Fire & Water – Cleanup & Restoration™

1. Employee Training Program Water Certification Fire & Water – Cleanup & Restoration™

2. Safety

3. Safety concerns must be taken seriously and properly addressed before starting emergency services and restoration work

4. Slip, Trip and Fall • Water-damaged structures and SERVPRO’s cleanup procedures create many slip, trip and fall hazards. Wet surfaces are normally slick and equipment hoses and power cords can trip people. Post warning signs and tell customers about the hazards. • Did you know that Slip, Trip and Fall is the number one cause of industrial accidents?

5. Typical confined spaces that workers must enter during water damage restoration jobs are crawl spaces and attics. Confined Spaces

6. The first item to check is the power distribution box. Turn off all circuit breakers at the power distribution panel If only a portion of the building is affected, turn off all circuits providing power to the damaged areas. This is especially important if water is inside wall cavities or electrical outlets or when electrical outlets are located on the floor. Electrical Hazards

7. Electrical Safety Steps

8. Turn off the power to the building at the main circuit breaker if this can be done safely. If you are unable to access the main circuit panel safely, call an electrician to turn off the power. If water is running from a light fixture, light switch or outlet, do not turn on that circuit. Use a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI for all electrical equipment). Portable GFCIs can be purchased at most home supply stores. Metal conducts electricity. Don’t use metal measuring tapes, ropes, hand lines, ladders or other metal materials that might make contact with energized circuits or equipment. Determine the location of electrical wiring, cables and power lines before drilling or cutting into walls or other structural areas. Do not turn on electrical appliances or fixtures that have been exposed to water. Do not turn on electrical appliances or fixtures while you are standing on wet surfaces. Always turn off the power at the power distribution box before unplugging wet items.

9. Water Mitigation: Stopping any further damage from happening. Can include stopping and removing water and placing drying equipment. Water Restoration: The process of getting a structure back to the way it was before the water damage occurred. Key Definitions

10. PPE: Wear appropriatepersonal protective equipment when infectious waste is present, including: Respirator. Chemical resistant gloves. Rubber boots. Splash goggles. Full-body suits. Infectious Waste Safety Steps

11. If you find that “At-risk” persons are in any danger, notify your supervisor immediately. At-risk people may include: The very young. The old. People with respiratory problems such as asthma or emphysema. People with an immunity deficiency. People sensitive to chemicals such as disinfectants. AT RISK PERSONS

12. Filter wastewater as you dump it to prevent carpet fibers from being released. Filter by emptying the dump hose through a spare waste tank filter or window screen. A biohazard firm should handle water with biohazards (medical hazards, human blood or tissue). Gray and black wastewater normally may be disposed of in a treated sewer line. Some states require a permit. Do Not dump wastewater in Septic tanks. Do not dump wastewater in Storm Drains. Do not dump wastewater in streams or natural waterways. Dispose of wastewater in accordance with state or local guidelines. Requirements differ from state to state and may even be different for various cities with a state.

13. Stop contaminants from spreading into uncontaminated areas. Protect building occupants and workers from being exposed to contaminants. Manage airflow from clean to contaminated areas. ContainmentIn some situations, you may need to construct containment. The safety purpose of containment is to:

14. Chemical usage and safety information can be found in the SERVPRO (35026) Chemical Reference Manual and SERVPRO (35100) Production Guidelines. No one should be present in the area where disinfectants and deodorizers are being applied. Before allowing occupants back in the area, ensure the area is properly ventilated and the product has had time to dry. Chemical Safety

15. List three electrical hazards that you should check before beginning water damage emergency services. When should you look for safety hazards? Why would you construct containment? What types of PPE are needed in infectious waste situations? What is an “At-Risk” person? Who would be considered in this category? Where should you dispose of wastewater? Where might you find a “confined space” in a home? List at least two places. What should you do before applying disinfectants and deodorants? What is the number one safety concern in a water damage? Where are two places to look for information about SERVPRO professional products. Safety Review Questions

16. Psychrometry

17. Psychrometry is the study of the air, humidity, temperature, and their affect on various materials. It is the science behind drying. The moisture in the air can damage the materials it touches. A technician uses psychrometrics to measure the amount of moisture in the air and to make sure that that amount gets smaller as the drying process moves forward.

18. Relative humidity (Rh) is the amount to moisture the air currently is holding at a given temperature. Rh is a percent. 100% Rh means the air is totally saturated – it is holding as much moisture as it can at the temperature. 50% Rh means that the air is only 50% full – it can hold 50% more moisture before it is full You take Rh and temperature readings with a thermohygrometer at each job. Air at 100% RH is holding all of the water that it can Relative Humidity

19. What happens when the temperature increases, but the amount of moisture stays the same? • Think of temperature as the holding capacity of the air. Warm air can hold more moisture, cold air can hold less.

20. Specific humidity is the actual amount of moisture in the air. Specific Humidity

21. Determining Specific Humidity • Once you know the relative humidity and temperature, you find specific humidity (grains per pound) using psychrometric charts or calculators.

22. The grid of the Psychrometric Chart consists of vertical line and horizontal lines. Vertical lines represent the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit and horizontal lines represent the grains per pound. The carves lines of the chart represent the relative humidity. Find the vertical line that represents the current temperature of the air. Find the curved line that represents the current relative humidity of the air. Find the intersection of curved and vertical line. Trace the horizontal line from the intersection point to the columns of numbers on the right side of the chart. The first column of numbers indicates the specific humidity (the grains per pound). The second column of numbers indicates the vapor pressure. Trace the horizontal line from the intersection point to the temperature readings on the left side of the chart. These temperatures indicate the dew point temperature for air at the current temperature and relative humidity. Using the Psychrometric Chart

23. Moisture and Materials • Permeance Permeance is the measure of water vapor flow through a material. • Vapor Barriers Vapor barriers are materials that are either waterproof or have a permeance of 1 perm or less. • Hygroscopic Materials Hygroscopic refers to materials thateasily absorb and hold onto water vapor from the air.

24. Primary and Secondary Damage • When materials come into direct contact with water, primary damage occurs. When materials are damaged by water vapor, secondary damage occurs. • SERVPRO has been referred by the insurance company to limit primary damage and prevent secondary damage. If we don’t, we have failed the customer!

25. Nature seeks an equilibrium is the second law of thermodynamics and even if it sounds complicated, all you need to understand are the following rules: Wet goes to Dry Hot goes to Cold High Pressure goes to Low Pressure Thermodynamics

26. Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC) is the condition of a material for which moisture content has stabilized in relation to the relative humidity and temperature of the surrounding air. Think about the concept “wet goes to dry.” When moisture is not longer moving from wet to dry, you have reached equilibrium Equilibrium Moisture Content

27. Condensation is the process in which water vapor changes into liquid. Condensation

28. The temperature at which water vapor begins to turn to a liquid is known as the dew point. When drying a structure, you must never let the inside temperature reach the dew point or else water vapor will turn to a liquid on inside surfaces. Use the HVAC system or portable heaters or air conditioners to control the temperature. You determine the dew point on a psychrometric chart. **** It CAN rain indoors, so never use cold outside air to ventilate a wet structure.**** Dew Point

29. Evaporation is the process of pushing moisture from materials into the air. Evaporation

30. What is the specific humidity if the air temperature is 80 degrees F and the relative humidity is 70%? What is the specific humidity inside your office right now? What is the specific humidity outside your office? What does “nature seeks an equilibrium” mean? What is the difference between a primary and a secondary water damage? Explain how equilibrium moisture content changes when there is more water in the air. Why (and when) should you worry about the dew point temperature during water damage jobs? What are hygroscopic materials? Vapor barriers? What is permeance? Define Psychrometry. What is the difference between specific humidity and relative humidity? Psychrometry Review Questions

31. Drying Theory

32. Clean Water (or category one water) is treated water that does not contain waste products. Burst pipes, overflowing sinks and defective appliances are sources of clean water. Clean Water

33. Water that has been used and carries waste products, but does not contain human waste, is gray water (or category two water). An overflowing washing machine that dumps wash water on the floor is gray. A toilet overflow with no solid matter is gray. Gray water contains waste products, but generally does not present the danger of spreading disease. Pad must be replaced. Carpet that is saved must be cleaned thoroughly. Gray Water

34. Black water (or category three water) is unsanitary water. Take precautions to protect humans from disease in these damages. Sewage back-ups are black water damages Floodwaters are also black water. Carpets and other porous materials must be replaced when contaminated with black water. *Compliance Tip* Extensive personal protective equipment (PPE) is required when cleaning black water damages. Make sure you obey local and federal laws! Black Water(eeewwww)

35. Black water may not look black in color. Gray water may not look gray in color. The categorization of water depends on the source of the water and what’s in it, not the actual color

36. Industry Standards for Carpet and Pad

37. Warping and Buckling Wood naturally contains moisture but when wood absorbs excess moisture, it expands. Sometimes the boards will warp. Expanded boards may push against each other and may buckle at the joints where the Boards meet or at the wall. Cupping and Crowning Cupping occurs when the water is absorbed from the bottom and Sides of the wood. The edges Slightly raise or “cup”. Crowning occurs when the top of the wood holds more moisture than the sides and bottom. This makes the wood arch, creating a bowed shape in the middle. Moisture Effects on Wood Flooring

38. Concrete Painted concrete may flake or blister, requiring repainting. Concrete floors are porous, so water may wick up leaving chalk-like calcium deposits on the surface. Resilient Tile Asphalt tile will usually maintain a good bond with concrete following water damage. White or chalky areas respond well to cleaning. The whitening is often caused by the separation of sealer wax or finish from the floor itself. Ceramic Tile Often, the tile will be unaffected, but water will penetrate the grouting, causing warping or expansion of the subfloor. It may be necessary to dry the floor from the bottom or to drill holes into the floor to perform proper monitoring. Moisture Effects on Hard Flooring

39. Always check the subfloor! Don’t just assume the floor is dry because the top layer is dry. If cracks exist in the waterproofing over ceramic tile, the subfloor may buckle. Instead of pulling up tile, you may be able to dry the floor from underneath. Hard Flooring and Moisture Keys

40. Carpet Construction presents two basic problems. 1. Backing separation (delamination) Delamination is one of the primary concerns in water damages. Even new carpets delaminate, always check for delamination. 2. Latex deterioration Latex has several grades. The better grades contain additives that slow the breakdown process. Cheaper latex compounds have fillers that take up space, but offer no adhesive properties. The more fillers in the compound, the less adhesive power and the sooner a breakdown will occur. Multi-level loop Olefin Berber carpet with a heavy face weight and a thick pad is one of the most difficult carpets to extract thoroughly. Moisture Effects on Carpet

41. Insulation Drying wall cavities requires ventilation. One way to ventilate wet wall cavities it to remove baseboards and drill holes between each stud. Then force air through these holes into wall cavities. If a lot of moisture is found, areas of drywall may have to be removed. Always talk to the customer and adjuster before putting holes in the wall. Moisture Effects on Structure

42. Drying a house/building and its contents quickly is important. Four factors affect the amount of time required for drying: Temperature Amount of water to be evaporated Humidity Air movement Key Factors for Drying

43. Drying occurs faster when rooms are heated to 70˚ to 90˚ since hot air can hold more moisture. Temperature

44. The more water you extract or pump out of the structure, the less you will need to remove with dehumidifiers. A liquid is easier and faster to remove than a gas. Physical extraction is 1200 times more efficient than dehumidification. Amount of Water to be Evaporated

45. Relative humidity (Rh) is amount of moisture the air currently is holding at a given temperature. Rh of 30% to 50% is what most people consider comfortable. Rh over60% slows drying time because the air is almost saturated or full. The Rh should be below 40% by the second day of drying. Humidity

46. The air in a water-damaged room is normally damp and humid, slowing evaporation. Blowing the damp air out and bringing warm, dry air in will speed drying. Proper positioning of air movers will help. Remember to change the location of air movers as drying occurs to promote even, through drying of surfaces. This is a fan, NOT an Air Mover! you can buy a fan in a hardware store for $15. It will not do the job of an Air Mover. Air Movement

47. A drying goal is the condition the technician wants to bring about in the affected area of the structure. How dry do you want the environment to be when you are finished? When this goal is reached, the environment will be “dry”. Your goal should include two parts. Specific and Relative humidity readings from a dry unaffected area of the structure. Moisture content readings from dry unaffected contents and structure. Establishing a Drying Goal

48. Selecting a Drying System

49. An open drying system exchanges the moist air inside the structure with the drier outside air. An open system works only when outside air has fewer grains per pound than inside air. Outside air should offer high temperature and low relative humidity. Before using an open system, take measurements to determine specific humidity for both inside and outside air. Use an open drying system only when measurements for outside air are at least 20 gpp less than measurements for inside air. The Open System

50. Leaving windows open creates a security risk for the building. Energy loss-you’re now heating the outdoors. The homeowner may prefer that the windows are closed. The weather may change. Additional monitoring will be required when using open drying. Open System Has Certain Disadvantages