The damaged facility includes 3 levels. The basement level is the supply house for all schools in the state, the 2nd floor houses federal offices, and a printing shop occupies the 3rd floor. EnviroVantage was called in immediately to clean up the water and prevent mold growth and further water damage from occurring.

The EV team worked diligently throughout the days, nights and weekends following the storm setting up mobilized dehumidifiers, blowers and wet vacs to take care of the flooding. Workers performed selective demolition such as removing wet sheet rock, soaking up water, ripping up soppy carpets and exposing some framing. Throughout this process a dangerous material was uncovered - asbestos, a known cancer causing agent.

Instead of inconveniently having to halt the project and call in another contractor, EnviroVantage promptly sent in emergency notification to the state of NH to begin abatement immediately, as we are licensed in multiple disciplines including the removal of asbestos. Permission was received to continue the project as the scope of work increased to remove all asbestos inside the building including floor and ceiling tiles. The proper containments were set up, and the EV team was successful in eliminating this hidden danger to everyone working in the building.

We were happy to assist everyone at this facility in their time of need. If you or someone you know has been affected by powerful storms and/or flooding & water damage, contact us immediately for successful disaster recovery. Our estimators are available 24/7 because we’re always here when you need us.

How long have you been in business? The longer the company has been in business, the more experience they have gained. However, there are also many highly-skilled start-up companies.

Is your company a full-service or specialty firm? For a complicated repair, you may need a specialist. For simpler work, general services may be sufficient.

What is your approach to a project of this scope? This answer should reveal the contractor’s preservation philosophy and his or her level of familiarity with projects such as yours.

What is the timetable for this project? Make sure you know when the job will start, how long the job is expected to take as well as what hours the crew will work.

How many people will be working on this project, and how are they employed? Many professionals rely on subcontractors, while others have a variety of laborers under their constant employ. Ask about warranties and guarantees and about who is responsible for the subcontractors.

Will we need a permit for this project? Most cities and towns require permits for building projects. Decide who will secure the appropriate permissions before you begin.

Additionally, you should ask for:

A list of three or more references for projects like yours. Ask the references if they were satisfied with the outcome, what they would do differently next time, and would they use the contractor again. Your friends and neighbors are also a good source of recommendations, or may know of projects not on the contractor’s reference list.

Proof of state workman’s compensation coverage and liability insurance certificate. Check with your insurance agent about your project.

Finally, make sure you are comfortable with the person you plan on hiring. Whether a project is simple or complex, good communication and trust are important ingredients.

A new study from Johns Hopkins Children’s Center shows that very low levels of lead may be having an adverse impact on children’s kidney functions. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood as the level of concern, but this new report shows even lower levels are hazardous. The study was conducted on 769 healthy people between the ages of 12 and 20. The participants had an average lead level of 1.5 micrograms and more than 99% of them were below the CDC’s 10 microgram listing. Researchers discovered that those individuals with lead levels in the upper quarter of the normal range had worse kidney functions than those with lower lead levels.

The use of lead in many consumer products in the United States has been drastically reduced in the last several decades, but dangers still persist. Lead paint, for example, has been banned since 1978 yet it is believed that about one in five homes still have lead paint hazards. As lead contaminated paints age, they deteriorate and can become airborne or settle as dust.

Lead is of particular concern to young children as their growing bodies can absorb more lead and their brain and nervous systems are more sensitive. Lead can even harm babies before they are born. According to the EPA, “to reduce your child’s exposure to lead, get your child checked, have your home tested and fix any hazards you may have.”

From the World War II era to the early 1980s, shipyards were a place where exposure to asbestos was prevalent. Whether ships were being constructed, repaired or overhauled, such work would routinely cause asbestos fibers to become airborne where they could be inhaled.

Many materials used on ships contained asbestos because of its ability to withstand high temperatures and fire. In addition to this, asbestos helped prevent corrosion, which made it an ideal material for ship construction.

However, any disturbance to asbestos-containing materials increased the risk for those nearby of inhaling asbestos fibers. The inhalation of asbestos is the primary cause of malignant mesothelioma, a cancer that often carries a very poor prognosis.

Once the fibers are inhaled, they typically become lodged in the mesothelial lining of the lungs. Overtime, usually anywhere between 20 and 50 years, enough irritation occurs and mesothelioma tumors develop.

Areas aboard ships that commonly included asbestos-containing materials were boiler rooms, sleeping quarters and areas that required insulation such as piping and walls.

Occupations within the shipyard industry that carried a higher risk of asbestos exposure included welders, painters, machinists and others who made repairs on board. Navy veterans who were crew members on these ships were also at risk of being exposed to asbestos.

Those who feel they may have experienced asbestos exposure within the shipyard industry should seek regular medical checkups for signs of asbestos exposure. Receiving an early diagnosis for an asbestos-related disease not only opens the door to more treatment options, but gives a patient a better chance of combating the illness.

Additional information about mesothelioma and asbestos exposure may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

Think you may have asbestos in your commercial location or residential home? EnviroVantage offers asbestos abatement services across New England.

Scott Knightly of EnviroVantage was recently appointed as the 1st Vice Chair of the Associated Builders and Contractors NH/VT Chapter.

In his newly appointed position, Knightly (Owner and President of EnviroVantage) will be responsible for supporting the efforts of ABC through his work with the President and other key members of the organization.

Knightly, a graduate of The University of New Hampshire’s Whittemore School of Business and Economics, is a pioneer in the abatement industry. The processes and practices he developed as New Hampshire’s first private Lead Contractor were adopted as state regulations in New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts.

In addition to his latest honor, Knightly is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the National Demolition Association, the Asbestos Advisory Board for the State of NH as well as the Lead Task Force Committee for the State of NH.

EnviroVantage is a regional leader in environmental cleanup and the removal of hazardous materials, including lead paint, asbestos, and mold for building projects requiring renovation, demolition, or historic reconstruction. EnviroVantage created the standard procedures for lead paint removal and staffs experts on every major contaminant found in buildings.

Contact us today!

An article recently released in the Journal of Cancer Research and a Clinical Oncology discusses the potential and known causes of mesothelioma, most notably asbestos exposure, and explores the biological processes involved in the development of mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma is a cancer caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure. Annually, approximately 2,000 to 3,000 cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States and those figures are expected to rise over the next decade.

Exposure to asbestos occurs when the microscopic fibers that make up the mineral are inhaled or ingested into the body. After asbestos-containing materials are damaged or disturbed, the release of microscopic asbestos fibers into the surrounding environment can lead to inhalation or ingestion of the toxic material.

Once inside the body, the tiny fibers can become lodged in the tissue lining (known as a mesothelial lining) of the lungs, abdomen or heart. Once lodged in the tissue, the asbestos fibers cause a series of biological reactions that lead to cancerous changes in the surrounding cells. There are currently a number of theories on how these biological reactions lead to cancerous changes, which are presented in the article “Pathogenesis of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma and Role of Environmental and Genetic Factors.”

The article explains that “Asbsetos’ contribution to the pathogenesis of MPM [malignant pleural mesothelioma] is multifaceted with effects ranging from direct to indirect, genetic to molecular.” The more direct method of injury involves asbestos fibers penetrating the mesothelial lining, causing cellular changes at the direct site. These fibers may also damage the mitotic spindles in the cells, which control cellular division and replication, resulting in genetic damage to the cell’s DNA.

A more indirect method involves asbestos leading to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The production of ROS can be caused by the iron content in asbestos fibers. Additionally, “macrophages that have phagocytosed asbestos fibers release ROS and lymphokines, which can damage DNA and possibly suppress the immune system.

There is currently some controversy on whether all lengths of asbestos fibers can lead to cancer, but it is scientifically accepted that all forms of asbestos have the potential to cause mesothelioma cancer. The key to preventing mesothelioma is to avoid asbestos exposure altogether. Those who do develop mesothelioma usually worked in an occupational setting where exposure occurred repeatedly (or they had a spouse or family member who worked with asbestos).

Throughout the 20th century, some of the more common locations for asbestos exposure have included industries such as construction, automotive, shipyards, power plants, chemical plants, railroad, manufacturing and mining. Workers in these industries show higher rates of mesothelioma and are advised to seek regular medical checkups and X-rays as a preventative measure.

Go to our H1N1 services page to find out more about why decontamination is so important.