At AdvantaClean of , our team of certified professionals is backed by over 25 years of industry experience. We put together a list of common terms used in the industry to help you better understand how we can help you maintain and restore your home or business when emergencies arise.
Air Cleaner
Portable air cleaners, also known as air purifiers or air sanitizers, are designed to filter the air in a single room or area.
Air duct
What does air duct mean? Your air duct is an essential part of your HVAC system that will distribute air around your home or business.
Air Filter
At its most basic function, an air filter removes impurities such as dust, pet dander or even bacteria from the air flowing through the system.
Air handling unit housing
An air handling unit (AHU) is a machine that conditions (i.e., heats, cools, cleans and/or humidifies) and circulates air in a house or building
Air Plenum
A plenum in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems is a box that connects to the HVAC system.
Air vent cleaning
Air vent cleaning refers to air duct cleaning which means having all your duct system, including the supply, intake and return vents cleaned using professional air duct cleaning equipment.
Air duct cleaning
Air duct cleaning means having all your duct system, including the supply, intake and return vents cleaned using professional air duct cleaning equipment.
Appliances
A home appliance is any machine that assists in household functions such as cooking, cleaning and food preservation.
Asbestos
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral composed of soft and flexible fibers that are resistant to heat, electricity and corrosion.
Attic
An attic is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building.
Backup sewage pump
Battery backup sump pumps are used to supplement primary pumps by giving you several hours of additional protection from water damage if your primary pump fails due to power outages, mechanical failure, or excessive use.
Basement
A basement is the part of a building that is wholly or partly below ground level.
Basement ventilation
Mechanical basement ventilation uses fans and vents to exhaust existing basement air and bring in fresh outdoor air.
Below grade
Below grade means below ground level.
Bio-hazard
The term biohazard refers to any biological materials (microorganisms, plants, animals, or their byproducts) that pose a threat to health.
Black mold
There is no single type of mold called “black mold” — many molds are black. When people use the term, they may be referring to a type called Stachybotrys chartarum (S. chartarum), also known as Stachybotrys atra.
Black water
Blackwater is a mixture of water and human waste.
Blower Motor and Assembly
A blower assembly is used to distribute air in various kinds of equipment. It is commonly seen in cars, furnaces, and home appliances.
boiler A pressure vessel that provides a heat transfer surface (generally a set of tubes) between the combustion products and the water.
Burst pipes
Pipes inside a home can experience too much stress and break open, or burst causing major flood damage problems for homeowners. Common causes are frozen pipes, strong water pressure, corrosion or pipes that vibrate.
Catastrophic weather event
Catastrophic weather events include hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, and wildfires, among others. As these massively destructive and costly events become more frequent, scientific evidence points to climate change as a leading cause.
Chlorine Dioxide
CLO2 or Chlorine Dioxide is can be the final step in our smoke and odor removal process, and what sets us apart. This is a vapor treatment used throughout your home to remove set-in odors from porous surfaces like drywall, studs and the floors.
Climate change
Climate change is a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth's local, regional and global climates.
Combustible
A combustible material is a solid or liquid that can be easily ignited and burned.
Concrete slab
Some buildings are built on a concrete slab foundation. A slab foundation is made of concrete that is typically 4"–6" thick in the center. Houses built on a slab lack crawlspaces, and there is no space under the floor.
Condensate drain pans
The primary purpose of the condensate drain pan is to collect water that results from the air conditioning process.
Contaminants
Contaminants are a polluting or poisonous substance that makes something impure.
Cooling coils
The cooling coil is the indoor portion of your central A/C system. It typically sits on top of or beside of your furnace inside the plenum. The cooling coil (also called the evaporator) cools your home in warmer weather by circulating very cold refrigerant that extracts heat from passing airflow.
Crawl space
A crawl space is a shallow unfinished space beneath the first floor or under the roof of a building especially for access to plumbing or wiring.
Decomposition
The process of rotting or decay.
Dehumidifier
A dehumidifier is an appliance that takes moisture out of the air in your home.
Diffusers
In HVAC systems, the air supply diffuser is a device that delivers and ventilates conditioned air in an area, mixes indoor air, and manages air output.
Document and Art Restoration
Document and Art Restoration is bringing back to a former condition of paper documents, paintings, sculptures, mobile structures, and art installations.
Downspout extensions
A downspout extension is an add-on to your gutter system that is designed to allow water to fall to the ground in a controlled manner, then divert water away from the foundation and structure of your home.
Downspouts
Downspouts are pipes to carry rainwater from a roof to a drain or to ground level.
Drainage
The system or process by which water or other liquids are drained from a place.
Drainage system
Drainage is the method of removing surface or sub-surface water from a given area. Drainage systems include all of the piping within a private or public property that conveys sewage, rainwater, and other liquid waste to a point of disposal.
Drip pans
A container for catching material that drips from above (as from the burners of a gas range or a piece of oily machinery)
Dryer vent
A dryer vent is a vent connected to a clothes dryer that is used to screen lint and remove the exhaust.
Duct cleaning
Duct cleaning is our service that removes dust, dirt, slime, mold, debris and other materials found in ductwork and other HVAC components (e.g., cooling coil, drain pan).
Duct work / ductwork
A system of ducts used to move air, as in a ventilation or heating system. The term refers to the pipes, vents, etc., belonging to such a system.
Electronics Restoration
The service of restoring electronics that have been damaged in a disaster.
Emergency Board-Up
Boarding up your windows protects your home or business while you are waiting for the repair or replacement of damage.
Encapsulation/crawl space encapsulation
Crawl space encapsulation is the adding of a heavy-duty polyethylene moisture barrier to act as a buffer between moisture and your home. Encapsulating the crawl space including floors, foundation walls, and possibly even its ceiling provides a protective buffer between the damp ground and your home and the wooden parts
Energy-efficient
Energy efficiency simply means eliminating energy waste or using less energy to perform the same task.
Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration
Fire damage restoration is the process of repairing a property that has been damaged by fire and smoke.
Fire damage
Fire damage is damage to structures and objects caused by smoke and fire.
Fire hazard
Threats to fire safety are commonly referred to as fire hazards. A fire hazard may include a situation that increases the likelihood of a fire or may impede escape in the event a fire occurs.
Flood cleanup
Flood cleanup is the process of restoring damage caused by floodwater.
Flood damage
Rising and overflowing of a body of water onto normally dry land. Flood damage is the most common natural disaster worldwide and causes 90 percent of property damage in the US
Flood restoration
Flood restoration is a term used to describe the process of cleaning water damage. Flood restoration can also be called water remediation, water removal, water extraction, or flood cleanup.
Flooding
Flooding refers to the covering of land or a structure that is normally dry.
Forced air system
Forced air heating is a way a cooling or heating system distributes air throughout a home or a structure. The air is pushed through ducts and vents that are connected to a unit that heats or cools.
Frozen pipes
When water in your supply lines (pipes) has frozen solid and water is no longer deliverable to faucets. In this state, pipes may burst as the water expands.
Furnace
A furnace, also called a heater or boiler, is an appliance the creates heat using gas, electricity or coal to heat a building.
Gray water or Greywater
Gray water (or greywater, sullage, also spelled gray water in the United States) refers to domestic wastewater generated in households or office buildings from streams without fecal contamination, i.e., all streams except for the wastewater from toilets. Sources of greywater include sinks, showers, baths, washing machines or dishwashers.
Grilles
Heating grilles, or registers, are opened and closed to adjust the airflow produced by the HVAC equipment. They typically have a built-in adjustable damper with either a rolling or lever control to open and close.
Gutters
A gutter is a long, hollow device that is attached to the edges of a roof to catch rain and carry it away from a building.
Heat Exchangers
A heat exchanger is a system used to transfer heat between two or more fluids. Heat exchangers are used in both cooling and heating processes.
Heater
A heater is a device for warming the air or water located inside your home or business.
Heating coils
A coil is a heating element attached to the heating unit itself. The heater generates the electric current which flows into the coil.
Heating duct cleaning
Heating duct cleaning generally refers to the cleaning of various heating and cooling system components of forced air systems, including the supply and return air ducts and registers, grilles and other heating and cooling elements.
Heating vents
Heating vents, or registers, are opened and closed to adjust the airflow produced by the HVAC equipment. They typically have a built-in adjustable damper with either a rolling or lever control to open and close.
Homeowners insurance
A standard homeowners insurance policy insures your home's structure (house,) and your belongings in the event of a natural disaster or other destructive event.
Hurricane
A hurricane is a type of storm called a tropical cyclone, which forms over tropical or subtropical waters.
Hurricane damage
Hurricane damage refers to damage caused to structures including flooding, wind damage and storm surge caused by powerful storms.
HVAC
HVAC stands for "Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning"
HVAC cleaning
Duct cleaning generally refers to the cleaning of various heating and cooling system components of forced air systems, including the supply and return air ducts and registers, grilles and other heating and cooling elements.
HVAC vent
In most homes and businesses you will find one or more louvered vents called registers. Registers are opened and closed to adjust the airflow produced by the HVAC equipment. They typically have a built-in adjustable damper with either a rolling or lever control to open and close.
Hydroxl
The use of a hydroxl machine that removes malodors from the air in your home by oxidizing, deodorizing and deactivates malodor molecules. This can be the final step in used to neutralize the air in your home.
Indoor Air Quality Testing
Indoor Air Quality Testing monitors the pollutants in the air inside a building. The three most common types of indoor air quality concerns include radon, mold, and Volatile Organic Compounds.
Inventory
The word “inventory” refers to the act of counting or listing items. During Pack-out and inventory, AdvantaClean professionals will carefully document, photograph and inventory all of your personal belongings, while safely packing them away until you need them again.
Leaky pipes / leaking pipes
Even a small building will have many long lengths of pipes, with all sorts of junctions and fittings where leaks can occur. In the winter months, freezing pipes are especially in danger of leaking or bursting due to temperature fluctuations.
Lint
Lint is the common name for visible accumulations of textile fibers and other materials, usually found on and around clothing. Other small fibers or particles also accumulate with these clothing fibers, including human and animal hair and skin cells, and plant fibers. pollen, dust, and microorganisms.
Mildew
Mildew is a surface fungus that can easily be identified as a patch of gray or even white fungus that is lying on the surface of a moist area. Mildew is easily treated with a store-bought cleaner and a scrubbing brush. Mold, on the other hand, can be black or green and is often the result of a much larger infestation.
Mold
Mold is a type of fungus that consists of small organisms found almost everywhere. In small amounts, mold spores are usually harmless, but when they land on a damp spot in your home, they can start to grow.
Mold abatement
Mold Abatement means the ending of mold or removing mold from your home or business.
Mold allergy
If you have a mold allergy, your immune system overreacts when you breathe in mold spores. A mold allergy can make you cough, make your eyes itch and cause other symptoms.
Mold cleaner
If the moldy area is small you may be able to handle the job yourself, but you may need professional help. If the water and/or mold damage was caused by sewage or other contaminated water, then call in a professional who has experience cleaning and fixing buildings damaged by contaminated water.
Mold cleanup
Mold control is the process of cleaning up mold as well as fixing the moisture problem enabling the mold to grow.
Mold control
Mold control is the process of cleaning up mold as well as fixing the moisture problem enabling the mold to grow.
Mold mitigation
Mold mitigation is the process of returning mold levels to normal, natural levels.
Mold remediation
Mold remediation is the process of returning mold levels to normal, natural levels.
Mold Removal
Mold removal is physically removing all mold spores.
Mold Sensitivity
The term ”mold sensitivity” is broadly used to refer to any chronic non-allergic response to mold exposure.
Mold specialist
A mold remediation specialist will test your property to find both symptoms and sources of moisture damage. They will also offer remediation and removal of mold if necessary.
Mold spores
Mold is a fungus that releases spores into the air. Mold spores are everywhere, floating in the air and landing on surfaces. In a wet environment, mold spores can develop into mold.
Mold testing
Broadly speaking, most mold testing involves taking a sample of either the air or a surface. Essentially, a mold inspector "tests" the air or surface to find out what kind of mold exists and/or if the mold found is able to grow in the area tested.
Musty odors
What causes musty odor? Musty is a word we associate with an unclean, stale, and often moldy smell.
Natural disaster
A natural event such as a flood, fire, storm, earthquake, or hurricane that causes great damage or loss of life.
Organic waste
Organic waste is any material that is biodegradable and comes from either a plant or an animal. Examples of organic waste include green waste, food waste, food-soiled paper, non-hazardous wood waste, green waste, and landscape debris.
Ozone treatment
Ozone treatment he use of a specialized machine that removes pathogens from the air in your home. This can be the final step used to neutralize the air in your home.
Pack-out service
Pack-out service is the process of carefully sorting your belongings after a disaster. Items are sorted into two categories: salvageable and unsalvageable. AdvantaClean will then create a detailed inventory of what can be saved and what is unsalvageable.
Pathogens
A pathogen is a bacterium, virus, or another microorganism that can cause disease.
Rain gutter
Rain gutters are the long, hollow device attached to the roof edges. Their primary purpose is to catch rainwater and direct it away from your foundation.
Raw sewage
Sewage is the term used for wastewater that often contains feces, urine and laundry waste.
Registers
A register is a grille with moving parts, capable of being opened and closed and the airflow directed, which is part of a building's heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
Remediation
Remediation is the act of remedying or correcting something that has been corrupted or that is deficient.
Renters insurance
Renters insurance (sometimes referred to as "tenant insurance") helps cover unexpected events. It may cover the cost to repair or replace your belongings, such as clothing, furniture and electronics and additional costs such as costs you incur, like hotel bills, if the residence you rent is damaged and left uninhabitable.
Root Infiltration
Tree roots often cause sewage backups by entering the water pipeline at joints and spreading throughout the pipeline. Tree roots can also crack and break sewage water pipes, creating additional structural defects.
Sanitization
Sanitization can refer to the Cleaning and Disinfection of an area or an item.
Sewage
Sewage is the term used for wastewater that often contains feces, urine and laundry waste.
Sewage backup
Sewage backups are the most common cause of sewage water damage to a home. When wastewater pipes are blocked, sewage water can overflow from city and residential pipes into your home through its plumbing system.
Sewage backup cleanup
Sewage cleanup is required when a building experiences a sewage backup. When wastewater pipes are blocked, sewage water can overflow from city and residential pipes into your home through its plumbing system.
Sewage backup in basement
Sewage backups are the most common cause of sewage water damage backup in the basement to a home. When wastewater pipes are blocked, sewage water overflow from city and residential pipes into your home through its plumbing system.
Sewage cleanup
Sewer gas is a common byproduct of our modern septic systems. Leaks, cracks, or blockages in the plumbing can cause sewer gas to leak into your home.
Sewage leak
Sewer gas is a common byproduct of our modern septic systems. Leaks, cracks, or blockages in the plumbing can cause sewer gas to leak into your home.
Sewage pump
A sewage pump is used to transfer sewage liquids and solids from one place to another. In homes, sewage is pumped from a sewage basin to a sewer system or a septic tank.
Sewage pump system
A sewage pump is used to transfer sewage liquids and solids from one place to another. In homes, sewage is pumped from a sewage basin to a sewer system or a septic tank.
Sewage treatment
Sewage treatment is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater.
Slab leak
A slab leak occurs when a pipe running through the concrete slab under a structure forms a crack or suffers some other type of damage like corrosion.
Smoke cleaning
Smoke cleaning refers to the cleaning and deodorizing of all surfaces after smoke damage to help eliminate the very tiny particles of smoke.
Smoke damage
Smoke damage is the physical damage caused by smoke that's generated by a fire, not the damage caused by the fire itself.
Smoke removal
Smoke removal is the cleaning of all surfaces after smoke damage. The cleanup always includes deodorizing agents to help eliminate the very tiny particles of smoke.
Snow storm/snowstorm
A snowstorm is a very heavy fall of snow, usually when there is also a strong wind blowing at the same time.
Soft Goods Cleaning
Soft goods cleaning is the restoration of textiles and garments such as clothing of all types, bedding, tablecloths, towels and window treatments.
Soot
Soot is a black powdery or flaky substance caused by rising fine particles produced by the incomplete burning of organic matter.
Storm damage
Storm damage is damage to a property caused by extreme forms of bad weather that have the potential to cause damage to a property, such as burst pipes, your roof shingles blowing off, or flooding.
Storm doors
A storm door is a type of door that is installed in front of an exterior access door to protect it from bad weather and allow ventilation.
Storm windows
A window fixed on the outside of a normal window for protection and insulation in bad weather or winter.
Structural damage
Structural damage is any type of damage that affects the core integrity of your home, especially your roof or load-bearing walls. Interior Signs of Structural Damage could include Bowed Walls, Gaps Between the Wall and the Floor, Random Wall Cracks, or Uneven Floors.
Structural Drying
Structural drying is the process of removing excess moisture from wet materials that make up the structure of a building until reaching a reasonable dry standard. Structural drying of wet buildings involves removing trapped moisture in building materials including drywall, dimensional lumber, and concrete.
Thermostat
A device that automatically regulates temperature, or that activates a device when the temperature reaches a certain point.
Toxic mold
The colloquial term "toxic mold" (or more accurately, toxigenic mold) refers to molds that produce toxins known to harm humans, such as black mold. Exposure to high levels of toxic mold can lead to neurological problems and, in some cases, death.
Tropical storm
A tropical storm is a localized, very intense low-pressure wind system, forming over tropical oceans and with winds of hurricane force.
Ultrasonic Cleaning
Ultrasonic cleaning is a way to clean items that can’t be cleaned using traditional methods. For instance, if your home were to be impacted by a fire or flood, ultrasonic cleaning could clean items such as blinds, lighting fixtures, and kitchen appliances.
Vent cleaning
Vent cleaning refers to air duct cleaning which means having all your duct system, including the supply, intake and return vents cleaned using professional air duct cleaning equipment.
Wastewater treatment
Wastewater treatment is a process used to remove contaminants from wastewater or sewage and convert them into an effluent that can be returned to the water cycle.
Wastewater
Wastewater is used water. In homes, it includes substances such as human waste, food scraps, oils, soaps and chemicals. This includes water from sinks, showers, bathtubs, toilets, washing machines and dishwashers.
Water clean up
Similar to water damage restoration, water cleanup is a process that provides protection against germs, mold, mildew and odors.
Water damage
Water damage is much more extensive and covers most things that don't involve "rising" water. Water damage includes issues such as faulty washing machine hoses, broken pipes that flood your kitchen or clogged rain gutters.
Water damage repair
Water damage repair includes the complete process of water cleanup from beginning to end–including removal of water, drying of structures, and moving restored items back.
Water damage restoration
Water damage restoration includes the complete process of water cleanup from beginning to end–including removal of water, drying of structures, and moving restored items back.
Water Extraction
Water extraction is the process of taking water from any source for flood control.
Water heater
An apparatus for heating and usually storing hot water.
Water remediation
Water remediation is the process of cleaning, sanitizing, and restoring materials where water damage has occurred.
Water restoration
Water damage restoration includes the complete process of water cleanup from beginning to end–including removal of water, drying of structures, and moving restored items back.
Waterproofing
A waterproof material provides a complete barrier to water.
Water-resistant
A water-resistant material is so tightly woven that water struggles to get through
Wildfire
A wildfire is a large, destructive fire that spreads quickly over woodland or brush.
Winter storm
Winter storms, including snow, sleet, or freezing rain in which ground temperatures are cold enough to allow ice to form
Winterize
To winterize is to adapt or prepare (something, especially a house or an automobile) for use in cold weather.