienced cleaning crews will remove all wet materials from the site and provide the necessary air circulation to deter dampness before bacteria can multiply.
Where water damage and mold have had a chance to spread extensively over time, we will perform a survey to determine the best way to remediate the problem based on what kind of mold it is and the extent of the damage. Mold has to be contained during removal or it will spread to other areas, so Alliance offers proper containment and removal as well as thorough decontamination of the area.
Mold can be damaging to your health, causing allergic reactions, skin irritation, respiratory problems and infection. Immediate removal is essential to your health and the health of your family. If you need help getting rid of mold in your home or other building, please contact us!
Wendy Stackhouse is the Online Community Manager for Alliance Environmental Group and AirTek Indoor Air Solutions. She welcomes your comments! For more news and tips or to ask questions of our experts, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! For updates on indoor air challenges, Like us at AirTek on Facebook!
Apparently bed bugs don’t discriminate against the well-heeled, as they were found to have infested a room at the swanky Ritz-Carlton Hotel in New York this week!
With its beautiful views of Central Park and designer decor—not to mention high prices of up to $4500 per night—you might think that a fancy hotel like the Ritz-Carlton would be immune to the scourge of bed bugs, but no! It seems Room 1005 is the center of a bed bug infestation which has caused some guests to check out in a hurry and many more to relocate within the hotel.
Unfortunately, they didn’t inform the staff member scheduled to clean the room before she went in—she found out by discovering the pest control professionals who had been called in to deal with the infestation while they were working. Let’s hope none of them went home with her!
The management describes bed bugs as “inevitable” and to a certain extent they are right. Hotels cannot control whether bed bugs enter their buildings with guests, but they certainly should be inspecting thoroughly and often.
Bed bug inspections can take many, many hours, especially in a building as big as the Ritz-Carlton, with its 596 rooms and suites. A bed bug inspection dog could do this job much faster than human inspectors, however. Here’s a video profile of a bed bug inspection dog from Texas:
Bed bug dogs are especially good for inspections of large buildings with lots of rooms, like hotels and dormitories, finding very small infestations before they can spread.
If you are traveling there are some things you can do to try to prevent any contact with bed bugs like checking the Bed Bug Registry before you make your reservations and inspecting your room. Here is a comprehensive post about how to avoid bed bugs when you are traveling.
If you discover a bed bug infestation in your home, apartment, office building or hotel, the best treatment is high heat like Thermapure heat. Raising the internal temperature of a room or an entire structure over 130 degrees for 2 hours kills bed bugs at all stages of their development in one treatment, without damaging furnishings, leaving harsh chemicals behind, or making you move out until pesticides have dissipated. From our offices all over California, Alliance Environmental Group can eliminate bed bug infestations in an area, a room or an entire structure with just one visit.
Bed bugs can be as damaging to your psyche as they are to your skin. Don’t let them get to you! Call Alliance Environmental Group and know that your bugs are gone and won’t come back!
Wendy Stackhouse is the Online Community Manager for Alliance Environmental Group and AirTek Indoor Air Solutions. She welcomes your comments! For more news and tips or to ask questions of our experts, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! For updates on indoor air challenges, Like us at AirTek on Facebook!
With the possibility of lead poisoning standards being lowered dramatically, it’s a good idea to be aware of the dangers of even a tiny amount of lead dust to children.
Although lead-based paint has been banned in the US since 1978, any home built before that time could—and should be assumed to—be a potential source of lead poisoning.
You may not see any peeling paint, but lead dust enters the air when painted surfaces rub against each other, like when you open doors or windows. Lead also becomes a danger during renovations, when old paint may be scraped or sanded.
There are very strict rules about construction and renovation when lead is present, but not all contractors are following them or checking the dates on homes before they begin work. If your house was built before 1978, have it tested for lead and if you are going to do any renovations, have a certified lead removal contractor take care of all lead-based paint before you do the work.
Lead is extremely dangerous and even a very tiny amount can cause permanent brain damage in children. Here is a video from a news station in Portland, Oregon about a family who thought they were safe, but fell victim to an irresponsible renovator with dire consequences to their 3 children.
A career in Crime and Trauma Scene clean up might be a good fit for you—if you have the right stuff!
Of course, this career is not for everyone! And some of the people who might seem like good candidates are weeded out right away. Do you have what it takes?
Question 1: Are you squeamish?
The people on Crime and Trauma Scene crews have to have iron stomachs. If turn green at the sight of blood, this job is not for you! If nothing gets to you, no matter how gross, move on to question 2.
Question 2: Are you mentally stable?
If you get depressed easily, this career is not a good match for you. Crime and Trauma Scene crews encounter a lot of tragic situations and if they are easily emotionally affected, could suffer from stress. The job is physically stressful enough, but that is another Question.
Question 3: Do you love blood and gore?
On first thought someone who is drawn to horrific things sounds like a good candidate for a career cleaning up Crime and Trauma Scenes, but it is definitely not the case. Most companies will not take on employees who seem to get entertainment value from crime scenes. Crews need to be professional and in control at all times.
Question 4: Are you super empathetic?
Again, you might think this is a good quality for a Crime and Trauma Scene team member. After all, you would encounter terribly upset family members quite often and they could need support. Unfortunately, if you are too empathetic, you too can be traumatized along with the family. You are more suited for this work if you can keep your emotions under control. Sympathy is better than empathy here.
Question 5: Are you strong and healthy?
Crime and Trauma Scene cleanup crews wear full body hazmat suits, gloves, boots and air filter masks at all times during the project. Sometimes it can be very hot and the shifts can be long.Question 6: How about training?
There is a lot of training involved in becoming part of a Crime and Trauma Scene cleanup team. From training in the handling, dangers and characteristics of bodily fluids and how to clean, transport and dispose of them to passing a “gross factor” test with graphic photos and possibly even visual presentations, expect there to be many hours of class work before you go out into the field.
The following is a video from National Geographic about Louise, a Crime Scene cleanup worker in Maryland, which shows a bit of the process that a clean up team goes through and how she feels about her job. It is not recommended for sensitive stomachs or children.
We are very sorry when anyone finds themselves in a situation where they need us to clean up after someone has passed away. But if you need us we are here. The highly trained, professional staff at Alliance Environmental Group will take care of your situation quickly, effectively and discreetly. Contact us if you need any of our services.
And if you think you have what it takes to join our team at any of our offices all over California, learn more about us and get in touch!
Wendy Stackhouse is the Online Community Manager for Alliance Environmental Group and AirTek Indoor Air Solutions. She welcomes your comments! For more news and tips or to ask questions of our experts, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! For updates on indoor air challenges, Like us at AirTek on Facebook!
Our own Carlos Sanguinetti of the San Diego Office of Alliance Environmental Group is putting together a charity dinner in support of one of our favorite causes, the Ronald McDonald House of San Diego!
You’ve probably heard of this great organization, but do you really know what they do?
Ronald McDonald House Charities provide a home-away-from-home for the families of critically ill children from all over the world. The Houses are safe, clean and full of all the amenities that families need while their child is being treated in the hospital: laundry, kitchens, play areas, computers and internet access, fun family activities, and many other services including counseling. Without the Ronald McDonald House, many families would be separated from their child, sleeping in their car, driving hours to visit or, worst of all, unable to take advantage of the amazing care in US children’s hospitals.
I spent some time last spring as an intern with the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House and was incredibly impressed with the facilities and the people who work there. They are committed to caring for these families and develop lifelong relationships with those who have long stays. Most stays at the Ronald McDonald House are 4-10 days, but some families live there for months at a time.
When I was working with the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House, I took the opportunity to shoot photos of their biggest fundraiser of the year, the Walk for Kids. It was an amazing experience and very inspiring!
Won’t you join us in supporting the Ronald McDonald House of San Diego? In March of 2012, Carlos Sanguinetti will be putting on a fundraising dinner at the Ronald McDonald House across from Children’s Hospital in San Diego. We will be conducting a silent auction which will give us an opportunity to feature local businesses while we raise money for this worthy cause. If you are interested in getting more information about this event or talking to Carlos about his involvement with the Ronald McDonald House, you can email him at carlossanguinetti@alliance-enviro.com.
Thank you for your support!
Wendy Stackhouse is the Online Community Manager for Alliance Environmental Group and AirTek Indoor Air Solutions. She welcomes your comments! For more news and tips or to ask questions of our experts, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! For updates on indoor air challenges, Like us at AirTek on Facebook!
The Indoor Air Quality Assocation recently released this video about the environmental challenges posed by today’s high rate of foreclosed homes.
Although foreclosure rates are slowly going down, California remains the US state with the second highest foreclosure rate in the nation. From Sacramento to San Diego, properties are standing empty, waiting for new tenants or owners to move in and fix them up. While they are empty, however, damage can occur and be left to get worse and worse. A leak can lead to mold as quickly as 24 hours, according to this video.
There are also dangers from exposed asbestos, lead paint chipping off or entering the indoor air as lead dust.
When a property is closed up for a long time, contaminants build up in the indoor air and have nowhere to go. Vapors like formaldehyde coming from building materials, paint, carpets and pressed wood cabinets lingers and becomes concentrated when there is no ventilation. Pollution from the outside air can also enter the property and stay inside, like car exhaust from a garage or a busy street or highway nearby. Watch this informative video from the IAQA, of which Alliance Environmental Group and our indoor air division, AIRTEK, are members:
There is a small (very) upside to so many foreclosures—there are some great deals to be had out there on foreclosed homes and condos. If a property you have purchased is in need of mold remediation, removal of lead based products, asbestos abatement, pest control, a thorough cleaning of your ventilation system or even cleaning by teams trained to take care of hazardous materials, please contact Alliance Environmental Group. Our professional staff can take care of all of these issues and many more!
We sincerely hope that the economy is improving for you and your family and that you never have to deal with a home foreclosure.
Wendy Stackhouse is the Online Community Manager for Alliance Environmental Group and AirTek Indoor Air Solutions. She welcomes your comments! For more news and tips or to ask questions of our experts, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! For updates on indoor air challenges, Like us at AirTek on Facebook!
Methamphetamine labs (meth labs) bring their own hazards to the people who live in them, the people who clean them up and the people who might move into the property after the lab has been put out of business.
Meth labs are the most common drug labs found in the US. They can be in homes, apartments, hotel rooms—even cars! When a meth lab is discovered, after the authorities leave, there is a big clean up job to be done and you probably don’t want to do this job yourself.
Although this type of crime scene is not gross like those that involve violent death or decomposition can certainly be, these scenes are more dangerous to the people cleaning them and to the people who want to live in the property afterwards. Meth labs use many toxic chemicals in the process of manufacturing: ammonia, acetone, benzene, iodine, toluene, hydrochloric acidbenzene, and trichloroethane, as well as phosphorous, solvents and metals. Exposure to these chemicals during manufacture, during cleanup and to the residue of the cooking process after a lab is closed can cause health problems: including kidney and lung damange, birth defects and blindness. The vapors from volantile organic compounds (VOCs) from these chemicals can cause:
* Irritation of the nose and throat
* Dizziness
* Nausea and vomiting
* Headaches
* Breathing problems
* Cancer
Because of these dangers, the professionals who clean up meth labs wear non-porous suits, filtered masks, gloves and boots during the entire project. These crews have a difficult job that involves long hours in environmental suits, sometimes in very hot temperatures, working with hazardous substances and sometimes with very distressed homeowners. It is important that they are strong and healthy, not squeamish and offer a sympathetic ear, while being able to distance themselves emotionally from the situation. These crews are carefully selected and well-trained to make sure that they are the right type of person for the job.
Although the authorities will remove the containers of chemicals and equipment from the scene, cleanup crews must deal with the chemical residue that imbues any porous surface including:
* Carpeting
* Drapes
* Clothing
* Walls
* Counters
* Floors
* Ceilings
The process of cleaning up a meth lab scene involves:
1. Airing out the property—The scene should be fully ventilated for 3 to 5 days even before the cleaning crew arrives and during all cleaning procedures.
2. Removal and disposal of contaminants—Chemicals and all absorbent materials including carpeting and draperies need to be removed from the scene and disposed of properly. Some scenes also need to have counters and all drywall removed, right down to the studs. Unfortunately, severely contaminated sites sometimes need to be completely demolished.
3. Ventilation systems—Ducts and vents also collect residue from the meth cooking process and will continue to disperse contaminants into the property if they are not fully decontaminated.
4. Plumbing—Often the dangerous chemicals used in meth manufacturing have been poured down drains, sometimes into septic systems. They can collect in pipes and drainage areas. A plumber should be called to take care of these issues and the health department if you suspect your septic tank or yard is contaminated.
Alliance Environmental Group offers a full range of services for the management of bio, toxic and hazardous materials, including:
* Site remediation
* Obtaining toxic, bio and hazardous storage or consolidation
* Assistance with required profile sheets and paperwork
* Strict adherence to abatement protocols, standards and procedures.
* Disposal of all Bio-Hazardous waste a federally licensed waste company
Along with cleaning up meth labs, Alliance Environmental Group provides trauma site decontamination which includes disinfecting, odor neutralization and total removal of biological infectious waste, blood or body fluids for residential, vehicle, commercial and industrial environments.
A meth lab is a serious crime scene with serious challenges. You could be hurt or your health damaged by dealing with the chemicals, equipment, air pollution and residue left by meth manufacturing. If your property needs to be decontaminated because it used to be a meth lab, please call in a professional cleaning crew to help. Meth labs already wreack enough havoc while they are in production—don’t let them cause you any more trouble!
On this day when we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I would like to close with my favorite quote: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Alliance Environmental Group wishes you light and love.
Wendy Stackhouse is the Online Community Manager for Alliance Environmental Group and AirTek Indoor Air Solutions. She welcomes your comments! For more news and tips or to ask questions of our experts, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! For updates on indoor air challenges, Like us at AirTek on Facebook!
We received some fun bits of news this week and would like to pass them on!
Alliance received word this week that one of our vendors contributed enough money to pay for 16 wheelchairs for the Free Wheelchair Mission Challenge in December just because of the wheelchair and information they saw in our corporate office in Azusa! And remember, every gift was matched, so that means 32 wheelchairs!
We have amazing vendors and customers and we thank everyone who participated in the challenge this year!
Free Wheelchair Mission received funding in 2011 to provide over 82,000 wheelchairs to disabled people in the Third World and we are very proud to have been part of that!!
Jackie Mezeul, Secretary, Central Coast Claims Board of Directors
Our own Jackie Mezeul has been elected Secretary on the Central Coast Claims Board of Directors for 2012!
Jackie is an amazing member of our staff and we are very proud of her accomplishments!
We are also sure that she will make a great member of the team at Central Coast Claims!
We have a new website!
You will still find us here at www.alliance-enviro.com, we have another site which focuses on Commercial Duct cleaning and HVAC projects at CommercialDuctCleaning.com.
The new site features a blog which publishes on Tuesdays and Thursdays and will providing more in-depth information about our Commercial Duct Cleaning services and clients, so come on over!
Keep your eyes open for information about a great charity event coming up for the Ronald McDonald House of San Diego! This is a favorite cause of ours at Alliance and a favorite of mine as well so if you are interested in sponsoring or donating, we will be providing further information in the near future! Ronald McDonald House Charities provide a safe and comfortable place to live for families of critically ill children who otherwise could not afford to travel with their child for medical treatment. I have a ton of pictures of the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House to show you in a future post!
We did a demolition project last week at our Northern Calfornia office when a house fire tested positive for asbestos and lead! Our professional HAZ trained crew safely performed a complete demolition of the home. Lead and asbestos are often exposed after disasters, natural and otherwise. Make sure you are safe when doing a demolition project!
We got a super nice letter from a customer this week after we treated his family’s apartment for bed bugs:
“As someone who has been in the field of Customer Service for many years I wanted to personally thank you for taking the time to help make a difference to someone who is going through this horrible infestation problem with bedbugs. ...I know personally how important that first initial contact is with a client. Both [my wife] and I felt we were in good hands after your complete and through inspection of my apartment.
After my other inspection today I know your company is a perfect fit for me. I’m more than happy to recommend you to my friends who are seeking help various services that your company provides. I will also post on my Facebook family and friends and beyond once this problem is corrected. Many of them are homeowners themselves and rely on my recommendations regardless of the situation. Whether it’s bedbugs, mold, etc. I will make sure that they consider Alliance Environmental Group first.”
I sure hope he “likes” us on Facebook and that you do, too!
Everyone at Alliance Environmental Group hopes that your New Year is going well so far and that you will come back for more updates and if you need any of our many services!
Wendy Stackhouse is the Online Community Manager for Alliance Environmental Group and AirTek Indoor Air Solutions. She welcomes your comments! For more news and tips or to ask questions of our experts, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! For updates on indoor air challenges, Like us at AirTek on Facebook!
This video from About.com has a lot of good information about how to find out the situation in any hotel you are thinking of booking for business or vacation travel around the world.
Remember these tips when you arrive at your destination hotel:
* Leave your luggage in the bathroom until you have inspected the room.
* Check mattress seams, cracks, behind headboards and behind artwork for any sign of bed bugs or their skins.
* Keep your bags on the luggage rack, not on the floor.
And when you get home:
* Wash everything in your suitcase and dry it on a high temperature to kill any pests that may have hitched a ride home
If you discover that a bed bug has come home with you, don’t panic! But equally, don’t try to handle this as a DIY project. The best way to eliminate bed bugs from a building is by using high heat treatment. In California, Alliance Environmental Group offers ThermaPureHeat, which eradicates all eggs, nymphs and adult bed bugs in one treatment, without dangerous chemicals, having to bag food, launder linens or move out for days on end. If you have a bed bug problem in an area, a room or an entire structure, please contact us! We have offices all over California, including our newest office in Anaheim, to serve you!
Wendy Stackhouse is the Online Community Manager for Alliance Environmental Group and AirTek Indoor Air Solutions. She welcomes your comments! For more news and tips or to ask questions of our experts, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! For updates on indoor air challenges, Like us at AirTek on Facebook!
The US Environmental Protection Agency is considering changing lead regulations to lower the levels of lead which are deemed “safe” for children.
You might think that since lead was banned for use in paint and gasoline in 1978, the dangers of lead poisoning are in the past, but this is far from the truth. There is no truly safe level of lead in the bloodstream and lead can cause many health and developmental problems including:
* Headaches
* Muscle and join discomfort
* High blood pressure
* Hearing problems
* Memory and concentration issues
* Slowed growth
* Hyperactivity
* Nerve disorders
* Brain Damage
* Coma
* Death
Currently, the definition of lead poisoning is 10 micrograms per deciliter of blood. New rules would redefine lead poisoning to 5 micrograms, increasing the number of children diagnosed with lead poisoning by up to 44%.
How can you reduce your family’s risk of exposure to lead?
1. Find out the age of your home—Any house built before 1960 or built before 1978 and recently renovated can have a risk of lead paint still in the home, even if it has been painted over. These homes should be tested for lead, as should children living in them.
2. Make sure you and your children wash hands before eating.
3. Clean up any paint chips immediately.
4. Wash toys frequently that children put in their mouths.
5. Use lead-certified contractors for renovations in older homes.
6. If you rent your home, tell your landlord about any peeling or chipping paint right away.
7. Use cold water for cooking, drinking and making baby formula—hot water picks up more lead than cold water from pipes.
Since the only treatment for lead poisoning is to end the exposure, this increase would lead to a huge increase in the need for lead abatement in homes and other buildings.
Alliance Environmental Group provides lead abatement services all over California from our many offices, including our new office in Anaheim serving Orange County residents. If your home tests positive for lead, our certified professionals can remove all lead paint, while keeping your home and your neighbors safe from lead dust exposure.
If your child tests positive for lead poisoning under the new standards, you need to perform a lead abatement in your home. This is not a DIY project—you must call in a professional. Contact Alliance Environmental Group for quick, experienced and safety-conscious lead abatement.
Wendy Stackhouse is the Online Community Manager for Alliance Environmental Group and AirTek Indoor Air Solutions. She welcomes your comments! For more news and tips or to ask questions of our experts, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! For updates on indoor air challenges, Like us at AirTek on Facebook!
There are three types of Crime and Trauma Scene cleanup projects that we are called in for most often. None of them are situations you would want to deal with on your own!
All Crime and Trauma scenes involve dangerous biological and/or chemical substances, but here are the three types of scenes that we encounter most.
1. Violent Death
Whether at the hands of a violent criminal or by suicide, violent deaths are quite horrific in terms of cleanup after the coroner has left the scene. Organic matter like blood, brain tissue and feces, can be found just about anywhere:
* Walls
* Floors
* Carpets
* Baseboards
* Counters
* Ceilings
* Light fixtures
* Family photos
* Decorative trinkets
* Artwork
* AppliancesDangerous biological pathogens can literally be found on anything at the scene and, if they are not fully cleaned and sanitized, can lead to mold, bacteria and fungal growth. Ew!
Every molecule of organic matter must be cleaned from the scene, even from places you can’t see easily, like under carpets and between floorboards. Does this sound like a DIY job to you?
2. Decomposition
A decomposing body does not wreak so much havoc over a large area as a violent death, but it can be more revolting to an ordinary person. The smell alone seems to set off an alarm in people to get out quick. Depending on how long the person has been deceased, crime and trauma scene cleanup crews can have to deal with liquified skin and organs and insects, including maggots that try to run away and hide when the cleaners come. Those maggots carry blood from the victim, possibly infected with viruses or bacteria, and have to be found and burned.
3. Methamphetamine Labs
These crime scenes have one big advantage: they are not gross! However, they are more dangerous than the other types of scenes. Many poisonous substances can be used to make meth:
* Acetone,
* Methanol
* Ammonia
* Benzene
* Iodine
* Hydrochloric acidAll of these chemicals leave behind a toxic residue that clings to every surface and lingers in the air. Most of them can even be absorbed through the skin!
Exposure to the chemicals in a methamphetamine lab can cause many health problems including lung, kidney and liver damage, birth defects and blindness, among others. And unless the crime scene is cleaned properly and thoroughly, it stays poisonous to anyone who enters for up to ten years!
These are the kinds of projects that Alliance Environmental Group‘s Crime and Trauma Scene Cleanup Crews can take care of for you. We sincerely hope that you never find yourself in need of these services, but if you do, please don’t try to take care of it yourself. Our empathetic, professional teams will come in and make sure that the scene is clean, safe and a healthy place to live or work once more. Contact Alliance if you need us.
Next time: How Do They Do It?
Wendy Stackhouse is the Online Community Manager for Alliance Environmental Group and AirTek Indoor Air Solutions. She welcomes your comments! For more news and tips or to ask questions of our experts, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! For updates on indoor air challenges, Like us at AirTek on Facebook!
With the tremendous popularity of crime scene investigation shows on TV these days, we have all become familiar with the process of evidence collection and testing, even if some of that testing is, well, fictional.
But after the CSI folks go back to do their analyses, someone has to come and clean up all that mess.
Enter Crime and Trauma Scene Cleanup Crew!
Crime and Trauma scenes involve all sorts of hazardous materials, both biological and chemical, not to mention other nasty substances that make ordinary people run for the hills. Or at least the bushes!
What Do the Cleanup Crews Wear?
Crime and Trauma scene cleanup crews wear one-time-use, nonporous hazardous materials suits, filtered respirators, gloves and chemical spill boots. This equipment keeps them safe from biological and chemical hazards and makes it possible for them to go into a scene with terrible smells and substances.
What Do They Use to Clean the Scene?
Along with typical cleaning supplies like mops, sponges, buckets and spray bottles, professional clean up crews bring a lot of specialized equipment:
* Ozone machines to remove odors
* Foggers—cleaning chemicals have to reach all the way down into air ducts to get rid of bad smells, too
* Industrial strength disinfectants and deodorizers
* Enzyme solvents to eliminate viruses and bacteria, as well as liquefy dried blood!
* Razor blades to remove portions of carpeting
Okay, now this is getting to be a bit much…
* Putty knives to remove “gray matter” from surfaces, because it dries hard like cement
* Shovels—after a couple of hours, blood can be shoveled into containers
* Steam injection machines to soften substances so they can be removed
* Chemical treatment tank to disinfect matter that has been vacuumed upBack to stuff I can deal with now…
* A truck to transport everything
* Ladders
* Reconstruction supplies and tools
* Camera—for before and after photos and for insurance
If I had a situation that needed this kind of cleanup, I would definitely bring in a team and come back when it’s all gone! Wouldn’t you?
Alliance Environmental Services offers Crime and Trauma Scene Cleanup by our thoroughly trained and protected professional staff. We provide all decontamination services including: disinfection, odor neutralization and total removal of biological and infectious waste, blood, and bodily fluids in residential, commercial and industrial settings as well as vehicles.
Our crews are well-trained, experienced and empathetic. They will take care of your most upsetting messes with professionalism and tact.
If you have an environmental cleanup situation anywhere in California and would like someone else to take care of it for you, please contact us.
Next time: What professional cleanup crews do that you couldn’t (or wouldn’t) do yourself!
Wendy Stackhouse is the Online Community Manager for Alliance Environmental Group and AirTek Indoor Air Solutions. She welcomes your comments! For more news and tips or to ask questions of our experts, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! For updates on indoor air challenges, Like us at AirTek on Facebook!
.jpg)
From all of us at Alliance Environmental Group!
Loretta D.
Alta Loma, CA
March 2007
Alliance Environmental Group provides safe, efficient, clean and high quality services to our customers and partners.
Copyright 2012 Alliance Environmental Group
Site Map | Links | Privacy Policy
990 W. Tenth St., Azusa, CA, USA 91702.
Twitter
LinkedIn