Preparing for Disaster: Environmental Remediation during Hurricane Season

As the eastern seaboard exits the first month of the Atlantic Hurricane season (which runs from June 1 – November 30), it’s a good idea for contractors (and homeowners!) to be prepared for unforeseen damage and necessary quick response. Homeowners and building owners alike need to be careful in their selection of contractors, while contractors need to make sure they have the proper training and equipment to safely respond to disaster. We spoke with NJ Department of Health - Indoor Air Quality Consultant Cliff Casmento, of Five Star Building Services, about his recent experience with Hurricane Sandy and what to watch out for this season.

As an environmental consulting firm, we have seen many contractor inaccuracies during the hurricane cleanup process. These mistakes are mainly attributed to lack of experience, and the absence of proper equipment on the contractor’s part during the damage evaluation process.

During a disaster or emergency situation, people go into panic mode. They become reactive and hastily hire contractors based on their availability and not on their credentials. Recently, my company visited a condominium property containing over 176 units. The decision had been made to remove sheetrock walls two feet past the saturation point. The original contractor used a residual water line as a marker and simply measured two feet past the line, with no consideration for saturation. The issue here is that all semi-porous building materials will act as a sponge and draw water deep into sheetrock, wood substrate, insulation, and the like. In this situation, the visible water line was at two feet, and the contractor proposed to remove the sheetrock and insulation at four feet. The original contractor was behind on the workload, so we were called in to assist one tenant who did not want to wait.

In our own inspection, our moisture meter indicated that the sheetrock was saturated to almost 6 feet! And further infrared, non-intrusive scans were astounding. Each unit in the condominium had been incorrectly evaluated with regard to water damage. These discoveries lead us to evaluate the substrate wall cavity via bore scope. An internal wall cavity inspection revealed substrate wood damage, vermiculite insulation, and what appeared to be suspected asbestos-containing material.

The original contractor’s haste, and lack of proper equipment, could have resulted in a major contamination. Our onsite inspection saved the condominium and its occupants from further damage, and potential long-term exposure to mold and asbestos.

I utilized Testo’s full line of infrared, moisture, humidity, and bore scope instruments during this remediation. With the upcoming prediction of hurricanes and other natural disasters along the eastern seaboard, contractors would be foolish not to have these affordable tools in their arsenal. Broad-scale remediation without thorough individual investigation is unprofessional, and can be dangerous. Since these catastrophic incidents occur without prior notice, contractors need to choose an equipment supplier that has fast turnaround regarding calibration and repair. When hiring a contractor, homeowners and building owners need to be certain the contractors possess the knowledge and equipment to perform environmental services safely and correctly. 

Find out about Testo's line of instruments by visiting www.testousa.com.