AdvantaClean of DuBois-Punxsutawney Our Work
Case Studies
Location: Chiroca, PA 16025
Problem: Elderly couple with a beautiful rural farm slowed down on maintenance. Their Niece contacted Advantaclean as her Aunt took ill and was hospitalized. The home health service would not release the patient due to mold in the home, mainly a screened in sun porch and basement.
Solution: Advantaclean remediated both the sun room and basement to "normal" conditions. The exterior was also pressure washed to remove mold due to heavy cover in the area. The crawlspace below the sun room was also remediated to prevent moisture and mold from entering the sun room. The patient was released the next week and was very happy her sun room was available to recover in.
Location: State College, PA 16801
Problem: A concerned parent and owner of the residence called for expertise in finding causal and cost of correction to a water leak resulting in mold in the bedroom ceiling. The second home is occupied by his daughter going to college and other tenants. Tenants were complaining of the wet ceiling and odors. Inspection confirmed a leak around the tub allowed moisture to saturate the floor, and leaking down on the bedroom ceiling. Microbial activity was already started on the floor joist and ceiling tiles.
Solution: The caulking around the tub was removed and replaced with a fresh seal to prevent further water migration out of the tub. The linoleum was removed in the bathroom to get access for drying. Axial and centrifugal fans were strategically place to begin the drying process. The bedroom was contained and negative air setup. Contents were covered to protect. All vents were sealed within the containment area. The affected ceiling was removed and bagged for disposal. Remediation was completed above the ceiling and the entire room below. Fans were setup to dry the bathroom floor from below. Once the floor was dry to industry standards, the areas were sealed with an anti-microbial material to prevent re-occurrence of growth. Finally the air ducts and HVAC system was thoroughly cleaned to remove any residual contaminants. Customer Testimonial: "We appreciated the quick response and helping us with our budget."
Location: Smicksburg, PA 16256
Problem: The customer’s home began to develop signs of mold mainly at the ceiling line in every room of the house. The house has NO electric. The father was concerned about the families’ health as it appeared the frequency of colds or symptoms were increased. The dark areas were confirmed to be mold on inspection and the home had no HVAC system, only a single wood burner stove to heat all rooms. In the colder months there was no ventilation. The RH was very low as the stove had the entire home dried out which can also lead to nasal problems. When asked about the warmer months, the RH increases dramatically. Being rural, mold spores are prevalent and enter the house through open windows and persons going in and out. These spores collect over time and when very humid conditions present they begin to germinate.
Solution: Each room was contained with negative air setup and remediation performed. As the mold was mainly surface only, the cleanup went quickly and no tear-out was required. The customer was educated on how to maintain the spaces keeping the RH between 45%-55%. This can be done with drying and proper ventilation. The last resort is to clean the wall surfaces on a regular schedule to remove spore buildup. Customer Testimonial: Great job, thanks for all the advice to maintain our home.
Location: Dubois, PA 15801
Problem: A previous sewer backup years ago in an unfinished basement that was not cleaned and dried properly was the catalyst for mold growth to begin on the painted block walls. An offset room had heavy duty built in cabinets and a tongue and groove ceiling made of wood. Excessive moisture in the unconditioned space and the active mold in the adjacent room caused decay to all wood items. The bad air quality was affecting the living space above where the owner was suffering from a long illness.
Solution: The basement space was properly contained and the offset room was totally cleaned of all wooden items. The entire basement was remediated to IICRC S-520 standards. Negative air was setup in the basement and also in the upstairs living space. There was no charge for the unit upstairs; it was a courtesy for the customer being ill. Following remediation, a stain lifter was applied to bring the surfaces as close to what they once had been. The scrubbers were left to run for 48 hours to filter the areas. Finally, a scented odor remover was fogged in the basement and a dehumidifier was set operational to keep the space conditioned properly. As a gesture for being a great customer, a dryer vent cleaning was donated. Customer Testimonial: "Hello! Thank you again so much for helping my parents! My mom said that she is available any time next week, so whenever is convenient to you works for her. My parents are so pleased with all you have done for them! :-) You have been a great relief to me as well since I am so far away and can't be there all the time. It really gives me peace of mind knowing their house is now safe!!!"
Location: Butler, PA 16001
Problem: Parents owned and lived in home for twenty years and passed. The home was left empty and not monitored. Several locations in the lower finished floor had exterior moisture leaks develop. One area was from the remodeling work where contractor drove nails into the block foundation and created leaks. The other areas were from heavy foundation water entering due to pressure. The downspouts were all located next to the foundation walls creating buildup of water. Mold developed on paneling, carpets in many areas in the the lower floor.
Solution: A large HEPA vacuum was connected serially to the supply and return runs to create a vacuum and collect all debris in the system. The inside of the unit was vacuumed to clean the motor and blower housing. All vents were sealed to increase the vacuum. One at a time the vents were removed, cleaned and sanitized then with an air hose the runs were brushed or whipped to remove all surface debris. The vents were re-installed. All materials are cleaned up and returned to the service van. Techs all wear booties and drop cloths are used to set materials on. A service sticker is applied to the unit for the customers information. Customer Testimonial: Thanks again for the AdvantaClean mold remediation. My sister-in-law has had allergies to molds and for a few years has not been able to stay overnight at the house. They would have to rent a hotel room. The good news is as we are preparing the home for sale, she did stay overnight at the house. She had no breathing problems at all! Thanks again for the Advantaclean Services.
Location: Falls Creek, PA 15840
Problem: Due to a roof leak by a chimney seal leaking enough moisture was allowed to enter the attic space to cause mold to begin to germinate. The leak was not caught in time and mold spread to most of the roof sheathing. The space was filled with an abundant amount of family treasures that would need to be cleaned and removed.
Solution: The contents were carefully bagged and removed to allow access to all surfaces. The space was contained off and negative pressure setup. All surfaces were completely brushed and vacuumed. An anti-microbial was spray applied and left to dwell. Then all surfaces were had wiped to remove growth and force agent into the porous materials. After a short drying period, a stain lifter was applied to bring wood back to normal look. The space was left to scrub the air before cleaning all materials and removing from the space. The attic looked like it was renewed.