The oldest and most complex of the restoration disciplines, fire remediation work requires an understanding of how fire and combustion residues behave to effectively neutralize and return a structure to a livable state. Cole Stanton explores four fundamental chemistry subsets of fire damage and how each can impact restoration work.

The National Air Duct Cleaners Association — also known as the HVAC Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Association — has announced its 33rd Annual Meeting & Exposition will take place March 20-22, 2022 at the Gaylord Rockies Resort in Aurora, Colo. 

This R&R Q&A features a topic that’s gotten even more popular since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic: duct cleaning. Today, extensive cleaning and disinfection services often include the HVAC system, which has prompted some restoration contractors to add duct cleaning as an additional service.

Many people in the environmental industry have heard of the terms “sick building syndrome” and “indoor air quality” (IAQ), but substantially fewer understand the concept of “building bake-out”. 

Protecting return-to-work individuals who had been restricted from gathering in an effort to minimize the spread of COVID-19, and efforts to reopen public indoor spaces safely have led to a lot of interest in how HVAC systems may be adjusted to reduce the spread of the virus. 

When a project comes my way that’s not an everyday thing, it’s stimulating, and in some cases, it’s downright exciting. After my military service in the early ‘90s, I went to work in the field as a carpet and HVAC cleaning technician.