- What is the layout of the structure? One open area is much easier to handle than a property with multiple floors, hallways, offices, restrooms, etc.
- Are there contents on site? If so, what type and how many? A large inventory and number of contents on site will require more hydroxyl generators to fully remove the odors compared to an empty warehouse.
- How severe is the odor? Lighter odors will require the machines to run for less time, while very severe odors will require them to run longer. Likewise, the machines can cover larger areas if the odors are light, and the coverage area may need to be reduced if the odors are severe.
- How much time is there to complete the project? The goal is to always have the odors fully eliminated while the physical work is being performed, not afterwards. The amount of time available for the machines to run can impact how many machines are used and when to set them up. If, for example, you need a commercial job done in two days, blast it with hydroxyls by reducing the coverage areas of each machine to create a higher concentration of hydroxyls.
- Has the source been removed, or at least fully contained? This is always a critical element of odor treatment. Contractors have used creative ways to make containment when the removal of the source (e.g., a large machine that caught fire) cannot be accomplished in a timely fashion. Full source removal before shutting down the machines is recommended.
- Use additional air movers to help distribute the hydroxyls throughout the structure. This is most important in areas where the layout is broken up. For example, you can create a better distribution of hydroxyls into adjacent rooms by placing a hydroxyl generator at the end of the hallway and setting up additional air movers down the hall pointing into each room or office.
- Contents or finished goods inventory with heavy odors can be tented and treated separately in storage containers or hydroxyl chambers to increase the total concentration of hydroxyls.
- Use air scrubbers when necessary while running the hydroxyl generators; they work well together. Scrubbers will capture the solid particulates while hydroxyls will disassemble the odor molecules.
- Use ducting to inject hydroxyls into hard to reach areas or crevices.
- Move them around during a project to focus on certain problematic areas.
How Much is Enough?
- Do not let the smell of the air be your guide. The air will be the first area where the odor is eliminated. The structure and contents are the key areas to determine completion.
- Turn off the hydroxyl generators and use your nose to test porous materials where odors were known to be present.
- If the odor is still present, run the hydroxyl generators longer, move them around for better distribution, and/or add more machines to the job.
- When the odor is 100 percent gone, the odor will never come back and the project is complete.
Maintaining Hydroxyl Generators