This issue we hope to give you some valuable tips to help keep you, your family, friends and colleagues healthy and safe.

Cleaning for Health

We have all seen in the media that the best way to contain the Novel Coronavirus is with personal hygiene which is easy enough for most of us. We have all seen enough of that so I'm not going to cover that any further.
You will have heard that the virus is spread by droplets, this is where our expertise comes in, For over 30 years we have been dealing with water damage incidents including sewage overflows, urine decontamination in extreme cases, cleaning up after gastric out breaks in some of our hospitals and mould remediation.
Our training has always told us that to effectively solve a problem, you need to remove the source. So the first step in any decontamination process is to clean the contaminated surfaces then apply your antimicrobials (disinfectants). This is procedure simple enough for most people to do themselves. Simply thoroughly clean the surface with a detergent then apply a disinfectant, be sure to read the labels as some products contain bleaches that can damage some surfaces.

Immediate Past Chairman of the IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) , Pete Duncanson, discusses the correct cleaning methods to help protect against the Coronavirus. Find out what products help aid in disinfecting your environment along with other valuable information. Watch the video here: http://ow.ly/PzLU50yLr7G.

The following is an extract from an article by Jeremy Stamkos an industry expert from Restoration Industry Consultants.
"Regardless of what chemicals may be able to destroy the Novel Coronavirus, most efficacy tests are done in clinical environments and not tested “in field” meaning that the real world application and efficacy may not achieve the same results.
As such, it is critical to remember that most antimicrobial products (disinfectants) are not going to achieve the desired results when applied to soiled surfaces, soft furnishings, etc.
Even surfaces that appear visibly clean must be cleaned thoroughly prior to application of chemicals.
The fact is that proper cleaning of surfaces is much like washing of hands and offers more protection than application of hand sanitiser as it actually removes the contamination rather than trying to “kill” or destroy it."

Our interest is to keep our community healthy and safe, if you would like more information on how to keep yourself and your loved ones safe give us a call on 1800 787 184.

It should go without saying. If you have elderly neighbours, relatives, friends or know people who have limited mobility, please check on them.

Ask Jolly Jumbuck?

Dryer Vent Safety

Your washing machine and clothes dryer are valuable appliances, and they need maintenance from time to time.

One very important component to maintain and keep cleaning because of the danger of fire is the dryer vent systems.

The vent system is the gateway for moisture-laden air to escape from the dryer to the outside of your home. The vent that enables this can be very short, perhaps just a foot of two in length, to several feet, depending on the distance from the dryer to the outside wall. The longer the hose run, the more lint that can build up in the hose, increasing the possibility of a fire.

Besides a visual inspection, pay attention to how long it takes your clothes to dry. If it seems it is longer than when you first purchased your washer/dryer, it may be due to lint build-up in the vent hose, restricting air flow to the outside. If you have to restart your dryer because your clothes are just not drying, that should signal an inspection and cleaning of your hose vent.

Inspection and cleaning

Disconnect the electricity to your dryer before doing any work and remove the lint trap and make sure it is clean. Pull your dryer away from the wall and unhook the dryer vent assembly. You will need a tool for this, most likely a screwdriver. Carefully use the hose from your vacuum cleaner, insert it as far as you can into the hose, thoroughly vacuuming. Also vacuum the section of the dryer hose attaches to.

Also inspect and clean the assembly from the end of the vent hose to the outside of the home. Go outside, if possible, and inspect the opening. You might even find a bird has tried to nest in the opening, and occasionally bees or wasps have attempted to take up residence. You will need to clear out anything that can block the air flow to the outside. If you aren't able to clean the entire hose, such as if it is too long, it's better to play it safe and just replace it all. Lint build-up inside the hose can overheat and catch fire, and you must avoid that at all costs.
However you are like us and have a dryer that vents into the room be sure to clean the filter out after every use.

Andi if the unthinkable does happen, and you have a fire in your home -- or smoke damage -- do the right thing. Call a professional restoration company. After all, it pays to call a pro!

30 Years Industry Experience

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