Residential Asbestos / St. Louis Region

Unlike most contractors, we like performing residential asbestos related work.  We encapsulate / repair  or remove asbestos almost daily in homes.  Contact us if you need a FREE proposal.

Mold / St. Louis Region

Unfortunately, the high relative humidity in St. Louis and the Midwest in general not only has an effect on all of us but our homes and buildings as well.  If our furnaces and air handling equipment is not properly filtering the air, the mold readings inside can become elevated.  We recommend “pollen” type filters for furnaces and most air handling equipment.  In addition, it is always a good idea to use a dehumidifier to reduce the humidity.  Relative humidity levels over 60% can create the perfect environment for mold to colonize.   Need more tips?  Contact us for a FREE quote.

Odors and Mold – Can you always smell mold?

If you have entered a moldy basement or building, you know the smell. The odor is quite musty!
Mold is not always noticable by smell. Sometimes high levels of mold are present and no one can smell it.
Different types of mold emit odors however there are some that do not have much odor associated with them.

Consequently, it may be wise to have the air tested to determine if mold is present. There have been times when I entered buildings and would have said, “no mold in here”. But a simple air test proved otherwise – thank God for scientific testing.

So, if you suspect mold but cannot smell anything it may be wise to have an air sample or two taken to verify.

ASCs Use Certification Process to Capture More Referrals – Build Revenue

A funny thing happened on the way to certification. Talk about SMART customers!
After testing and certifying the environment in an ASC’s Operating Rooms (ORs), the ASC started using the “certification” to capture more referral business. They began telling physicans in the surrounding market – would you refer your patients to an ASC that was not certified or to an ASC that is certified? The physican often asked, “what do you mean by Certification?”
The reply was, Operating Rooms are engineered to operate at set levels of air exchanges, temperature, humidity levels, pressure relationships, etc… but few facilities actually know if their facility is in compliance or operating as it was designed. Our’s has been certified that it is operating as required.

When an OR or other invasive procedure room is functioning properly – the facility is at reduced risk of being the cause of an HAI.

This ASC started picking up more business (not to mention more profits) using this tactic. Not to mention, the Administrator who devised the plan is in great demand (do we hear higher pay).

Testing and Certifying your ORs is worth it and you may be rewarded too!

Mold Questions

I have mold on a plaster wall, can it be removed or do I need to remove the entire wall?
Mold does not normally colonize on “plaster” since it lacks the proper neutrients. If mold is visibly noticable on plaster it is probably after the dirt or paint on the plaster more than the plaster itself – unless the plaster was significanlty wet for an extended period of time.

Consequently, the plaster can normally be cleaned and disinfected rather than removed.

Lawyers Requesting Operating Room (OR) Records

Lawyers are learning the weakness of the system and have found most hosptials and ASCs are not documenting functional requirements of critical rooms such as ORs, LDRs, and Cardiac Cath Areas. Consequently, attorneys are demanding records to determine if facilities are making sure their critical rooms are functioning to design standards. If the records are not available then the attorney presents the case that the facility is not properly run and the facility is partially to blame for an infection during a procedure.

Medicare 2010 Guidelines now require facilities to function to certain levels – the same with State regulations or if the State does not have regulations then they normally follow the FGI guidelines. The Joint Commission now follows the FGI guidelines.

Don’t create an opportunity for an attorney to put doubt in a jury’s mind about how a facility is operated – give them FACTS and demonstrate that your facility is professionally managed.

Mold in Drywall – Sometimes the Drywall Can be Saved

A year ago I would have told customers that the “drywall needs to go” once mold is colonizing. However, new chemical treatments can save some Owners up to 70% over last year’s remediation cost. We have been testing a chemical treatment in universities, hosptials and homes to see if the product can, in some cases, eliminate the need to remove the drywall. It works. In addition to saving property owners thousands of dollars, the airborne mold levels are going from significantly elevated to almost zero with this process.

We are currently in the process of video taping applications so we can professionally edit and show interested parties how we can save them money, time and headaches.

Testing & Certifying Operating Rooms

Many professionals in Hospitals and ASCs want to know why it is important to test and have their ORs certified – no one seems to ask for it. If they have not asked in the past – they will in the future and you need to be prepared. State inspectors are being trainned and we have a copy of their training program, they will be checking on things such as verification of air exhange rates in ORs and Critical Care Rooms. FGI is now adopted by most States and by the Joint Commission and their design standards are now requirements. Beyond the usual parties with sincere interest (CDC, APIC, etc…) insurance companies are also making sure hospitals and ASCs are functioning correctly or they will not cover the mishaps or HAIs.

It is worth it to have your facility tested and certified.

ASC & HOSPITAL Operating Room Certification

Certifying the air quality in Operating Rooms and Specialty Rooms is an insurance policy on providing quality indoor air and reducing HAIs. Wellington Environmental specializes in testing and certifying ORs for both hosptials and ASCs. Our extensive testing protocol provides the documentation needed to comply with the Joint Commission, Medicare, ASHE, ASHRAE, and State Licensing requirements.

Mold Remediation: Saving 70% is Possible Now

Wellington Environmental offers a unique chemical application that can treat mold on drywall rather then actually removing the drywall. This innovative process not only can save the drywall in many cases, it saves the cost of rebuilding. We are currently using this application on foreclosed homes, in universities and hosptials.