Bacteria testing & Cleaning
Water is the necessity of life. With that being said, humans, animals, plants, and many other biological organisms need water to grow, develop, and to thrive in life. There are endless needs that require water, including agriculture, cleaning, gardening, chemistry, and more. Clean water is a necessity of life and instead of water that is polluted we strive to keep our main resource as clean as possible. Dirty water can cause many problems for human beings as well as other living creatures. It poses a threat to the human beings.
• Water Damage Causes of growth of mold
It does not matter what has triggered the water damage, a pipe or roof rain water run off, people should understand that the damage caused by water needs more than just wiping the water away and drying the walls by switching some fans on it. This never results in mold or bacteria free area.
• Mold is the result of the water damage and water intrusion. According to an estimate, there are 100,000 species of mold which break down biological materials such as dead animals and toppled trees. When the mold begins to develop inside the building, it starts to break down the materials of the building and makes it weak. Different types of mold began to grow and eventually Wood rot and other more severe consequences can result from water damage. With the presence of mold in the area it is possible that an immune response could develop and may begin to cause allergies. Certain people cannot bear mold allergies and with the presence of indoor mold growth, susceptibility maybe more common. It can affect the health of the people in the following manner:
- Mold can cause different kinds of allergies, red eyes, and runny nose among different individuals. It is potentially more dangerous to those individuals with weak immune systems, immune compromised people, and the patients of AIDS, those who are extremely younger or older.
• It can cause attacks of asthma. People also face skin and eye allergies.
• If products are not created in a sterile environment contamination may begin. Mold affects so many different products including medicine, food, tobacco, liquid, and cosmetics. If these products are used in an enclosed environment, it can cause serious health issues in human beings.
In short, it can make an individual sick and cause extreme problems that may take several days or weeks to combat.
To escape mold problems, it is important that preventative steps be taken to inspect and repair cracks, crevices, and other problems that pose threats to the foundation of the building.
It is important to hire professionals to get rid of this serious problem.
• Water Damage, Cause of Bacteria
Besides the mold threat, water damage is also a blameless propagation ground for germs including pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and intestinal worms. Another hazardous microorganism that flourishes in damp circumstances is mold. The American Lung Association estimates that bacteria and mold are the threats to the health of people and the people suffer from lung disease. There are also some toxic such as nitrates and phosphates which are present in polluted water along with the algae. According to the Environmental Pollution Centers, these bacteria can cause attacks of asthma and therefore more deadly to the old aged people and the children. Dripping water from wrecked pipes; incline to form lochs of stagnant water that could amass high absorptions of hazardous chemicals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, PCBs, paint thinners, arsenic and VOC (volatile organic compounds).
These substances can certainly infect concealed water foundations. This water can worse unless one practices a particular apparatus to carry out tests; it is not always relaxed to notice the above-mentioned chemical contaminants.
• Categories of Water Damage
The categories of water are three ranges of contamination which pollute the water. In water pollution detection there are 3 things to consider, the originating sources of water and the contact materials which are in the water, the temperature that affects the amplification of pollutants. The undesired substances cannot be reflected or seen in an indoor environment.
Depending on the category of water intrusion and the time materials have been wet, the area must be dried out. Whether category 1 or category 3 water intrusions the area must be completely dried out, including the infrastructure to stop the progression of different kinds of bacteria and molds. The water damaged areas must be located and the structural materials and items must be disinfected. The unsalvageable items which are cannot be restored and endure the risk of further pollution, should be thrown away. The continuous use of unsalvageable items will cause potential for further contamination and possible health concerns. In short words, professional and quick water damage renovation will help your property and make it safe once again.
There are three basic categories of water damage, based on the level of contamination.
In different temperatures, the microorganisms can increase or decrease their growth in wet conditions. This will lead to the change of the category 1 water and the odor of the water will tell that the water has deteriorated and needs the attention of the property owner.
1. Category 1
The category 1 water originates from a sanitary water source and it does not pose an extensive risk. It is usually called as “clean water”. The category 1 water damage includes a tub, sink overflows, appliance malfunctions, and broken water supply lines. No person wants damage to his/ her home. But the damages are part and parcel of life and the humans expect that if there is some water damage, it can be category 1 damage because it is a direct threat to humans and their pets. Category 1 water is also known as clean water. Although the property is not damaging from the category 1 water yet it should be cleaned appropriately and punctually. If the category 1 water damaged is not looked for 48 hours it can turn into contaminated water and can cause different pollutants.
2. Category 2
Category 2 water has physical, biological, and chemical contaminants. These contaminants become the cause of different diseases when it is consumed by human beings. This type of water is also known as grey-water and there are small microorganisms in it. There are also nutrients to microorganisms. Examples of such water damage include sump pump failures, urine, and seepage because of hydrostatic failure. The water which is discharged, it includes water of dishwashing and water of washing machines. As some chemicals are used to wash clothes and dishes, these chemicals also present in water damage.
Category 2 water is directly harmful to humans because it can cause deadly diseases in human beings. The category 2 level water has microorganisms as well as nutrients of microorganisms and it has inorganic matter such as biological and chemical matter and organic matter which are harmful to clean water which is the basic necessity of life. When organic microorganisms(urine) coming from broken toilet bowls meet with the inorganic microorganism(biological and chemical) of the liquids used for dishwashers and laundry machines or seepage due to hydrostatic pressure, the category 1 will come into being category 2 water. If the situation is worsened, it can convert to category 3 water.
3. Category 3
This water is completely contaminated water and it is called “black water”. This water encloses harmful bacteria, unsanitary agents, fungi, and other deadly contaminants that cause severe diseases in human beings and other living beings. This type of water damage comes from water sources such as sewage, rising waters of rivers, standing water, and groundwater. The category 2 water can also become category 3 water if it is properly removed from the structure or it remains stagnant. A toilet back run that creates from beyond the toilet setup is deliberated as black water contamination regardless of noticeable color or content. The category 1 water can worsen to Category 2 or 3. Category 1 water does not constitute an immediate change in a category unless it flows in a contaminated building or structure because it depends on the microorganisms that how long they remain wet in water and they get temperature, these things affect the growth of the microorganisms.
The category 3 water comprises toxigenic, pathogenic, and many other deadly agents and it results in deadly outcomes when human beings consume and contact it for their use. The category 3 water is not limited to waste- line backflows and sewage rather it includes other sources of water such as streams, rising waters of rivers, and seas, it mixes with the waters of the factories and other chemicals excluding sources. The wind-driven rain from hurricanes and other sources brings lengthy levels of perilous materials such as toxic organics and pesticides which are being used in the factories, homes, and agricultural lands. There are different kinds of pesticides that are used to kills insects and the water is allowed to go in the streams, rivers, and seas. When there are heavy rains and there is the rise of waters in the rivers and seas, this chemical water comes in contact with human beings, their use, and other living creatures of the universe and results in deadly effects. There are other deadly chemicals in such water such as asbestos, mercury, arsenic, lead, polychlorinated biphenyls, radiological residues, solvents, fuels, and caustic chemicals. The last one of the water devastation may occur which is identified as “black water” and this is extremely dangerous to health. This kind of liquid contains fungi, bacteria, and other minute organisms, which are invisible to our naked eyes. These invisible and minute micro-organisms cause extreme revolting living conditions and deadly diseases. They can infect human beings, crops, cattle, wild animals, and agricultural land. Usually, this kind of water destruction may occur due to flooding, heavy rains, cyclone, or tsunami. In the modern age, there are diverse types of techniques that can be utilized for taking off the water which becomes the cause of water destruction. There are capable water destruction refurbishments professionals who can repair the system timely and save from further deterioration of the structures. The experts help in bringing back the structure to its previous healthy condition.
Ways to test for bacteria
Normal testing involves taking swabs from the separate types of building materials such as wood, drywall, concrete, tile and grout. Emlab and Latesting can help in testing bacteria. These companies provide wide range of products that include Asbestos Sampling, Moisture sampling, rental equipment and Moisture meters, etc.
• Bio- Reveal System, bacteria testing system
To check the bacteria in the water sources (category 1, 2, or 3), the bio- reveal (bio- contamination detection system) can be used. It can be used to check the level of bacteria (contamination) in the water damage. For it, the sample is collected from the affected area of the water damage. The sampling aims to decide the level of organic apparent of building equipment, materials, devices, and general surfaces within an interior location. The bio-contamination detection system is intended to assess the level of organic surface purity and disinfected cleanness in the indoor atmosphere. This Bio-Reveal system aims to identify and certificate the surface disorders where pathogenic bacteria may be spotted or sheltered as an outcome of cloudy or unhygienic locations.
The bio-contamination detection system is the elucidation for determining and testing the level of pollution which is defined according to IICRC, Category 1, and Category 2 or Category 3 water harm positions in seconds. The Bio-Reveal system is a perfect instrument for measuring the bacterial level and adulteration in water as well as defining the number of bacteria in the construction materials affected by water beating. These bacteria testing system permits the consumer to document and measure and the level of biotic pollution of the water directly with the usage of the Bio-Reveal and Aqua Snap ATP procedures or of the water injured construction materials using the Bio-reveal Ultra Snap ATP mops. This contamination detecting system is also valuable in calculating the usefulness of biological sanitization of remediation apparatus which can be utilized to correct water harm proceedings to avoid cross-contamination from one category to another category.
• IICRC – Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification
The restorers should assess the amount of dampness to control it and to begin the drying process. The requirement of controlling the humidity is the class of water. By the class of water means to assess the estimated evaporation, wet surface area, and sponginess of affected areas, before initiating the process of inspection it is important to know the class of the water. The classes are divided into four separate descriptions;
1. Class 1 includes the least amount of evaporation load and water absorption, water intrusion in the materials such as gypsum board, concrete masonry unit, carpet, and fiber-filled insulation, etc can be included in class 1. The materials (with low evaporation load) such as wood, concrete, masonry (low evaporation assemblies), gym floors, multilayer subfloors, and multilayer wallboard have abilities of minimum absorption of moisture.
2. Class 2 water has the ability of significant absorption.
3. Cass 3, there is the greatest amount of water evaporation and absorption load with more than 40%.
4. Class 4, there is noteworthy water interference that contains a weighty amount of water. To dry it needs special methods or extensive water vapor pressure with longer dehydrating times.