Overdoses, Violent crimes, People passing away and Suicide

11/1/2016 (Permalink)

Crime scene clean up is an essential part of life these days and making sure the area properly cleaned is pivotal.

When tragic events happen in and around your home it is never pleasant and very hard to emotionally recover from. These are never high on the list for topics of conversation and many feel isolated with the stigma associated with some of them. They are however a very real scenes for far too many people in the area. We want everyone to know we too are sensitive to these issues and can help your home get back to normal as quickly as possible .

When someone passes away in a home there is so much sadness it can be hard to see past the loss. However when you realize that you are here and must begin to heal, there is a lot of work that needs to be done. Many times there is a lot of clean up that occurs. Death of a family member can be a very messy process as many muscles relax that were holding in a variety of fluids. There may also be a great deal of items that need to be disposed of. Ease the process by hiring a professional cleaning service. They have the chemicals and the proper knowledge of handling of any potentially contaminated materials.

Sadly in East Boston, Chelsea, Charlestown, Revere and Winthrop area we see daily overdoses and suicides on the rise. These overdoses are never pretty and come with a lot of vomit, urine, feces, many times blood and feces. All of these materials are very hazardous and it is not recommended that you clean them up yourself. Getting help right away is very important and can save lives. We always encourage that if you see something say something. You never know the life you may save. That being said once the ambulance has gone there will still be a big mess to clean up. Do not touch any of the bodily fluids without protective gloves, face masks, goggles and a suit if possible. Is it highly recommended that you call a professional as there are a lot of germs that you cannot see that are not killed with things like bleach and other consumer grade cleaners.

Another thing that sadly occurs in this area, are a lot of violent crimes. These crimes could be domestic disputes or could result from an argument at a party. No matter their reason there is a great deal of damage that can occur. Items within the home could be broken beyond salvation. Injured people could have moved to various rooms within the home trying to stay safe. This can result in a very large clean up project coupled with some bodily fluids that need to be handled with care. Once the police have conducted their investigation and released the scene. Please make sure you call a professional who is capable a full rounded cleaning and disposal of any of the residual effects of the problem. Have a restored home can do wonders on the healing from any traumatic events that may occur.

Remembering that you are not alone when there is a traumatic event in your life is paramount to healing and moving forward. We will be here for you through the tough times and help you where we can. Creating a community of support and developing strong bonds with our neighbors will hopefully begin to reduce the number of overdoses, domestic disturbances, violent crimes and deaths that occur. Until then one home at the time is our mission to restore and hopefully rejuvenate the community.

Sewage Damage is on the rise

8/24/2016 (Permalink)

Sewage damage is not something you should clean up yourself. It is contaminated and dangerous

Sewage back ups and sewage damage is becoming a big problem. We are seeing a lot of homes and businesses damaged by sewage. This article with provide you with some key ways to hopefully prevent any such damage to your property.

Many people think that all sewage backups are the cities responsibility if they have a public system. This is simply not the case. The city is responsible for the main sewage line and the homeowner or property owner is responsible for the anything that happens from that main line to the  property.

Sewage damage can be a major expense as there is quite a bit of contamination involved. They can cause severe health risks, and property damage.  Making sure you have sewage damage within your insurance property is the best way to protect your investment. Review your policy to make sure it is available. If it is not  on your policy please contact your agent and discuss having it added.

That being said there are some preventative steps that can be taken to help keep you protected and help prevent a sewage backup to begin with. Ok so knowing what the main causes of a backup are is the key to prevention. Tree roots and grease poured down the drains are the key reasons a back up occurs.

Grease you say!!! But it is a liquid.. Sure it is a liquid when it was hot off the stove from cooking your morning bacon but before that at room temperature or colder if coming out of the refrigerator it was solid. When you pour it down the drain and it cools it hardens and attached to the sides of the drain limiting the flow of water. Eventually over time it will continue to build up and fully block the drain and depending on where that occurs can involve your sewage.  Fun right.. So take all that grease dump it into a can and make sure that you wait for it to solidify and toss it out in the trash. Every little bit will help.

Tree roots!!! But it is a solid pipe how could that happen. Lets explore that a bit. Have you ever tripped over a raised sidewalk? Most likely it is raised because of a tree root pushing its way underneath the concrete. Roots are  very intrusive and can make their way through the metal and once inside are provided with a great deal of nutrients and water they will grow and expand down the pipe and eventually clog the pipe and trap debris  to the point a back up will occur.  When you are landscaping your yard know where the pipes run under your property and plant away from them to help prevent roots from taking hold in the lines.

Making sure that the debris that is put into the drains is easily bio-degradable such toilet paper only is key to keeping the flow moving as well. Items larger or more dense that do not break down quickly should be thrown away with the regular trash. It is especially important to keep plastic bags, paper towels, diapers, washcloths, and towels out of the drains at all times. Many times it is kids not knowing or attemting to see what will happen when something larger goes down the drain. It is important to teach children to not put these things down drains. It is also important to remember these are not items for a drain due to their bulky nature. Convenience now can result in big problems later.

Storm drains can sometimes be connected to sewer lines and when there are storms it is possible the water will exceed the capacity of the drain and force backups to occur. If you discover a sewer problem in your home it is important to call your local city water department immediately unless you are 100% sure that the problem is coming from the part of the sewer lines that are your responsibility. It is also very important to stay away from the water and do not touch anything that the water has come into contact with it will be very contaminated. Do not walk through it if at all possible and it is not to be played in. Turn off all of your water sources at a main valve if possible and make your second phone call to a remediation company that can help get your home back to normal. Sewage damage is not something that you should try and clean up yourself it is too hazardous.

Do you really know what a BIOHAZARD is???

1/20/2016 (Permalink)

SEWAGE BACKUP CLEANUP .. we have the right equipment and gear to keep everyone safe

Biohazard

What is a considered a biohazard? It is any waste products that have a risk of carrying human pathogens. They can be found pretty much anywhere.

So what is a pathogen?  It is a virus, fungus, or bacterium that can cause disease in another organism. These disease-causing organisms can be spread in several ways ranging from airborne to direct contract

With the technical stuff is out of the way we can focus on the problems you may see and their solutions. What does all this mean for your home or business?  It means you have to fully understand what things are considered a biohazard and to know when more than just surface cleaning will do.

Biohazard materials are not just limited t the doctors or a hospital it can also be found in your home, work and places you and your kids play. Be it indoors or out.  Knowing what is considered a biohazard and how to respond to it will keep you, your friends, family, co-workers and employees safe.

Some examples of this type of biohazard  waste are:

• Human blood and blood products. This includes items contaminated with blood that will release blood in a liquid or semi-liquid form when compressed. To prevent infection, it is recommended to apply a universal precautions approach to all blood and body fluids. This means

• Human body fluids. Examples include, but are not limited to, vomit, urine, semen, vaginal secretions, amniotic fluid, saliva, and pleural fluid.

• Pathological waste. Waste biopsy materials and any human tissues or body parts from autopsy, surgery, or other procedure.

• Microbiological waste. Discarded live and attenuated viruses, discarded specimen cultures, and disposable culture dishes.

To make sure you are not infected use the same precautions for all of the above scenarios. This means making sure you are handling all biological materials as if they contain an infection disease. If you are facing a blood spill, unattended death, or other trauma you do not have to face it alone. Many restoration companies offer these clean up services.  If you are choosing not to utilize a professional service make sure you are following safety protocols.

Still want to tackle this biohazard on your own. Ok here goes. Getting up as much solid material as possible is the first step. Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda is a great way to start the cleaning process on these materials. **ALWAYS TEST A SMALL AREA BEFORE APPLYING ANY CLEANER*** some dyes used are sensitive and may change or fade with different products natural or otherwise. If there is a remaining stain, most commercial rug cleaners will take out the stain and smell. Flush or double bag the poop or vomit and any toweling (don’t flush the toweling) you used and dispose of it with the garbage.

Hard non-porous surfaces: 

Metals,Glass, hard plastic: Clean hard surfaces by getting up as much solid material as possible and using a disinfectant cleaner. Spray until thoroughly wet let it sit and wait minutes to give the disinfecting agent time to work before wiping away.

First contain the biohazard

Make sure you are keeping the mess as contained as possible. First things first get some disposable gloves. Section off the area to prevent others from going through and potentially tracking the material into other areas of the building. You must also determine which type of materials need to be cleaned porous or non-porous.

Porous Surfaces are much harder to clean:

          These materials are designed to allow things through. Be it wanted or unwanted. Cleaning these materials is much more difficult. They can include but are not limited to Wood floors, Tile with grout, Carpets ect. It is always worthwhile to have a professional come in as they have specialized equipment that reaches deep down into the materials to extract as much of the contamination as possible.

Still want to tackle this biohazard on your own. Ok here goes. Getting up as much solid material as possible is the first step. Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda is a great way to start the cleaning process on these materials. **ALWAYS TEST A SMALL AREA BEFORE APPLYING ANY CLEANER*** some dyes used are sensitive and may change or fade with different products natural or otherwise. If there is a remaining stain, most commercial rug cleaners will take out the stain and smell. Flush or double bag the poop or vomit and any toweling (don’t flush the toweling) you used and dispose of it with the garbage.

Cleaning the Biohazard:

          Carpet and rug floors may retain a stain after the initial clean up. If there is a remaining stain, most commercial rug cleaners will take out the stain and smell. When cleaning the poop or vomit make sure you are properly disposing of not only the hazardous materials but any and all towels or rags used to clean it up(don’t flush the toweling) you used and dispose of it with the garbage. Make sure that you double bag everything.

Discarding the Biohazard:

Find some rags or other clean up materials that you do not mind discarding. Make sure whatever you are going to place the material into has a strong plastic liner. It is also important to make sure that there are no sharp objects that could pierce the bag and cause the hazardous material to escape.  Is it advised to double whatever bag you are using to ensure it is secured. Scoop as much of the biohazard you can into the container using a dustpan or similar item.

Should the material be liquid such blood or urine use heavy paper towel or other cloth you do not mind throwing away. If there are none around you can also use kitty litter or salt to contain and absorb the fluids.

The cleanup process does not end there once the Biohazard has been picked up, removed, and disposed of there is still you. The person who cleaned it all up. You must now treat yourself with the same care and caution. Remove the clothes used and place separate from your other garments. Ideally in a plastic bag, depending the severity you may want to discard them. If not ensure that they are washed as soon as possible. Washing your hands immediately will prevent any cross-contamination. Make sure you shower as soon as possible as well.

Properly cleaning the affected area is vital to keeping all involved healthy and safe. Make sure that once the mess is fully cleaned up and you, your hands and clothing are all thoroughly washed. Knowing when the mess is beyond surface cleaning is a pivotal part of that process. If there is any question please call a professional and obtain a free estimate and their expert opinion. Better safe than sorry. Tackling a project like this your own or asking your untrained staff to do so could be putting you all at risk. ……HAPPY CLEANING