Odor Remediation - Background

Odor remediation projects tend to be complex. Odors may be real or imaginary. Furthermore, interpretation of odor as good versus bad varies from client to client. As such every remediation project presents a unique set of challenges to our technicians. Over the coming weeks I would like to provide insight into some of these challenges and how to properly neutralize odor.  To begin with we need to better understand how we as humans process odor, what odor is, why odor remains, and finally environmental conditions that may enhance our reception of odor.

Humans depend on their nose as the best “instrument” for detecting odor. Odors result from airborne chemicals, gases, or tiny particles. As we breathe, these substances are absorbed by the mucous membranes in our nose and mouth. Receptors in the nose send a message to the brain, where the odor sensation is interpreted. Each individual reacts to odors differently in detecting whether odors are present and how intense they are. Interestingly there are two types of odors — real and imagined.  

• Real odor is the sensation of smell caused by a real substance. Odor molecules interact with olfactory nerve cells in the nose. The olfactory nerves send a message to the brain that is interpreted by the olfactory lobe.
• Imaginary or psychological odor is what people think they smell. They are stimulated by a given set of circumstances and strong impressions formed from similar circumstances before. Some people think they smell something because of the circumstances, not because of an odor actually being present. Imaginary odors are sometimes called heightened awareness odors, because circumstances have made the individual more aware of odor than he or she normally would be, and thus more likely to smell something that no one else smells.

Moreover, the term odor describes both good and bad smells. Whether an odor smells good or bad is in the mind of the individual. Some odors — such as putrefying flesh — are considered unpleasant by almost everyone. Other odors — such as gasoline or paint fumes— may be considered good odors by some people, but extremely offensive by others. The interpretation of whether a smell is good or bad differs from one individual to the next.

Odor particles are tiny. Tiny objects are measured in microns, and odor particles range in size from .1 (one tenth) of a micron to about four (4) microns. To put these sizes in perspective take a look at the period at the end of this sentence. That period is about 150 microns in size or 38 times bigger than the largest possible odor particle!  The extremely small size of odor particles allows them to penetrate surfaces easily. It is this penetration into building materials and furniture which result in odors remaining in our environments. This is also what makes the odor neutralization process at times challenging.    

Factors which Help Odors Penetrate 

• Surface Porosity – The porous nature of building material varies – Hardwoods are less porous than soft wood. The types of paint used will change the porous nature of building materials. Flat paint does little to protect against odor penetration while paints with a high gloss finish may make a surface impervious to odor and moisture penetration. Items like carpet, drapes, and upholstery are all excellent vessels for odor retention.  
• Heat - Heat causes porous surfaces to expand, allowing odors to penetrate even deeper. When heat is removed, the surfaces cool, contract, and trap the odor particles. This is why odors resulting from a fire are so pungent and challenging to neutralize.
• Heavy concentrations of residue - The more concentrated the residue from substances causing the odor, the greater the surface area of materials that it can impact. 
• Exposure time - The longer a surface is exposed to odor particles, the greater the number of odor particles that will penetrate porous surfaces. The greater the number of odor particles that penetrate porous surface areas the stronger the odors are likely to be.

Environmental factors also influence our reception of odors. Odor molecules are very volatile; they vaporize easily. High humidity levels help dissolve and carry odor vapors to the nose. This makes odors in humid air seem stronger than those in dry air. Weather conditions thus impact how evident odors are to people; odors become more detectable by the nose as the humidity increases. Our technicians alert our clients about these potential environmental impacts. It is quite possible, even months later, for odors to reappear during times of increased humidity or temperature. That is not so say that the odor neutralization process was incomplete, but rather the environmental conditions have changed and become more conducive to odor reception. In some cases additional neutralization may be necessary.    

Next week I will share methods and basic deodorization procedures required to ensure proper neutralization of odor particles.

The Science Of Drying

Quite frequently we are asked, "How do we know how long it will take to dry a structure after it has sustained water damage?". Our clients want to know that there is scientific research to back this up our estimates and that we are not simply pulling numbers out of thin air. The reality is that, yes, there is extensive and well-documented scientific research ranging over many years related to drying technology of various products. That research and the subsequent industry guidelines which we follow is produced by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC).

The IICRC was formed in 1972 as an independent, certification body that sets and promotes high standards and ethics within the inspection, cleaning, restoration and installation industry. The IICRC is regarded as the international industry standard to be used by restoration companies. All of our technicians are IICRC certified. When you hire us to do a job you can rest assured that our work will be completed in accordance with the industry’s “standard of care”.

So how do we determine what equipment to use and how long the drying process will take? Structural drying is a process that utilizes evaporation, the process by which water changes from its liquid phase to its gaseous phase. Evaporation is influenced by several factors:

• The level of moisture (i.e. relative humidity) in the air
• Water vapor pressure differential between the surface of the wet material and the surrounding environment
• Temperature of the wet material
• Air movement across the surface of the wet material
• Access to surfaces of wet materials

The application of air movement at the surface of wet materials is a critical component to the drying process. Evaporation is a surface phenomenon, and surfaces are measured in area (e.g. square feet). Therefore using linear feet of wall as the primary criterion for establishing air movement requirements is illogical.

1. Drying is the process of removing excess moisture both at the surface and from within the materials and assemblies.
2. The conditions conducive to effectively and efficiently drying at the surface of some materials and assemblies differ from the conditions conducive to effectively and efficiently moving excess moisture within the materials or assemblies.
3. Rapid air movement across wet surfaces of materials or assemblies is a critical component of effectively and efficiently drying the surface of those materials and assemblies.
4. Rapid air movement across the surface of materials becomes less important relative to vapor pressure as the focus of removing surface moisture gives way to reducing moisture content in low evaporation materials.
5. Using the same criteria to establish air movement during the constant and the falling rate drying of materials and assemblies does not consider changing conditions.
6. The linear foot formula for air movement of a room fails to consistently account for the actual surface area of wet materials and assemblies in different classes of water intrusion.

Humidity, airflow and temperature influence the movement of moisture within a material as well as the evaporation rate from the surface of material. These properties greatly impact the overall drying time for a project. It is important to quickly control the moisture in the air and use sufficient airflow to dry the surfaces of materials to reduce water activity thus lowering the potential for microbial growth (mold). To ensure rapid, cost effective drying without secondary damage specific types and quantities of air movers are recommended, depending on the type, porosity, location and square footage of the surface being dried. … The minimum quantity of air movers recommended for various flooring surfaces are as follows:

1.  Non-porous and semi-porous flooring – at least one airmover per 400- 500 square feet is recommended. Give consideration to closets or small storage areas where airflow may be restricted.

2.  Direct-glue carpet installations – in installations where disengagement normally would damage or destroy carpet or cushion, at least one air mover is recommended per 300 square feet of carpet area, or one per room if smaller than 300 square feet. Give consideration to closets or small storage areas where airflow may be restricted.

3.  Stretch-in carpet – a minimum of one air mover is recommended per 300 square feet of carpet surface area, or one per room if smaller than 300 square feet. Give consideration to closets or small storage areas where airflow may be restricted.

As you can see there is a significant knowledge base which we pull from to ensure that we completely remove all excess moisture, both the visible standing water and the subsequent elevated levels of humidity, during our structural drying projects. If you would like to learn more about the science of structural drying and why we do what we do visit www.IICRC.org

Did you know that September is National Preparedness Month? 

The best way to survive a disaster is to have a plan in place prior to such an event happening. These past couples of weeks have put on display the importance of knowing what to do should disaster strike. Fires, floods, earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes and blizzards all can put you and your family at risk. Nowadays we take for granted the ability to communicate with our loved ones at anytime and from anywhere.  As we have learned, communication channels can be brought down. If disaster strikes would you be able to communicate with all the members of your household? More importantly would they know how to reach each other and where to meet up?

The following is an outline, published by the Department of Homeland Security on their website, which can be used to guide you and your family as you created your own plan.

Planning starts with three easy steps:

1. COLLECT. Create a paper copy of the contact information for your family and other important people/offices, such as medical facilities, doctors, schools, or service providers.

2. SHARE. Make sure everyone carries a copy in his or her backpack, purse, or wallet. If you complete your Family Emergency Communication Plan online at ready.gov/make-a-plan, you can print it onto a wallet-sized card. You should also post a copy in a central location in your home, such as your refrigerator or family bulletin board.

3. PRACTICE. Have regular household meetings to review and practice your plan.

TEXT IS BEST!  If you are using a mobile phone, a text message may get through when a phone call will not. This is because a text message requires far less bandwidth than a phone call. Text messages may also save and then send automatically as soon as capacity becomes available.

STEP 1 – COLLECT INFORMATION

HOUSEHOLD INFORMATION

Write down phone numbers and email addresses for everyone in your household. Having this important information written down will help you reconnect with others in case you don’t have your mobile device or computer with you or if the battery runs down. If you have a household member(s) who is Deaf or hard of hearing, or who has a speech disability and uses traditional or video relay service (VRS), include information on how to connect through relay services on a landline phone, mobile device, or computer.

SCHOOL, CHILDCARE, CAREGIVER, AND WORKPLACE EMERGENCY PLANS

Because a disaster can strike during school or work hours, you need to know their emergency response plans and how to stay informed. Discuss these plans with children, and let them know who could pick them up in an emergency. Make sure your household members with phones are signed up for alerts and warnings from their school, workplace, and/or local government. To find out more about how to sign up, see Be Smart. Know Your Alerts and Warnings at http://1.usa.gov/1BDloze. For children without mobile phones, make sure they know to follow instructions from a responsible adult, such as a teacher or principal.

OUT-OF-TOWN CONTACT

It is also important to identify someone outside of your community or State who can act as a central point of contact to help your household reconnect. In a disaster, it may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town because local phone lines can be jammed.

EMERGENCY MEETING PLACES

Decide on safe, familiar places where your family can go for protection or to reunite. Make sure these locations are accessible for household members with disabilities or access and functional needs. If you have pets or service animals, think about animal-friendly locations. Identify the following places:

Indoor: If you live in an area where tornadoes, hurricanes, or other high-wind storms can happen, make sure everyone knows where to go for protection. This could be a small, interior, windowless room, such as a closet or bathroom, on the lowest level of a sturdy building, or a tornado safe room or storm shelter.

In your neighborhood: This is a place in your neighborhood where your household members will meet if there is a fire or other emergency and you need to leave your home. The meeting place could be a big tree, a mailbox at the end of the driveway, or a neighbor’s house.

Outside of your neighborhood: This is a place where your family will meet if a disaster happens when you’re not at home and you can’t get back to your home. This could be a library, community center, house of worship, or family friend’s home.

Outside of your town or city: Having an out-of-town meeting place can help you reunite if a disaster happens and:

• You cannot get home or to your out-of-neighborhood meeting place; or
• Your family is not together and your community is instructed to evacuate the area.

This meeting place could be the home of a relative or family friend. Make sure everyone knows the address of the meeting place and discuss ways you would get there.

OTHER IMPORTANT NUMBERS AND INFORMATION You should also write down phone numbers for emergency services, utilities, service providers, medical providers, veterinarians, insurance companies, and other services.

STEP 2 – SHARE (MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS THE INFORMATION)

Make copies of your Family Emergency Communication Plan for each member of the household to carry in his or her wallet, backpack, or purse. Post a copy in a central place at home. Regularly check to make sure your household members are carrying their plan with them.

Enter household and emergency contact information into all household members’ mobile phones or devices.

Store at least one emergency contact under the name “In Case of Emergency” or “ICE” for all mobile phones and devices. This will help someone identify your emergency contact if needed. Inform your emergency contact of any medical issues or other requirements you may have.

Create a group list on all mobile phones and devices of the people you would need to communicate with if there was an emergency or disaster.

Make sure all household members and your out-of-town contact know how to text if they have a mobile phone or device, or know alternative ways to communicate if they are unable to text.

STEP 3 - PRACTICE

Once you have completed your Family Emergency Communication Plan, made copies for all the members of your household, and discussed it, it’s time to practice!

Here are some ideas for practicing your plan:

Practice texting and calling. Have each person practice sending a text message or calling your out-of-town contact and sending a group text to your mobile phone group list.

Discuss what information you should send by text. You will want to let others know you are safe and where you are. Short messages like “I’m OK. At library” are good. 4

Talk about who will be the lead person to send out information about the designated meeting place for the household.

Practice gathering all household members at your indoor and neighborhood emergency meeting places. Talk about how each person would get to the identified out-of-neighborhood and out-of-town meeting places. Discuss all modes of transportation, such as public transportation, rail, and para-transit for all family members, including people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.

Regularly have conversations with household members and friends about the plan, such as whom and how to text or call, and where to go.

To show why it’s important to keep phone numbers written down, challenge your household members to recite important phone numbers from memory— now ask them to think about doing this in the event of an emergency.

Make sure everyone, including children, knows how and when to call 911 for help. You should only call 911 when there is a life-threatening emergency.

Review, update, and practice your Family Emergency Communication Plan at least once a year, or whenever any of your information changes.

OTHER IMPORTANT TIPS FOR COMMUNICATING IN DISASTERS

Text is best when using a mobile phone, but if you make a phone call, keep it brief and convey only vital information to emergency personnel and/or family or household members. This will minimize network congestion, free up space on the network for emergency communications, and conserve battery power. Wait 10 seconds before redialing a number. If you redial too quickly, the data from the handset to the cell sites do not have enough time to clear before you’ve re-sent the same data. This contributes to a clogged network.

Conserve your mobile phone battery by reducing the brightness of your screen, placing your phone in airplane mode, and closing apps you do not need. Limit watching videos and playing video games to help reduce network congestion.

Keep charged batteries, a car phone charger, and a solar charger available for backup power for your mobile phone, teletypewriters (TTYs), amplified phones, and caption phones. If you charge your phone in your car, be sure the car is in a well-ventilated area (e.g., not in a closed garage) to avoid life-threatening carbon monoxide poisoning.

To learn more about disaster readiness visit www.Ready.gov.

Call To Action

The events of these past two weeks have had a sobering effect on our nation. Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have brought a level of destruction not seen since Katrina. The states of Texas and Florida have been devastated. Today thousands of fellow Americans find themselves without a home, electricity, a change of clothes, a pillow to sleep on, and with little or no food or water.

In March of 2013 SERVPRO began a national partnership with the American Red Cross. One component of our partnership is to promote disaster readiness. We do that through our Emergency Ready Profile program. The second is to champion their fundraising efforts. The latter of which is the basis for this call to action. It is never more explicit than in times like these the immense value and importance the efforts of an organization such as the American Red Cross has to our citizens. Also, the need to give is never

more certain to ensure those efforts continue.

We at SERVPRO Norwood and West Roxbury plan on doing our part by donating to the Red Cross Hurricane Harvey and Irma relief efforts. It is our hope that those of you who have the means to do so will respond analogously. Every penny counts, no donation is too small, and donations need not be monetary.

Ways to donate;

• Visit www.redcrossblood.org to schedule an appointment to donate blood
• Visit www.redcross.org/donate to use your credit card or PayPal account to make a donation to support Harvey or Irma relief efforts
• Text "HARVEY" to 90999 to make a $10 donation to the Red Cross

Thank you,

SERVPRO Norwood and West Roxbury