Take cleaning to the next level. Eliminating harmful mold and mildew in bathrooms and basements is essential. Use all-natural cleaning products when-ever possible to cut down on further con-taminating the building. Repair all standing water issues and keep your building’s humidity under 50 percent. Any higher and you risk creating an envi-ronment where harmful bacteria, mold and mildew can thrive. Properly vent all fuel-burning appli-ances. This includes appliances like gas stoves, water heaters and fireplaces. Don’t store chemicals, paints or solvents within the building. Keep them in a garage or storage area if at all possible. Evaluate air fresheners. Air-freshening devices may make your air smell nice, but they do so with a mix of chemicals that can be toxic. Next Level Improvements The next level to improve IAQ is to incorpo-rate more permanent technology to clean and purify the air. A licensed contractor can evaluate and as-sess IAQ issues and make suggestions based on your building’s specific needs. Here are some steps a contractor may take. Improve ventilation in the facility. There are two ways to accomplish this: Via natural methods, like opening windows to allow for natural air flow through the build-ing, or mechanical methods, like utilizing industrial fans to move the air. By improving air flow, IAQ issues stem-ming from foul odors, allergens and com-bustion and building materials can be re-duced or eliminated. Utilize an ozone generator, once the area is vacated. Ozone has the ability to completely de-stroy the molecules found in bacteria, mold and mildew. This method allows for a deep clean by permeating small cracks in the walls, there-fore eliminating any issues from within the building’s own structure. Low levels of ozone are also effective and safe. The use of hydrogen peroxide and hy-droxyls is the latest technology available. It is extremely effective and has no ad-verse side effects. This type of technology can be installed directly in the building’s existing HVAC sys-tem and allows for continuous cleaning of the air and surfaces, even reducing dust, allergens, mildew and bacteria by up to 99 percent. This method can improve the health of everyone in the building, particularly those who suffer from allergies, asthma and other respiratory illnesses. It also can cut down on the spread of the common cold and flu, since the technology cleans each surface in the environment, in-cluding bathrooms and kitchens. No matter how big or small, making steps towards improving your building’s indoor air quality will help everyone breathe easier. Tom Lozano is the executive director of Air Scrubber Plus, which utilizes ActivePure tech-nology to clean, freshen and purify the air. Air Scrubber Plus, with ActivePure technology, utilizes specialized germicidal UV light waves along with a proprietary catalytic process that creates enviroscrubbing molecules of oxygen and hydrogen, based on a variation of tech-nology originally developed in cooperation with NASA for use in the International Space Station. For more information, visit www. AirScrubberPlus.com. in NaceCare Solutions Backpack Vacuum focus Ideal for daytime cleaning, the RBV 130 is hardly noticeable with a 45 decibel, battery-powered motor. A charge of only 2.5 hours provides 45 minutes of run time. At 16 pounds the RBV 130 is compact, comfortable and light and the 1.5 gallon tank provides the capacity to complete challenging tasks. Equipped standard with a HEPA filter for non-hazardous filtration, patented ribs inside the vacuum ensure that the machine will not lose suction. www.NaceCare.com | Product Information no. 319 ProTeam Hip Vacuum The redesigned ProTeam ® Super HalfVac ® Pro is a compact but powerful hipstyle vacuum. Versatile harness can be worn with or without shoulder straps. Ergonomic padded waist belt provides maximum comfort. Four Level ® Filtration w/HEPA captures and contains 99.97 percent of particulate matter 0.3 microns and larger for improved IAQ. www.Pro-Team.com | Product Information no. 320 Sanitaire SC530A | QuietClean Backpack Vac It’s about time. The most comfortable and quietest backpack Sanitaire has ever built. With its load dispersion technology and comfortable harness designed for comfort, balance and heat dispersion, the Quiet Clean HEPA Backpack results in less user fatigue, reduced turnover and greater cleaning efficiency. At less than 63dBA, the QuietClean BackPack Vac is ideal for cleaning locations where noise needs to be kept to a minimum. A large assortment of tools and attachments help clean every surface. CRI Seal of Approval -Meets LEED Compliant. www.SanitaireVac.com | Product Information no. 321 www.CMMOnline.com 43
CMM – Archives July 2014: 43
