to your
building by fire, smoke and (or) water can be a devastating
experience, both physically as well as emotionally. Each year
thousands of structures are completely destroyed by fire, while
many more are significantly damaged, but left with enough
structural integrity to be salvaged.
The process of erasing the scars left behind by
this type of damage has been one with very few effective options
until recent years.
When you consider the building’s structure,
particularly behind the walls, there is significant surface area
that can be damaged or contaminated. All of the
individual cavities and spaces created by the framing members,
as well as the hundreds of linear feet of wiring, ductwork and
piping could require cleaning.
These fixtures could also be blocking other
areas that need attention, further complicating the task at
hand. The important point to consider is that in a fire while
some surfaces may be spared from charring, almost none escape
being contaminated by smoke. This means for this type of damage,
effective cleaning would require a method that can reach
absolutely everywhere.
When faced with having to remove a smoky odor
from an object like clothing,
it is a far less challenging task. This is because the water and
detergent are free to penetrate and come in contact with all of
the surface area of the fibers, even if cleaning them by hand.
If you have ever caught the odor of your clothes
the day after being in a location where smoking is permitted,
you can imagine how important it would be to utilize a
remediation technique that affords easy access to as much of the
contaminated surface area as possible.
When it comes to thoroughly eliminating the odor
of smoke damage from a home, traditional manual scrubbing and
cleaning techniques such as sanding or brushing simply do not
allow for effective results. Additionally, they are painfully
slow (without a large crew), and incredibly labor intensive
compared to the newer, more efficient alternatives.
Media blasting is one alternative that has a lot
to offer in this area. It involves the introduction of an
abrasive particle into a low pressure, high velocity stream of
air. It is critical to keep the correct ratio of media to air to
maintain optimal results.
The propulsion of the media into the substrate
means that all of the kinetic energy required to strip the
surface is already available
prior to
the media making contact with the surface. This differs vastly
from a manual method where the media is placed on the substrate
and then moved, obviously limiting the ability to get the energy
needed into corners and tight spaces.
Once the physics of the method are understood,
it is easy to see why media blasting is such a good fit for
remediating damage caused by fire, smoke and water.
Abrasive blasting offers many choices in media;
aluminum oxide, steel shot, coal slag, dry ice and even sponge
to name a few. The best overall choice for this type of job may
be Sodium Bicarbonate (NaHCO
),
also known as baking soda, or simply soda blast. Not only will
soda get into tight spaces (including corners as well as behind
wiring, ductwork and piping), it will do so without destroying
the integrity of these vital fixtures.
Soda has this capability because its crystal is
friable. This simply means that when it impacts the substrate,
it explodes into many smaller particles. The energy and
directional scatter from the disintegration are what allow it to
be aggressive enough to remove a tough coating like paint, while
being
gentle enough not to damage a substrate like metal or even
wiring. This ability to make such thorough contact with so
little operator effort is just one of the many benefits that put
soda blasting at the top of the list for remediation work
resulting from fire damage.
Baking soda blasting offers other benefits, such
as being one of the less expensive methods available for this
type of work. The media consumption is very low (90 minutes or
more of blast time can
be
achieved with one 50 pound bag with the appropriate nozzle),
which makes it a very economical option per square foot.
The equipment is also generally less expensive,
to purchase or to rent, as well as being easier to use, and more
reliable. Soda blasting is a very safe process, as the media is
non toxic, water soluble and environmentally friendly.
Additionally, there is no
safety concern associated with working in tight quarters. Some
methods can cause
elevated
levels of CO2
without proper exhausting.
Perhaps the most recognizable and attractive
benefit soda offers is to help absorb and eliminate the odor
left by the smoke damage. This is a key step in making this type
of remediation project a successful one as incomplete odor
control only serves as a reminder of the catastrophe that took
place.
Once baking soda has been chosen for the job,
the specific brand can offer some enhanced benefits and
flexibility as well. Soda blast media manufactured by Natrium
Products (Cortland, NY) is offered in a range of particle sizes
unmatched by any other manufacturer.
The Formula 150 is a fine grain by blast
standards, and is well suited for the scope of this work where
the substrate is more delicate, like wood.
Natrium 260, and 300 are the largest soda media
available anywhere, and offer the ability to work faster where
necessary (on brick or stone), or reduce the dust level if
working in tight quarters where visibility can be challenging.
They are by no means a substitute for dust
control measures, but have been reported to offer noticeable
improvement of visibility where collection is compromised, or
not set up at all. Where collection is used, it is likely that
maintenance of the unit will be less frequent due to the
decreased dust levels.
Fire, smoke and water are causes of damage that
can have a devastating impact on both the structure itself, as
well as homeowner’s outlook. The damage left to the home is
incredibly invasive and requires a thorough remediation method
to address it properly.
Typically, that method has been a manual
sanding/cleaning which lacked the ability to fully address the
problem sufficiently. Media blasting, specifically soda blasting
offers the ability to access all of the hard to reach
contaminated spaces quickly and relatively inexpensively.
The old-fashioned business philosophy has always
been centered on providing customers with the best possible
products and services to solve their problems. Utilizing this
environmentally friendly technique to eliminate the ugly damage
caused by fire, smoke and water could help you put your customer
in the best possible position to start moving beyond a most
unpleasant experience.
