Restoration & Remediation Magazine

The purpose of this discussion is to revisit the notion of a spore trap “Clearance Criteria,” and discuss what such a standard is and why it can be useful to everyone involved in a mold remediation project. Because of the turnover of professionals in the industry over the last 20 years, we will focus on a long-established spore trap post-work verification criterion as a teaching example.

From talent and culture, to greenfield investment, to renovation services, Daniel O’Brien and Mark Neirynck highlight their views on the most important items for restoration business growth in 2022 based on their 55 years of industry experience. 

For this R&R Roundtable, we asked four mold remediation professionals – Rachel Adams, Mark Cornelius, Cliff Grost and Jim Pearson – the same seven questions on topics including top tools, safety precautions, memorable projects and future predictions.

Does your mission inspire people to come to work? Does the vision tell people where you want the business to go? Are your core values really the guiding principles that the business uses to manage internal and external relationships? Beyond these, and as an alternative to simply paying significantly higher wages to outbid the competition, elements to consider in creating the differentiation, that uniqueness, are non-traditional benefits.

“Drying schools hold secrets. I am going to pull the curtain back and explain the three main secrets that make the drying school experience what it is. And, dive into what you need to know before you take classroom training and unleash your knowledge to the world,” Lorne McIntyre writes.

We asked restoration industry professionals to answer one question as we embark on a new year: What is your top goal for 2022?

On this particular day, Kowalski Construction was called to respond to a unique situation from local law enforcement. Police asked us to secure a home after making forced entry for an unanswered wellness check. To say the scene quickly escalated into a massive operation would be an understatement. Almost immediately, thousands of rats were discovered living both in and out of the home.

“Maybe you have difficulty getting your restoration technicians to wear safety boots, even with the vast selection of types and brands. So how do you, as a restoration company owner or project manager, change this mindset? Let me provide seven basic ways to do this,” writes Barry Rice, CSP.

Annissa Coy has found over the years that when a hoarding job goes sideways, there are three big mistakes that often are the culprit. “If you avoid these, you will be setting yourself and your client up for success right from the start,” she writes.

“After reading this article, you will know: The importance of testing concrete, the breakdown of concrete testing procedures, why concrete is a material that should be tested and the best concrete drying procedures,” Kyle Herndon writes.

“Hoarding cleanup is not an easy task, and it is best done by restoration professionals who have the expertise and equipment to perform the job efficiently and safely. By no means was this particular case the worst I have seen in my tenure, but the timeline from the property management company was tight, so we needed to get to work quickly and efficiently,” Ben Doebler writes.

In the fire restoration industry today, many practitioners use ozone generators as one of their primary means to neutralize smoke odor. Although ozone may be effective to some degree in neutralizing odors, many experts disagree on its effectiveness and whether the risks outweigh the rewards. So, what is ozone? And what are the associated health risks? Sean and Briana Scott examine the effects of ozone exposure and offer necessary precautions for working with ozone.

“As an industry, we must perform at a higher level than ever before with less qualified people than we’ve ever had. That is the restoration industry’s staffing challenge,” Jeremy Reets writes. “Companies that bring on new staff and quickly get them to a high level of competency will be the ones to dominate their market. So, how do you increase the competency of your staff quickly and dominate your market? Hands-on training is part of the solution!”

Jeffery Gross shares an overview of hoarding cleanup best practices based on his experience with First Onsite Property Restoration. “The process of cleanup includes several steps: Bulk removal of trash, then cleaning and disinfecting of all surfaces and remaining contents. Then comes extermination and usually some refurbishment like painting or replacement of damaged fixtures,” Gross writes.

“I recommend everyone who looks to have a future in the restoration take the ASD course and experience the flood house, especially if you are a hands-on learner. Not only will you learn new drying techniques, and make yourself and your business more efficient. You will also meet an array of extraordinary people with different talents and experiences,” Dustin Resendiz writes.

In this column, Laura Spaulding, CEO of Spaulding Decon, shares three of the toughest hoarding cleanup jobs she has worked on in her 15-plus years specializing in crime scene and hoarding cleaning. “The tougher the challenge, the bigger the reward, and I have faced some tough ones,” Spaulding writes.

We all have had at least one tricky customer with severe reactions to unfamiliar smells, or allergies to cleaning solutions. The methods listed here are not your average restoration practices, but they can make chemical- and odor-sensitive customers very happy while also providing effective odor-removing remedies.

Joining a new industry is humbling. Being an outsider in an environment teeming with insiders who’ve been engrained for years and know it like the back of their hand is humbling. But to flip challenge into opportunity, I believe that just as growing up in this industry or spending decades here brings irrefutable value, an outside-in lens does.