Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Hardwood flooring is expensive, period. Unfortunately, it also happens to be delicate and cannot hold its own against rainy weather. Should you rip it up and install tiles instead? Maybe installing hardwood floors along the entire length of the hallway wasn’t a good idea. Of course not, a few simple tips will ensure that your hardwood floors last you and your family for a long time to come –

All is not Lost

Solid hardwood floors are hard to maintain but that doesn’t mean that they cannot be preserved at all. Your floor should be dry, that is a given. Water tends to warp wooden floors and can damage your flooring irreparably.

Of course, you will need to use a wet mop to carry out proper floor maintenance. Just make sure that you wring out the mop thoroughly before you apply it on the hardwood floor. Wet it in the bucket and wring it out immediately when it gets dry enough. Dry mops have a tendency to spread soil and grit over an area. Your flooring might experience discoloration if that happens.

Removing Stains

Always make sure to check out the finish of your floor before you attempt to remove any stains from it. If the stains in question have penetrated deep through the floor their finish probably consists of a soft oil finish. If the stain is only on the surface, the floor’s finish is of a hard finish. You won’t need a mop to get rid of a stain that is the size of a quarter. A soft clean cloth will do. Never make the mistake of using sandpaper, harsh chemicals or steel wool to clean delicate flooring no matter how tough some stains might appear to be. Corrosive materials or liquids can permanently damage hardwood flooring.

For Oil Based Stains

Oil based stains are difficult to remove. However, a few simple tricks will make them a passing memory. You can rub the affected area with a soft cloth and detergent. This will break down the grease. Rinse it with clear water and watch the magic happen. Repeat the process if it doesn’t work the first time. Once the stain is gone, you can use sandpaper to smooth out the raised grain.

Specialized equipment for Floor Maintenance

If the oil stain does not disappear after two tries stop your ministrations immediately. Situations such as these call for special cleaning solutions or equipment that has been designed to tackle flooring such as hardwood floors.

Specialized janitorial equipment will also serve you well especially if your office space or home has a large area that is covered by hardwood wooden floors. Wooden floors that cover a sizeable area will take ages to clean with a simple mop and bucket.

A janitor will also cover more ground faster with an automatic rinse machine. It will also increase productivity and will pay for itself especially if you consider the additional labor that you would originally have to pay for with the simple mop.

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Specialty Drying

Why should you use LGR Dehumidifiers?

Storm season is here and with it rain that gets into the nooks and crevices of your walls into your Persian carpets. So what do you do? Do you hang them up to dry hoping that your family doesn’t mind the funky odor that permeates every inch of your home? That would hardly be the practical thing to do. And this is exactly why most homeowners and cleaning services use specialty drying equipment such as LGR dehumidifiers to make sure that any water damage is taken care of swiftly.

What are Specialty Drying Tools?

Specialty drying tools, as the name implies, are used to dry hard to reach places such as floorboards. The system uses a high velocity air flow to draw moisture right up from between the boards. Needless to say, drying tools like LGR dehumidifiers can come in real handy during the flood season.

Why LGR Dehumidifiers?

Of course, wet floorboards aren’t the only thing that homeowners and commercial businesses have to deal with when they experience flooding. The devastation leaves it fair share of water damage as well. People cannot account for the water vapors in the air.

LGR (Low Grain Refrigerant) refers to a type of equipment that is used to, you guessed it, dehumidify the air within a space. The basic principle on how the equipment works is simple yet affective. A fan draws in humid air from a wet area from where it is carried to a refrigerated evaporator.

LGR humidifiers are also considered to be one of the most cost efficient specialty drying equipment around since –

They provide the highest water removal per amp
They cost no more than $3 to $5 to run in a day
They offer the fastest return on investment

Other reasons why these humidifiers are so popular include the following –

They can be set up pretty easily
An LGR humidifier requires very low energy to run
It can operate on any standard household power supply
It is portable which means that the equipment can easily be carried to the area that needs to be dried
It is used on 80% of all cases of water damage

In addition, since LGR humidifiers are designed to work within a very low humidity to humidity ratio it means that the equipment will be affective even if the humidity in an area is less than 40%. This is also what makes this particular piece of machinery a handy tool of choice for restoration services and experts.

Once water manages to get in the crevices or floorboards of a home it is imperative that it be taken of immediately. Water damage is nothing to scoff at. In fact, if it is extensive enough it can end up devaluing your home.

With its cost efficiency and reliability it is easy to see why a restoration service would use an LGR humidifier as its specialty drying equipment of choice.

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Air Duct Cleaning Equipment

Why should you give your Air Ducts a Thorough Cleaning?

Break out the Air Duct Cleaning Equipment

If your air ducts look filthy from the outside it means that there is probably a world of filth in the inside. Dust particles are a precursor to allergies especially if you have children in the house. You might not know why Junior still has the sniffles when flu season has passed. Have a peek at your air ducts and you will see why.

A dusty air duct might also play havoc on your HVAC system thereby causing it to run at half the efficiency than what you originally pay for.

What is Duct Cleaning

As the name implies duct cleaning refers to the cleaning of various cooling and heating components that incorporate forced air systems. This can include grilles and diffusers, heating or cooling coils, fan motors and the condensate drain pans to name a few.

A professional cleaning service would use special air duct cleaning equipment to clean extensive, not to mention expensive, HVAC systems. It is easy to see why. An entire heating or cooling system can be out of commission if a single component is contaminated and does not work as it should as a result.

Bills and more Bills

The US Department of Energy claims that over 25% to 40% of the energy that people use for heating is wasted away. It is not surprising why when contaminates in a cooling or heating system will cause it to work harder than it actually needs to. This can also shorten the life of an HVAC system no matter the type of filters that are installed in it. Dust can accumulate over time.

A clean HVAC system doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain a stable cool or warm temperature throughout a home.

Signs to Watch out for

If you see any of these signs, chances are that your air duct needs cleaning –

· Visible mold on the interior of the air duct

· Dead insects or rodent droppings inside the ducts

· Clogs of dust, debris or cobwebs in the ducts

Of course this does not mean that you should grab a feather duster and try to clean your air ducts. Specialized cleaning equipment exists for a reason and one of them is to ensure that you don’t worsen an air duct’s condition. Air duct cleaning equipment comes in handy in cases such as these. This is also why professional cleaners use nothing but the best air duct cleaning equipment to service their clients. For one, they know that specialized equipment can get the job done faster and secondly they know that they will do a good job with it. Equipment that is designed to clean air ducts is especially useful in cleaning HVAC systems that haven’t been cleaned in a while. It can get in nooks and crannies that the average person can’t reach. Do your family a favor and go for the safer option.

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Dust Collectors

Dust Collectors and Clean Air: The Correlation:
With all the carbon emitted into the atmosphere by vehicles, as well as the natural occurrence of dirt, dust is eventually accumulated on different areas of the home. This brings forth the importance of modern technology such as dust collectors. In layman’s terms, dust collectors are defined as devices that collect dust from visible surfaces to hard-to-reach areas. These can be in the form of miniature vacuums that can be held on one hand and is small enough to get into the tiny spaces between the furniture and the wall. These are also made of lightweight material so the corners of the ceiling can easily be reached without much pressure on the upper arms.
A more widespread purpose for dust collectors is the machinery that are designed to collect air impurities and harmful gas from the atmosphere. There 4 main components to this type of dust collecting system:
1.    Blower
2.    Dust Filter
3.    A system that cleans the dust filter automatically
4.    Dust receptacle
There are 5 types of dust collectors that are used for various industrial purposes:

Inertial separators – a type of gas collector that separates gas streams from dust by combining centrifugal force with gravitational as well as inertial forces.
Fabric filters – these dust collectors also separate gas from dust particles, but with the use of a filtration system that’s more commonly known as bag-houses.
Wet scrubbers – a dust collection system that makes use of a scrubbing liquid that removes dust particles from gas streams.
Electrostatic Precipitators or ESP – separates the dust particles clinging to exhaust gas with the help of electrostatic forces.
Unit collectors – out of the various types of dust collectors, this is the only one that is portable enough to be transferred from one point to another. Unit collectors are more commonly used in bins and transfer points for belt-conveyors in remote areas.

There are several online stores that sell dust collectors for home and office use. The price range is from $109.99 to $199.99. Prices are dependent on the system’s dust storage capacity. Those worth almost two hundred bucks usually have a dust storage capacity of up to 70gallons or more.
The selection of a dust collector should always be in reference to the following factors:
1.    The size of dust particles and its area of concentration.
2.    The amount of dust that has to be collected. This depends mostly on the risk factor of the dust that needs to be collected and how it would possibly affect the health of the general public.
3.    Airstream characteristics.
4.    Dust characteristics. Note that silica and metal ore dust are abrasive so therefore not compatible with centrifugal dust collectors. Likewise, hygroscopic dust can damage bag-houses, and fabric collectors do not have the capacity to collect certain dust sizes and shapes.
5.    Disposal methods. Note that there are two ways in which collectors unload their cargo: in a continuous stream or in separate batches.
No matter what type of collector is preferred, one very undeniable fact is that dust collectors play an important role in maintaining the cleanliness of the air that’s so vital for human survival.

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Moisture Meters

Moisture meters are needed to measure the water content of a certain substance. Some materials need to have their water content measured for the people to know if it is ready for use. These meters also determine if a material is unexpectedly wet or dry or is in need for further examination. Wood and concrete have their own respective meters.

Moisture meters are commonly used to measure the moisture content of newly cut logs. Logs naturally shrink days after they are cut from trees. They are only used when the moisture content reaches a standard measurement. The moisture measuring instruments are useful in determining if the logs are ready for construction or other uses.

The need to identify the moisture content of materials is necessary. This is to determine potential damage to structures due to moisture accumulation. Wood industries such as furniture manufacturers use moisture meters to make sure they are using the best wood for their top quality products. Concrete meters, on the other hand, are used to determine favorable conditions before installing wooden floors on top of concrete slabs.

Moisture indicators vary among brands. They all differ in appearance but they mostly indicate moisture in percentages. Some people still use the analog types, but most are now using the more convenient digital ones. Most of these meters deliver accurate measurements in wood. This is because they are fine tuned for wood use.

There are three types of moisture meters available depending on preference. These are the pin types, non-pin types, and a hybrid of both. The pin-type meters determine the amount of moisture from the depth of the contact pins. Two pins on the top of the devices are used to penetrate the material at a desired depth. The measurement is determined by the electrical resistance in the middle of the tips of the pins. Although this type of moisture meter is effective and accurate, the method of measuring is said to be an invasive process.

The principle behind pin-type moisture meters is the electrical resistance. Since the instrument is measuring water, the moisture content is determined by measuring the conductivity in the middle of the two pins. This type of moisture meter may be calibrated for wood, but it can still be used in measuring other materials’ moisture content.

Pin-less moisture meters don’t have to penetrate the material to measure the moisture content. They have their own way of measuring the moisture content of a material. They are classified as non-destructive instruments.

Pin-less moisture meters are commonly used to measure the moisture in wood and concrete flooring before a wooden floor or other types of decorative floors are laid on top of it. Pin-less meters are also used to determine possible buildup of moisture behind materials that were already finished and if reconstruction is not advisable anymore.

The most useful moisture meter known is a hybrid of both the pinned and non-pinned types. This type offers measurement of moisture content in the same way as the first two only that this single device can perform both methods. This type offers the option of using a more appropriate and accurate way of measuring the moisture content depending on the material.

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Deodorization

Deodorization is the process of minimizing the pungency of the natural odors that are present in edible oils. The process involves high-temperature steam distillation that sucks off the volatile material and other pigments that could possibly affect the product’s flavor. This leaves only the clean-smelling clear oil that is sold in supermarkets. Before reaching the deodorization stage, the oil must first go through a series of chemical processes:
1. Deaeration – the process of removing air to prevent oxidation.
2. Heating – the process of heating the oil in an economizer in order to recover as much of the hot oil’s heat as possible.
Once these processes are done, it is time for the main deodorization process to be completed. The oil goes into a high vacuum chamber with high-pressure steam blowing right below it on high temperature. The final deodorization process that the oil goes through is called heat bleaching, wherein the oil is thermally treated on the retention section for the amount of time needed to achieve the desired flavor and texture.
Some of the end-products that have gone through the process of deodorization are:

Margarine
Vegetable oil
Soybean oil
Coconut or Palm oil
Corn oil

Even nuts and crude oil have gone through simple deodorization processes, albeit in lower pressure and lower temperature vacuums.
Removing offensive odor through deodorization is no longer confined to the end-products of edible oils. There are new technologies that have made it possible for carpets, rugs, and furniture to be de-odorized. Carpet and furniture deodorization agents can actually be hired from the internet. However, homemakers who prefer to do the deed themselves can actually deodorize their carpets with these simple carpet deodorization steps:
1.    Use a vacuum to remove dirt particles and loose carpet fiber.
2.    Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda onto the newly vacuumed carpet and leave it be for a few hours to make sure that all the offensive odors are sucked off completely.
3.    Vacuum the baking soda off.
One expert advice: to make sure that the deodorization process is worth all the effort, make sure to mix in an essential oil like lavender onto the baking soda before sprinkling it on the carpet. As the baking soda sucks the bad odor off of the carpet, the carpet sucks in the essential oil, giving it a cleaner and more natural scent.
Deodorization facility upgrades are also offered by some manufacturers to oil refinery owners who already have an existing deodorization processing system. Upgrading these systems provide the following benefits:

Boosts the deodorizer’s capacity
Improves the quality of the end-product
Reduces the costs associated with production

An upgrade can be done by attaching separate components to the existing deodorization facility to replace the older ones. The attachable components are the stripper, final heater, the scrubber, and the economizer. By purchasing these separately, the refinery owner is able to cut costs as compared to the old way of replacing the entire deodorization facility when only one or two of its components break down.

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HyorelEquip's Janitorial - Buy Equipment, Restoration Blog, Best Prices: Autoscrubbers: Create

HyorelEquip's Janitorial - Buy Equipment, Restoration Blog, Best Prices: Video Inspection Cameras

HyorelEquip's Janitorial - Buy Equipment, Restoration Blog, Best Prices: Mold Remediation

Mold Remediation

Mold remediation is not too difficult but it requires extensive work. Since molds can form anywhere where there is moisture, it is important to know where the molds start and how to clean them.

There are two things you should remember if you want to prevent major mold problems: one is to do the right things to prevent mold formation; and two, is to know what to do if the molds have already formed.

Mold remediation is done both in corporate buildings and in residential houses. Some people do the remediation process by themselves while some choose to hire professionals. There are various steps in mold remediation. The following are examples of mold control steps:

    Learn about the things that start mold growth. Knowing the severity of mold growth doesn’t just mean looking at how thick or wide the affected area is. Molds can grow in places you cannot see. Because of this, you need to know the things that can start mold growth even before it actually happens. You should first understand that water is one of the main factors of mold growth. You should find out where the moisture comes from and how it gets to the affected area.

    Document the mold formation and organize a remediation plan. You can do this by writing the information down and taking photos and videos of the mold formation so that you and professionals can put together a mold control plan. Planning can include what to do, when to start doing it, and when it is expected to be completed. The testing process and the personnel authorized to do the remediation should also be included in the planning. Documentation and planning helps the company or homeowner in knowing how much the remediation will cost and what things are to be considered.

    After surveying, documenting, and planning for mold remediation, you can then start estimating the extent of the mold contamination. Molds may not grow in a single area, there may be cases where they grow in various areas of the building and some may not be visible at first glance. When you have an idea of the extent of mold contamination, you can then calculate how much the entire project will cost.

    Begin mold remediation. Remediation will always include cleaning up the mold while avoiding exposure to them. Some people are allergic to molds as they can cause eczema and other skin and respiratory problems. Besides the cleaning process, remediation will also include prevention of mold growth and dealing with the sources of moisture. Mold remediation may be comprised of a series of steps such as repairing the problem with water, isolating the contaminated area, removing dust, removing mold damaged materials, putting them in plastic bags, cleaning, drying, and replacing the contaminated materials.

The finals step is to assess the cleaned area. Even if you have just finished the remediation process it won’t guarantee that there are no more molds in that area. Determine if your remediation had been successful. If not, you can then contact professionals to do the finishing touches for you.

Mold remediation will take time, money, and energy. But these things are less important than protecting you, you family, or employees from harmful molds.

Autoscrubbers

Autoscrubbers were invented to be the ultimate cleaning machines. They can scrub the floor clean from most kinds of dirt. Whether oil, grease, dust, light debris, or any floor marks, autoscrubbers can get rid of anything that affects the appearance of your floors. The reason for this outstanding cleaning capability is the machinery runs inside this household appliance.

Autoscrubbers has rotary discs cylindrical heads with a container that dispenses cleaning solutions. It also has a vacuum to take the dirt from the floor. In other words, in just one passing, the machine can turn a dirty floor into a clean and shiny surface.

Autoscrubbers have separate tanks for keeping clean and dirty water. These machines are said to be more hygienic compared to the usual cleaning methods of using only a mop and a bucket of water. With autoscrubbers, you can use environment-friendly soaps and water in fewer amounts to reduce the amounts of chemicals and gray water released into the environment. Some types of autoscrubbers can even clean without the need for water or chemicals.

Although autoscrubbers can do wonders when it comes to cleaning capabilities, they still have limitations. Edges, corners, obstructed places, and the likes are places which a floor scrubber cannot reach. In such places, manual mopping is still required.

Autoscrubbers are reliable in cleaning floors of almost any type of dirt. However, to ensure maximum cleaning capacity, it is advisable to clean the floor first of larger debris that can clog the machine’s hose or motor. Clogging may decrease the performance of the machine. Also, after each use, the tanks should all be cleared of water, accumulated dirt, and cleaning solution to prevent build up inside.

When you store autoscrubbers, leave the tanks in open air and allow ventilation. This is to prevent foul odors from building up inside. Also, check the batteries if they are in good condition before storing them. This is to keep the batteries at maximum capacity. Always use distilled water on your floor scrubbers and never use water with high levels of mineral content.

There are various steps on how to properly clean using autoscrubbers. Although these machines provide the easiest and fastest way of cleaning floors, there are still steps to ensure you of a safe and productive cleaning experience while you use them. These are steps that you can take:

Use safety goggles and gloves. Autoscrubbers require chemical solutions which can be harmful if they make contact with the skin.
Prepare the area to be cleaned. Remove furniture and other things in the area that might disrupt the cleaning process.
Dust-mop your floor first to lessen the dirt. This helps maintain the maximum performance of the autoscrubbers.
Prepare the autoscrubbers. Make sure the batteries are fully charged if the machine is battery operated. Also, prepare enough amounts of chemical solutions to clean the entire room.
Start from the sides going to the center. Take note of areas which the autoscrubbers cannot reach, and manually scrub them at a later time.
Finally, inspect your area after cleaning. Make sure everything’s in order and don’t leave the area even with a small spot not reached by the machine or by your manual cleaning.

Video Inspection Cameras

Video Inspection Cameras Reveal What’s Hidden in Your Walls
The technological age has ushered in a new era in tool-making. Old tools are modernized and new tools are developed to make most tasks more convenient. Home maintenance tools are no exception. Digital and analog cameras are new aspects that have been added to maintenance tools for easy accessibility of the nooks and crannies of the house. Video inspection cameras are vital in any home repair and maintenance job.
In any house, there is always that one place that can only be accessed by ripping off a lot of external layers. Examples of this are the rafters that are hidden inside the ceiling or the beams hidden behind the wall panels. By simply inserting the tube of video inspection cameras onto a small gap, the repairman can take a look at the deepest and darkest parts of the wall or ceiling to check for areas and parts that need to be fixed. Without an inspection camera, maintenance work would be costly and time-consuming since everything has to be taken apart and the damaged parts replaced.
Video inspection cameras come in different shapes and sizes. Many of the new inspection camera models are equipped with additional features that make them more convenient for use. A few of these additional features include:
•    Magnetized retrieval tools that conveniently retrieve screws, nuts, and bolts that may have come loose.
•    LED (light emitting diode) lights attached to the camera tube to illuminate the dark areas of the ceiling and walls. Without these built-in lights, a separate flashlight might be necessary. This can be quite inconvenient since the flashlight would have to be held either by same hand that’s holding the camera or the other hand.
•    Waterproof casings to avoid water damage.
Video inspection cameras are sold both in traditional hardware stores and on several websites on the internet. Prices vary depending on the size, the added features, and the enhanced standard features of the tool. Some of the standard features that contributed to the popularity of these cameras are:
1.    Viewing screens – the size of screens vary by manufacturer. Some screens are detachable, while others firmly attached to the tool’s main body.
2.    Expandable storage – although most inspection cameras come with built-in storage, sometimes the space is limited. Consequently, there are slots wherein memory cards or SD cards can be inserted to expand the devices’ storage capacity.
3.    Data cable – this allows the inspection camera to be connected directly to a computer for file transfer without the need to remove the memory card from its slot.
4.    Rechargeable Li-Ion batteries – most cameras have fast-charging capability, which means that the batteries can be at full capacity within minutes.
5.    Pistol grip for easy handling.
The price range for video inspection cameras is somewhere between a few hundred dollars to $3000 and some cents. Of course, the higher price range ensures that the tool has more features and comes with a longer warranty period. The expensive ones are normally submersible on 60-foot deep water. There are also a few video inspection cameras with snake tubes covered in fiberglass for added durability, and these are usually the more expensive ones.