Commercial Mold Remediation and Cleanup in Wichita

Service Master Restore employs certified technicians and managers who specialize in the remediation of mold and mildew.

Mold has to be one of the oddest creations with which we work.

Have you ever wondered why you spray mold and wipe it away and it just keeps coming back?
The reason is that mold is a biological problem. We have all heard of toxic mold and other nightmarish problems that are caused by mold. Some of those are true, others are not.

What is Mold and Why Is It So Hard to Get Rid Of

The problem with mold is not that it is toxic. It is only toxic if you are allergic to the spores and if there are enough spores in the air to cause an allergic reaction. Any area of mold that is greater than 1 square foot needs to be professionally treated and cleaned up. The reason why you need professional mold removal is that mold is a single cellular organism that bonds with its food source.

When you see mold it is not just living there it is eating the very thing on which it is living. When you spray it with household cleaners you remove only the surface portion of the mold colony. But deep in the wood, sheet rock, carpeting are smaller single celled mold organisms waiting to grow. That is why mold keeps coming back. That is also why it is easy to prevent mold than it is to get rid of it once it has started to form a colony.

Understanding Mold and Its Weakness

When you understand how mold works as a living organism you can see why it is so hard to get rid of it. First, the air we breath every day has mold spores in it. Those spores are designed to float in the air until they find a source of moisture. So every day in your home, little mold spores land on surfaces and either begin to grow or they lie dormant. We have lived with mold for Millennia.

Mold did not become such a problem until we began to build modern homes and buildings. Water damage from broken pipes, poor air circulation, roofs that leak, and all manner of problems that involve water are part of owning a home or building. Mold needs moisture to live. That is why we often find it in our bathrooms, kitchens and basements.

Those are the prime areas in our home where moisture collects on a regular basis. Following a disaster such as a flood water is introduced in areas where it may not dry out completely. The result is mold. Once you have mold it is hard to get rid of it without professional help.

Mold Removal and Cleanup

Service Master Restore is professional equipped and manned to deal with mold. Our professional mold removal services are comprehensive. Our services include:

• We completely inspect and assess your home or business for mold and mold damage.
• We develop a comprehensive plan of correction that addresses your unique situation.
• We completely remove contents and materials have mold.
• We monitor for air quality and we employ air cleaning methods to help stop the spread of mold.
• We use anti-microbial sanitizers that are designed to kill mold, mildew and fungi.
• We repair and provide structural support during the mitigation process.
• We use a secure, climate control vault for temporary storage of your possessions. Each vault is completely inventoried.

We are a professional company that is happy to work with individuals, insurance companies for both consultation and claim assistance. We provide free consultation and inspection of properties.

We offer a complete commercial disaster restoration service that involves fire cleanup, water damage cleanup, and mold remediation.

Contact us today for a consult or Call us on 316.413.5742.

Healthcare & Medical Facility Cleaning Services Wichita

ServiceMaster Clean is a proven provider of medical/healthcare facility cleaning services for the Wichita, Kansas, El Dorado and Derby medical community. Our cleaning professionals are specifically trained on what it takes to perform this all-important work, and we are proud to be one of the rare companies in the commercial cleaning industry that is qualified to do this sort of cleaning.

Our services include terminal cleaning, isolation rooms, surgical cleaning, infection control, disinfection of exposed surfaces, carpet cleaning and more.  In short, we are highly qualified to keep your medical facility clean and infection-free.

We are proud to offer our services to general medical offices and surgery centers, and offer dental/oral surgeon office cleaning as well. We are available to clean 1-7 days per week. The totality of services we offer the local medical/healthcare community includes:

• Clean and disinfect exam rooms, nurse stations, pre and post operative rooms, operating rooms, exam rooms and operating beds
• Clean general offices and waiting rooms
• Restrooms and locker room cleaning
• Types of facilities:
  • General medical offices
  • Outpatient surgery centers
  • Dialysis centers
  • Dental and Oral Surgeon offices
  • Non-profit medical offices
• Floor Cleaning:
  • Hard surface floor care including strip, seal and wax of vinyl floors, spray buffing of vinyl floors
  • Carpet cleaning: hot water extraction or bonnet cleaning
  • Ceramic tile machine scrub and grout cleaning, acid wash
• Emergency clean-up

Cleaning medical and healthcare facilities is the most important work we do, and we are proud to have the trust of the Wichita medical community. Call ServiceMaster Clean today to learn more about the services we provide in this highly specialized area of cleaning.

Visit us online at www.smbybest.com or Call us on 316.540.5317

What a Backwater Valve Can Do for Odors in Your Basement

Does your basement have a lingering odor? If so, you’re not alone. Truth be told, most people struggle to keep their basements smelling fresh. After all, basements are underground and often damp and dark. But they don’t have to smell bad. Once you know the source of an odor, you can treat it and enjoy a clean scent whenever you head downstairs.

Look for the Source of the Problem

Before you can take steps to fight residential basement odors, you need to find their source. Most commonly, basements smell because:

• The pipes are leaking. Any liquid leaking from the pipes will linger on the basement floor or on storage boxes and will stay there to rot if the basement is dark and closed off.
• The pipes are condensating. In some climates, pipes will switch back and forth between being hot and cold, which can cause dirty water to collect on the outside.
• The basement is humid. If you live in a humid area, humidity can get trapped inside your basement and allow mildew to grow if you don’t air it out.
• There’s a dried-out water trap under a drain. Ideally, water traps stay filled with water and prevent sewage from seeping into your basement floor. A dried-out tap allows sewer water to come through.

As you search for the source, pay attention to what your basement reeks like. If it’s mildewy, you likely have a problem with your pipes or humidity. But if it smells like a sewer, something’s wrong with your drainage system. Very possibly, you have a problem with your backwater valve.

Why You Need a Backwater Valve

Backwater valves are surprisingly small devices for how much support they provide in plumbing. They help prevent flooding and sewage backup in your basement. One minor problem with the valve can affect the drains in your entire house—leaving you the victim of a odorous sewage smell in every room you enter. So if you detect this smell in your basement, make sure this valve is working properly.

Ideally, a backwater valve shuts automatically when sewage backs up in the pipes surrounding your house. It only works if it’s positioned so that it prevents sewage backup in all of your plumbing outlets though. It also works in tandem with a sump pump and pit (parts of the drainage system that collect excess water in your basement and flush it through the pipes so it doesn’t build up).

If you don’t have a backwater valve, get one. And if you need any work done to repair or install it, opt for professional assistance. Don’t try to fix a bad valve on your own—one false step with plumbing can lead to far worse problems than a lingering basement odor. You can rely on the expertise of a plumber from Oakville to Orlando and everywhere in between. They will know exactly how to place a backwater valve and can detect other problems with your basement’s pipes and drainage system.

Tend to Other Causes of the Smell

If you’ve taken care of your backwater valve and still detect odors in your basement, tend to those other common issues in the plumbing. Sometimes getting rid of that smell is simpler than you’d expect. You can:

• Ventilate the basement. Open up windows and install a fan to get rid of humidity and dry up any leaks.
• Install a MOISTURESORB™ Dehumidifier. This will help in solving your mildew problems as well as venting the bad air.
• Dispose of old, mildewy items. Even if your pipes don’t leak anymore, old boxes and furniture in your basement may still have lingering water and sewage on them. Toss those items before the smell gets worse.
• Replace bad pipes. If your pipes are leaking, fix them! They might be old or damaged, so before they cause any more damage, call a plumber to repair or replace them.
• Fill your water trap. It’s as simple as that. If the trap is dried out, filling it with water will hydrate it and prevent sewage from entering.

As you detect and treat these causes, you’ll find ways to get rid of these odors, as well as keep them away. Whether the source of your basement odors are small or large, you can combat them and enjoy a fresh-smelling basement once again.

Author Byline:

Service Master Clean enjoys writing about home improvement tips and the great products she finds online. We recommends the Plugged Piper to anyone in need of excellent plumbing services. We scours the Internet for quality deals to publish on her website, smbybest.com.

Why Flood Restoration Should Be Handled By A Technician

Technicians in the flood restoration industry have to combat a number of dangers while working on the job. These dangers come in many forms and without professional training they can be tough to overcome. While the average homeowner may be able to repair minor water damage to the home or do some basic cleaning, entering a waterlogged home without the proper precautions can be extremely dangerous.

When water enters the home, whether from a burst pipe or rising water, it brings with it many potentially harmful substances and life forms. Also, when a structure is compromised, merely moving around in the building can result in an accident.

Perhaps the greatest threat that flood restoration technicians have to worry about is the building itself. Homes that have been damaged by water often behave similarly to those damaged by fire. What this means is that the structure may be compromised and parts of it can possibly fall down at any moment, often with little warning. For this reason, one of the first things a technician will do is assess the structural integrity of the building.

If it appears the building has received catastrophic structural damage, it may have to be condemned outright. However, even if the building appears to be stable, the crew will have to be careful not to place too much stress on the home. Technicians have to pay close attention to any electrical hazards that may be present. Water is a ready conductor of electricity and can kill if there are any exposed wires in the home.

Technicians also have to worry about any wildlife that may have been carried into the home with the water. Wild animals may seek shelter in the building if the damage is not addressed right away. Snakes are a significant threat because they are drawn to water and can hide under debris or behind a waterlogged wall. The movement of humans, especially those engaged in active cleanup, may cause the snake the go into defense mode and strike.

The water itself is also a hazard to the flood restoration technician. Water that enters the home is  sometimes the product of a drainage ditch or river overflowing. This water is contaminated and often contains a variety of pathogens and chemicals. Oil, fertilizers and pesticides are found on residential streets and in yards, and these are extremely toxic if ingested or improperly handled. Bacteria and fungi are also an immediate threat and  could cause major illness if they enter the body.

Finally, various types of mold are an ever present concern and have to be dealt with immediately. While they aren’t usually a threat right away, after just a few days, they can form dangerously toxic colonies that can be inhaled if the technician is not wearing proper gear.

A homeowner attempting to enter and repair a home that’s water damaged takes a huge gamble. Without the proper equipment and knowhow, it is easy to get hurt or become ill.

ServiceMaster Restore Technicians trained through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) are familiar with these dangers and are equipped to handle them. Protective gear, respirators and drying equipment allow technicians to move about the property without coming into contact with any toxic or dangerous materials or organisms.

Also, their specialized training allows them to quickly spot structural problems and areas that are likely to foster mold growth. This allows a technician to quickly assess threats and overcome them.