Water Damage Repair
Water damage can occur from a small leak over time, a rush of water from a damaged pipe or appliance, or a flood from a storm or sewage backup. In many cases, the water comes from a source that is not perfectly clean. This is called grey water or black water because the water contains microorganisms, parasites, debris, and other sediment that makes the water unhealthy to touch or drink.
Besides being unhealthy, the particles in the water can cause odors. The water absorbs into the flooring, walls, ceilings, furniture, and belongings, carrying the germs with it. When the water evaporates, the germs are left behind, where they continue causing a smell. Water can also lead to mold, which has its own odors.
A deep clean following the water extraction process reduces these odors, as well as the staining caused by the bacteria and minerals in water. We can follow this with additional odor neutralization procedures to completely eliminate any odors present in the air.
Mold Remediation
Mold is a common concern in South Florida. With a local climate that is warm and humid, all it takes is a bit of water for mold to thrive on the surfaces around properties. A single spore on a damp surface can expand into a significant infestation in only days while also releasing additional mold spores into the air.
Growing mold produces volatile organic compounds – compounds that often have strong scents. As these compounds spread, they cause a pervasive “mold smell.” This smell comes from the surfaces where mold is actively growing but mold’s ability to spread through airborne spores can lead to several mold growths and, subsequently, several odor sources to make the overall smell overpowering.
Removing mold from surfaces or disposing of contaminated items when they cannot be successfully cleaned – carpets, fabrics, and insulation for instance – will get rid of the majority of mold. Remaining spores in the air, however, can continue causing odors as well as a risk of illness. Our mold remediation services catch these remaining spores to return the property’s air quality to healthy and odorless levels.
Fire Damage Restoration
Fire produces a strong odor that can linger long after the flames are out. The flames can cause physical damage to a property, but the smoke, ash, and soot that are produced in the fire make it difficult to restore the home to its original condition without professional help.
During a property fire, natural elements such as wood, paper, and cotton fabrics serve as fuel. There may be some ash or charring as a result, and these can carry a burnt odor. The charred items will be in the area where the active fire was, and the ash can spread throughout the property to coat surfaces as it settles.
Soot is even more troublesome than ash. With its miniscule size, it is able to become trapped in very small surfaces and pores. Since it is also corrosive, it will become further embedded as it eats away at surfaces.
Like ash, soot will smell smokey and burnt. It is also not limited to the area where the fire occurred. The extreme heat produced by fire results in the surrounding air moving to cooler areas due to pressure differences. As the air moves, it will carry the smoke and soot with it until the entire property is covered.
Removing soot and ash is a necessary step in fire damage restoration to prevent cosmetic damage and illness. But we also remove the debris from a fire to eliminate odors and follow with additional odor neutralizing techniques so that the property is completely restored.
Biohazard Cleanup
Biohazard cleanup encompasses many different events that leave behind biological material, usually from humans, on a property. These materials include blood, bodily fluids, tissue, bone, and sewage. Biohazards can occur on properties in the region after a trauma, crime scene, unattended death, suicide, sewage flooding, and more.
Because biohazard material is organic, it goes through a decomposition process. This is when bacteria in the biological material breaks it down. Decomposition releases gases and chemical compounds that have overwhelming smells that are both revolting and enduring. These odors are accompanied by any scents from human waste, blood, and other materials in the area.
We start by removing any hazardous materials. They will not always be easily visible. Blood, fluids, and bacteria can be absorbed into surfaces, so our cleaning process is an in depth one. Depending on several factors, particularly how long decomposition has been ongoing, removing the blood and tissue can be enough to get rid of odors. More advanced decomposition will lead to more pervasive odors, and it can be necessary to purify the air and deep clean surfaces to fully eliminate them.
Hoarding Cleanup
Hoarding is a psychological disorder in which a person is unable to throw away items or may obsessively collect objects until a residence is no longer considered livable. In many hoarding situations, there will also be rancid food, trash, animal waste, and sewage, either because household systems have broken or cleaning has not been kept up. The excessive clutter may also obscure mold, water damage, and biological hazards.
This combination of clutter and property damage will often lead to pungent odors. Often, the odors are associated with the objects in the home and will dissipate when those items are removed during hoarding cleanup. But some odors from hoarding can come from sources in the walls, floors, and furniture that is being kept. As part of the odor neutralizing process and for safety, we will decontaminate surfaces and remaining belongings during hoarding cleanup.
Other Causes of Odors
Odors may also result from more everyday circumstances as well. A large number of pets on a property, particularly any property where there has been neglect, can lead to a persistent odor and ammonia. Sewage problems, spills, trash build up, nicotine residue, industrial processes, and more can leave odors behind that will not dissipate on their own for years.
Even without a disaster, professional odor removal is important. Rooms or households with a lot of cigarette smoke, for example, often also house oils and compounds that can be dangerous over time. In some cases, there are some odors that are not caused by a disaster. For example, curry – which is made up of very aromatic spices – can permeate walls and cabinets in places where cooking with curry is common.
Whatever has caused unappealing smells at your home, business, or a property you manage, we can develop an odor neutralization plan that permanently gets rid of any odor causing bacteria, chemicals, or spores in the air and around the property.
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