In the mold remediation and water damage restoration business, there’s many pieces of equipment that are vital to completing a job. Mold Remediation will use equipment like Air Machines, (Scrubbers and Negative Air), HEPA vacuums, Fog machines etc. While Water Damage Restoration will use equipment such as Turbo Fans, Axial Fans, Dehumidifiers and more. So why is this important for a home owner to know? Because without the proper upkeep of this equipment, your home or business could be subject to cross contamination, improper removal of mold, and structures that aren’t dried correctly. Many companies new and old alike, will buy used equipment from large franchise outfits that have already used them for several thousand hours. One location will purchase the equipment, and then sell it to a newer franchise and so on, before it’s finally dumped back into the market, where smaller companies purchase them for pennies on the dollar. These machines have been used for several years and can log up to thirty thousand hours of use or more, and now are being brought to your home. Is this always a bad thing? Not necessarily. But the chance that these pieces of equipment have been maintained properly throughout the years is very minimal. Which brings us to another point.
Many companies even with newer equipment, do not maintain them properly. It is completely fine for a home or business owner to inspect the equipment being used. For air machines, new filters should be visible for each job. Contractors who arrive to a job with dirty filters are already risking cross contamination by just introducing that machine into the home even before turning it on. All equipment should be clean and free from dirt or soot, while fans and dehumidifiers should also be pushing out the appropriate amount of air. When fans are nearing the end of their life cycle, they’ll tend to make a lot of noise, push out a minimal amount of air and drain your electric. You can always get a hint of the caliber of contractor you’ve hired from the type of equipment being used and how well it’s maintained. If they can’t maintain their own equipment, how could they do a good job in your home?
