Sewage (Category 3 Black Water)

Sewage (Category 3 Black Water) is the most dangerous type of water damage. Sewage contains pathogenic agents and is grossly unsanitary. Category 3 water includes: Domestic Sewage, Industrial Sewage, and all forms of flooding from seawater and the rising water of rivers or streams. Such rising water and organic matter into structures create black water conditions. Domestic sewage contains billions of micro-organisms that facilitate the degradation process but also contains properties that initiate infectious allergic or toxic diseases. If not cleaned properly in a timely manner, sewage will cause secondary damage to building materials, contents and also is a dangerous health risk. Sewage contain gram negative bacteria which can include:

E-coli

Rotavirus

Hepatitis A & B

Pseudomonas

Viruses

Parasites

Remediation

Highly porous materials that come in contact with heavy sewage or black water should be removed and discarded as soon as possible. If these materials are not removed or properly disinfected, they can become a reservoir for growth of micro-organisms. Before removal can begin, containment must be established to prevent cross contamination. The use of air scrubbers should be used to capture particulate and odour.

ServiceMaster Clean of Northeast New Brunswick is one of the few companies in New Brunswick certified to deal with Sewage Remediation.

Mould Remediation

What is Mould?

Moulds are one or many celled micro-organisms that require an external food source. They along with mildew, mushrooms, slimes, and rusts are all categories of fungi.

How does it grow?

There are approximately 60,000 to 80,000 described species of fungi (moulds and yeasts). The majority of fungi are saprobes: that is, they utilize non-living organic material for food. Moulds, referred to in this document are commonly described as microfungi, differenting them from macrofungi, such as mushrooms and other fleshy organisms. Moulds develop from unique, microscopic seed like structures called spores. Spores are not visible to the unaided eye. When spores settle on a surface under appropiate moisture and temperature conditions, they absorb water, sweling to 2-3 times their original size, and begin to form thread-like structures known as hyphae. As the hyphae grow, they interweave to form a tangled mass known as a mycelium. With continued growth, a mycelium, unlike a spore, becomes visible to the naked eye. The mycelium extends across the surface material, generally in a circular pattern, with hyphae growing above and below the food source. When the fungas matures, spores will form within specialized structures or individually on the arial hyphae. the spores can the be carried away by air currents, moisture droplets or insects to new environments to start the reproductive cycle over again. - IICRC S520.

Fungi are everywhere they are all around us, outdoors and inside. They are part of our natural environment, however some moulds are harmful and grow better in wet conditions.

Mould needs five things to grow: a suitable temperature, a nutrient base, moisture, stagnant air, and time. They grow best at warm temperatures, between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius, although they can grow in temperatures between 5 and 38 degrees. They feed and grow by ingesting organic materials, such as drywall paper, wood, paper, fabrics, dust and dirt. Mould will grow in moisture within 24 to 48 hours. Water leeks, flooding, high relative humidity, and condensation are all situations that increase the growth of mould.

Even if the air in your house is generally dry, they can flourish in the damp local climates that occur in many Canadian homes.

Different kinds of moulds grow on different materials. Certain kinds of moulds like an extremely wet environment. Other kinds of moulds may be growing even if no water can be seen. Dampness inside the material can be enough to allow them to grow.

Why are Moulds a concern?

Moulds absorb nutrients across membranes by secreting enzymes. They produce spores (reproductive seeds) into the environment; these spores contain myotoxins (toxic chemicals) found inside and outside the spores.

Myotoxins are a health risk as they are toxic to the:

1) Immune system (opportunistic)

2) Skin (rashes)

3) Nervous system (headaches, dizziness, fatigue, muscle & joint pain, nausea, depression, memory loss)

4) Enterotoxic (vomiting & diarrhea)

5) Respiratory system (asthma, sore throat, hay fever, signs of bleeding in lungs)

6) Vascular system (fragile blood vessels, bleeding)

*Myotoxins have been linked to pulmonary hemosiderosis in infants (Bleeding lung disease)

What should I do about Mould?

Moulds will grow if we provide them with moisture and nutrients. If we keep things dry, moulds do not grow. We have to find and contain the source of moisture. Microbial contamination must be removed, not just killed with biocides, since both allergenic and toxic properties remain in dead organisms and spores.

Mould growth with less than ten square feet can be removed by anyone as long as they have the proper protection and knowledge to remove the mould, if not removed properly mould can spread making the problem worse. A Certified Microbial Remediation Technician should remove mould in areas larger than ten square feet.

ServiceMaster Clean of Northeast New Brunswick have staff that are IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) Certified in Microbial Remediation, as well as training provided by Individual Environmental Companies. We have the equipment, the training and knowledge to removal mould safely. Before you hire anyone to remove mould from your home make sure they are certified in mould remediation.

Link to mould pictures