Posted by Rick Brouwer on Wed, Mar 30, 2011 @ 02:55 PM
Keeping Your Home at Its Healthiest
Many different factors can contribute to the overall health of your home. The best way to reduce allergic reactions to dust, mold, and other indoor allergens is to reduce your exposure to them. Here are a few tips on how to help keep you and your family healthy.
Carpets
Vacuum carpets, floors and upholstery three times a week
using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter. Get your carpets deep down clean with professional steam cleaning every six months. This method isn’t just the cleaning method that carpet manufacturers recommend – it’s also one that can help kill bacteria and remove allergens.
Cleaning Products
Many household cleaners, bug killers, pet treatments, and air fresheners can irritate kids’ lungs, especially if your kids have asthma. Explore greener, less toxic alternatives when possible. Vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide are great natural alternatives, and there are also many safer, healthier cleaning options available at many stores.
Go Green the Natural Way
Houseplants aren’t just decorative – they also act as 
antipollutants, purifying the air in our homes, according to a NASA study. Some indoor plants are more effective than others; the recommended list includes the spider plant, English ivy, and gerber daisy. Plants also reduce airborne microbes and increase humidity. So brighten up your home while knowing you are also helping to filter out pollutants, even volatile organic compounds.
Mattress Cleaning
We spend about one third of our lives in bed, so it’s especially 
important to keep our mattresses healthy and hygienic. Did you know that dust mites, dead skin, pollen spores, bacteria and fungi are commonly found in mattresses? Call a reputable company like Steamatic to extract these pollutants with a state of the art super heated hot water extraction system, and sleep easier! Hot water extraction equipment can even eradicate a bed bug infestation.
Air Quality
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ndoor air quality has a huge impact on your health and overall comfort. Bacteria, mold, and dust linger in the air ducts and then are blown back into the home, contaminating the air you breathe. Have your heating and air conditioning system inspected and serviced twice a year. Use and replace high-efficiency filters monthly. Air duct cleaning is also an important part of removing contaminants and allergens.
Posted by Rick Brouwer on Sat, Oct 24, 2009 @ 04:09 PM
As winter weather begins to grip the Chicago area some of us remember back to the problems we encountered during the winter of '07. Heavy snow fall made
getting around town challenging at times and the temperatures seemed colder than normal. That thought was supported by the large number of water damage losses caused by frozen water pipes. The winter of 2007 found many building owners and managers dealing with the problems associated with a water damage loss in their building.
Water and sprinkler lines can freeze and crack in numerous locations and only 
reveal themselves as the pipes begins to thaw. This allows large volumes of water to be released into the building to find a path of least resistance to travel. Many times this includes doorways, sidewalks, driveways and parking lots, which can then ice over creating a serious safety issue. While on other occasions water may travel unseen within wall and ceiling cavities until mold, mildew or staining reveals its location. In times like this some may reach out to companies for help, which are ill equipped to handle losses of this type. Today's professional water restoration companies will have infrared cameras, penetrating and non-penetrating moisture meters, as well as, the proper drying equipment to quickly respond to your needs.
Brouwer Brothers Steamatic can respond 24/7 with highly trained personnel armed with the latest up-to-date moisture detection, monitoring and drying equipment. One call to Brouwer Brothers Steamatic at 1-800-CLEAN 54 will give you the piece of mind knowing your loss is being handled quickly and professionally by one of Chicagoland's most experienced water damage restoration companies.
Posted by Rick Brouwer on Wed, Jul 08, 2009 @ 01:27 PM
Recently, Brouwer Brothers Steamatic was asked to provide cleaning, and more importantly, decontamination of several buildings including four dormitories and other buildings at a large local college after a suspected and later confirmed norovirus outbreak. This "bug" had affected approximately 10% of the two thousand attendees and staff members in attendance at the college for a week-long summer convention.
Noroviruses are members of a group of viruses called caliciviruses
also known previously as "Norwalk-like viruses." Infection with norovirus affects the stomach and intestines, causing an illness called gastroenteritis, or "stomach flu." This "stomach flu" is not related to the flu (or influenza), which is a respiratory illness caused by influenza virus. In addition, noroviruses are not related to bacteria and parasites that can cause gastrointestinal illnesses. Norovirus is not a "new" virus, but interest in it is growing as more is learned about how frequently noroviruses cause illness in people.
How serious is norovirus disease? Norovirus disease is usually not serious, although people may feel very sick and vomit many times a day. Most people get better within 1 or 2 days, and they have no long-term health effects related to their illness. However, sometimes people are unable to drink enough liquids to replace the liquids they lost because of vomiting and diarrhea. These persons can become dehydrated and may need special medical attention. This problem with dehydration is usually only seen among the very young, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems. There is no evidence to suggest that an infected person can become a long-term carrier of norovirus.
How do people become infected with noroviruses? Noroviruses are found in the 
stool or vomit of infected people. People can become infected with the virus in several ways, including:
- eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with norovirus;
- touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus, and then placing their hand in their mouth;
- having direct contact with another person who is infected and showing symptoms (for example, when caring for someone with illness, or sharing foods or eating utensils with someone who is ill).
Persons working in day-care centers, nursing homes or educational institutions should pay special attention to children or residents who have norovirus illness. This virus is very contagious and can spread rapidly throughout such environments.
Symptoms of norovirus illness usually begin about 24 to 48 hours after ingestion of the virus, but they can appear as early as 12 hours after exposure. Noroviruses are very contagious and can spread easily from person to person. Both stool and vomit are infectious. Particular care should be taken with young children in diapers who may have diarrhea. People infected with norovirus are contagious from the moment they begin feeling ill to at least 3 days after recovery. Some people may be contagious for as long as 2 weeks after recovery. Therefore, it is particularly important for people to use good hand washing and other hygienic practices after they have recently recovered from norovirus illness.
In the particular case of this local college, the Cook County Health Department required the college and its' facilities management department use of the protocol specified by the Michigan Department of Community Health. The document referred to is "Guidelines for the Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection of Norovirus", updated 1/5/09.
The document contains information for disinfection and specific clean-up
procedures for food service establishments, healthcare/hospital/nursing home facilities, schools and daycare facilities. Some examples of items to disinfect include: doorknobs, faucets, sinks, toilets, commodes, bath rails, floors, phones, counters, chairs (including backs), 
tables, hand rails, elevator buttons, light switches, keyboards, mattress covers, aprons, uniforms, linens, bedding and ice machines. Vertical surfaces, ceilings, and areas not used prior to or during the outbreak are not normally included in the specific scope of work, unless possibly affected by contaminants.
Chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite -NaOCl) in specific solutions is a recommended disinfectant, however, it cannot be used on "soft" goods - upholstery, carpeting, etc. so other products compatible with these surfaces are mandatory. Personal protective equipment of a basic nature is also required, involving quality eye protection, good gloves, and appropriate respiratory protection.
All of this information is based on the Federal Government's Center for Disease and Infection Control research and recommendations as put forth in their multiple publications on controlling noroviruses.
In the recent event, Brouwer Brothers Steamatic cleaning services was required to disinfect all the affected buildings and areas within four days to allow for final inspections and reopening of the entire campus for another event requiring the use of all of the affected buildings. Working with the Facilities Director, BBS staffed the project with over fifty people under the supervision of Ron Muldoon. Ron is one of our most experienced team members with over twenty years of tenure in the industry, and all with BBS. All timelines and final inspections were met and passed, much to the satisfaction of the college administration and facilities management.
If your facility has such an issue or even just a question about disinfection procedures for norovirus, call Brouwer Brothers Steamatic cleaning service to let us and our team of experienced technicians and managers help you.
Posted by Rick Brouwer on Sun, Apr 05, 2009 @ 01:20 PM
Did you walk down into your basement this morning and have the unpleasant surprise of wet socks? A sump pump failed, a pipe burst, water seeped it in after an overnight downpour: these are all very possible scenarios that can lead to flooding. After this frustrating discovery, the question on most people's mind is, "What do I do? Mop the floor? Buy a new sump pump? Bail the water out with buckets? Call a professional flood damage restorer?" Depending on the type of the flood different actions are required. However the most important thing is that you
do something. As the phrase goes, "Life happens" and you may think you are too busy to deal with your flood right away. However, when it comes to flooding the longer you wait, the more it costs you. Most floods follow different stages of damage potential in regards to how long the water sits. Here is the play-by-play damage that can occur in the minutes, hours, days, and weeks following a flood that is untreated.
Within the minutes following a flood, or as we sometimes say "water intrusion",
several things occur. First, the water can spread into more and more areas which increase the cost. Also, any paper goods such as art work, cardboard boxes, and pictures can be ruined from absorbing moisture and can lead to swelling, warping, and delaminating. The last cost-increasing problem that can occur in the following minutes is the wood stain on furniture can bleed onto the carpet; staining it permanently and the finish on the wood itself can turn white.
Within the hours after water intrusion even more costly damage can occur. Drywall can soak up the water and begin to swell and distort. More damage can occur to wood furniture that is touching the water with the wood delaminating and beginning to swell. Lastly, within the hours after flooding, the most potentially hazardous damage has its beginning with microorganism growing exponentially and consequential odor developing.
Within the days after flooding damage continues to hurt your wallet. Mold reveals itself visually and musty odors intensify which makes the location dangerous to occupants with weak immune systems or respiratory problems and they should be removed from the premises. Any materials that are "moisture-sensitive" (musical instrument, wood artwork, baseball card collections, etc.) can begin to swell even if they are not touching the water, but because of the heightened condensed moisture or high humidity. Finally, within the days after flooding moisture can wreak havoc on the building by causing metal to rust, electrical components to fail, doors and window casings to swell and split, and structural piece's (joists, studs, etc.) to also swell and split.
Within weeks after resolved water intrusion you might begin to consider moving if you have been tough enough to stay in the location! The area is infested with visible fungi growing on organic materials that can be found on materials such as jute, paper, drywall, and paneling. Anything wood in your home or business are most likely ruined with them being wrapped, split, and having dissolved/destroyed finishes. Your costs increase faster and faster as the requirements for gutting the structure and replacing all structural materials become necessary. Finally, the dangerous and infested area causes an increase of liability to the occupants and workers as the health hazards amplify.
So, in conclusion, a small basement flood or overflowed bathtub may seem unimportant to deal with right away, but in actuality they can lead to a very, very expensive ordeal. 
Go to Brouwer Bros Steamatic's website for more information on how our trained and certified IICRC inspectors and technicians using Infrared Cameras, moisture meters and high tech drying equipment to properley dry out your residential or commercial flood following the IICRC S-500 standards. You can also go to our page on things you can do in the first 24 hours to minimize your loss.
Posted by Rick Brouwer on Tue, Mar 31, 2009 @ 03:07 PM
Bedbugs, or more specifically Cimex lectularius in the northern climates and Cimex hemipterus in Florida and tropical environments, are becoming more frequent in
recent times. The use of DDT after World War Two almost completely eradicated this insect, but it appears to be making a residential comeback, especially in metropolitan high rise structures.
Bedbugs are non-flying insects about one-fifth of an inch in size that are brownish in color and resemble a tick. They enter structures in a variety of ways. They may be picked up on buses, and trains, in theaters, or brought into the home via clothing, luggage, 
bedding or firewood. Once inside, their favorite hiding places include mattresses and box springs (especially at the seams), other upholstered furniture, cracks in wood furniture, under loose wallpaper, and other small openings in the structure. Bedbugs prefer human blood as their main food source, although they will also feed on other mammals including birds, bats and your dog. Bedbugs can go without feeding for 80 to 140 days, and have been known to live as long as 550 days without a meal. Bedbugs are not normally considered disease carriers, but their bites can be annoying, and their spread and be moderate to rapid depending on conditions.
Infestations can be located with a thorough inspection. This includes more than just bedding and discovery of the actual insects. The fecal matter of the bedbugs, shed skin, and egg casings are all signs that can be detected. Look around cracks in furniture, under wallpaper, behind picture frames, under baseboards and other loose moldings, and especially bed frames and bedding. In extreme infestation cases, they have even been found behind electrical switch and outlet covers.
Management of bedbugs can and should involve a variety of methods:
The bugs do not respond well to cold temperatures, so removing contaminated items to the outside if temperatures are below 45 degrees Fahrenheit are a good way to kill them. Make sure that they are not in direct sunlight, as this may warm surface temperatures above 45 degrees. Also seal the items being removed in plastic to prevent migration of the insects to other uncontaminated areas during their removal from the structure.
Badly contaminated soft goods may need to be disposed of. Heed the above warning regarding sealing of the items prior to removal.
Cleaning is the primary method of eradication. Thorough vacuuming is essential for proper removal. Make sure that the vacuum cleaners are thoroughly cleaned out themselves after use. Using vacuuming equipment that has disposable collection bags is preferred, and following their removal from the machine, sealing the intake opening is required to prevent cross-contamination.
Wet cleaning with higher temperature water is also effective, especially with our
patented Steamatic recirculating hot water extraction carpet and upholstery and mattress cleaning equipment.
Controlled demolition may be required to get to those "hard to reach" areas, which will then almost definitely require thorough cleaning also.
Chemical methods include spraying of residual insecticides, usually pyrethroids, paying particular attention to cracks and crevices where the insects may be hiding. Thorough cleaning prior to application is a necessity to allow proper penetration of the products. Avoid using high pressure applications as these tend to disburse the insects. Also, most insecticides are not to be used on bedding, so read all labels prior to use. It is not unusual to both pre-treat major infestations prior to cleaning and then to follow up with another application after cleaning.
Of particular concern in any building is the migration of bedbugs (and any other infestation, for that matter) to adjacent rooms or units. Once an infestation is found, thorough inspection of adjacent rooms and units, not only next to, but also above and below, is essential to make sure the problem is contained.
Bedbugs can be a nuisance but they also can also be effectively controlled if proper inspections and techniques are in place for prompt response. Please contact Brouwer Brothers Steamatic for additional information and estimates if you are having bedbug problems in your residence or building.
Posted by Jennifer Snyder on Mon, Feb 09, 2009 @ 10:15 AM
- Apply a teaspoon of cold water to the spot and blot dry.
- Mix 1 cup cold water and 1/2 teaspoon liquid dishwashing detergent (do NOT use automatic dishwashing detergent or any detergent containing bleach) in a glass or small container. Moisten the spot with a teaspoonful of the mixture, without getting the carpet too wet. Gently rub the spot with a spoon, working from the outside of the spot towards the center. Next, wet a clean, white cloth with clean water and wipe up as much of the spot and mixture as possible.
- If a yellow spot results, apply a few drops of hydrogen peroxide and let stand for about 3 minutes.
- Mix 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 2 teaspoons cold water in another small container. Apply a teaspoon of the mixture to the spot and gently work it from the outer edges of the spot toward the middle with a clean, white cloth. Blot up the moisture with a dry cloth. Dampen another cloth in clean, cold water and wipe the spot again. Place dry cloths over the area and apply pressure to soak up the moisture.
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