SERVICES special-clean

• 1. Mold analysis

  There are different ways to prove a possible existing mold contamination. We explain these procedures under the next sub-items.

• 1.1 Testing of visible contamination

  Stick test with adhesive tape
  A sticking tape is pressed on the area to be analyzed. The evaluation is performed in microbial laboratory.
  

   

  Cast sample or smear
  A culture medium is pressed on the material to be tested, or a sample is spread in a Petri dish (culture medium for mold). If striking numbers of colonies develop within one week, there is mold contamination.

   

  Collection of contaminated material and laboratory analysis
  The sample is put on a culture medium. By incubating the culture medium, evaluation can take place, if there even is contamination. But a following laboratory analysis brings more detailed information about the grown types. This is important for the further method (evaluation of microbial contamination, preparation of a remediation concept...).
  
  

• 1.2 Analysis of spatial air for spores

  Mold spreads millions of spores, which behave like fine dust and remain in the spatial air depending on their consistence. Due to air circulation, which is e.g. caused by heated air, the spores are spread more or less from the mold source within the whole house.

   

  The study of room air is investigated by means of air samplers and / or slit nozzle impactor. It defined air masses are drawn on nutrient media or coated slide for the microscope and analyzed in the microbiology laboratory.
  

• 2. Cause research

  The reasons for mold growth can often not be determined exactly. A detailed analysis of the climate parameters (air/surface temperature, dampness, melting point, etc.) is necessary. It is also useful to search for leakages and air passages with pressure tests and use of fog, e. g. in vapor barriers or steam blockages, where condensed water could have developed. A construction expert witness is often consulted here as well.
  
  Pressure test in the building
  A blower which can be regulated, which is stretched into the frame of the open outside door of the part of the building to be examined, causes an under- or over-pressure in the building. This way, the air exchange rate at a pressure difference of 50 Pascal (n50) can be determined according to international standards.

  
  Then it can be checked if the tightness of the building corresponds with the standard of the current energy saving regulation. Furthermore, air movements through the outside walls of the building and therefore existing leakages can be found by using this technology and suitable fog.
  In areas of condensed water, there is not only lower heat insulation due to dampness, but often mold growth.

  
  This method is also very effective in order to determine possible paths of smell burden. Suitable fog is used for this.

• 3. Remediation planning - Planning to remove mold

  It is explained here, which steps have to be taken in order to remove the visible mold growth and the spores in the spatial air as well as on all surfaces.

  
  The necessary work protection is set.

  
  Furthermore, it is explained which construction measurements have to be applied and how the user behavior can possibly be changed to avoid new contamination.

  
  Generally, the remediation planning is split in two areas: the constructional remediation planning and the cleaning planning.

• 3.1 Constructional remediation planning

  Choice of suitable construction materials.
  Appropriate elimination of causes which lead to the damage, e.g. renewal of the horizontal blockage at rising dampness, destruction of heat bridges, etc.

• 3.2 Cleaning planning

  Depending on the found mold species, the cleaning has to be planned and executed. It has to be differed between "usual" and especially toxic mould.

  
  Concerning the last ones, generally special precautionary measurements have to be met, as well as possibly a more strict construction site organization, such as disinfection, air tight sealing of the black area, work protection, etc.

  
  The individual health situation of the inhabitants has to be considered. For e. g. MCS-patients (multi-chemical-sensitive), no additional health burden may come from the used equipment.

• 4. Remediation, mold destruction, mold removal

  Dynamic indoor cleaning method according D-MIR^® quality standard.

  
  In many cases, the most severe "mold problems" develop during regular remediation. By e. g. scraping, brushing, wiping, sanding or spraying with dry ice of mould contaminated surfaces or materials, spores and particles are whirled up uncontrolled in most cases.

  
  It is always missed again, aside from the visible mold contamination, to also destroy the invisible spores and the mould contaminated fine dust on the surfaces and in the spatial air, which are often problematic for the health of the users of the room.

  
  D-MIR^® is in correspondence to the requirements of the guide for prevention, analysis, evaluation, and remediation of mould growth in inner rooms "2002", "remediation guide 2005" of the Federal Department of Environment, the action recommendations for inner rooms contaminated with mould (guide 2004/2006) of the State Department of Health, Baden-Wuerttemberg, the professional association of construction business (BG Bau), the requirements of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as BGR, TRGS, and TRBA.

• 4.1 Spore-, dust-neutral and poison-free material removal

  Contaminated materials, such as wood or plaster, do not have to be removed completely in every case. Specially designed remediation milling machines D-MIR^® allow that only the really contaminated area of the plaster surface (1-3 mm) is removed and therefore the following remediation effort remains low. The afterwards applied suction devices are D-MIR^® safety vacuum cleaners with high suction power.

  
  Only construction biologically recommended chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide or isopropyl alcohol are used for chemical measurements to disinfect surfaces. The named disinfectants work, depending on the dose, short-term and intensity and do not leave any long-lasting disinfection scents.

  
  Biocides which are critical to one's health are not used by us. We distance ourselves from fogging (gassing, fogging…) with standard products based on fruit acid (preservatives), in connection with small shares of hydrogen peroxide (active oxygen), which shall destroy mold according to various manufacturers, as well as from ozone treatments.
  
  

• 4.2 Surface cleaning

  Mold is able to produce millions of spores, which are then spread in the room. Mold spores attach to house dust and can be found as floating particles in the spatial air. These spores in the air, similar to fine dust, settle on all surfaces. They are stirred up again e.g. by the normal living behavior of the inhabitants or by mechanical treatment of the surfaces, e.g. during regular redevelopment work.

  
  Due to their settling behavior, a reduction of the contamination just by airing the room is not enough. These 1-10 micrometer size particles can only partially be removed with the filter of a regular vacuum cleaner. The remaining mould fragments primary are a health threat for the inhabitants and secondary, there is - under the given room climate conditions - the danger of a new contamination.

  
  To remove all health endangering spores, all surfaces of the walls, the floors, the ceilings, possibly all baseboards, projections, and possibly the furniture in the contaminated rooms have to be cleaned. For this D-MIR^® H-class safety vacuum cleaners with high-suction performance (8,000 liters/min) are used. They are approved for cancer-causing dusts, dusts with germs, as well as dusts with MAK-content.
  
  

• 4.3 Air cleaning

  At the same time as the surface cleaning, the spatial air is filtered by HEPA air filters. The air cleaners filter "large" air-carried particles such as dust in a pre-filter, in the following active coal filter, also scents are filtered, and with the HEPA-filter smallest particles, such as mould, mould fragments, etc., from the spatial air. HEPA is an international standard which guarantees that all particles from a size of 0.3 micrometers on are removed from air. The cleaning performance is adjusted to the volume of the room.
  
  
  Redevelopment with VENTGATE^®
  VENTGATE^® is a flexible remediation air-guiding system for inner rooms. Due to its large air performance, an optimal air exchange is possible within a short time period. Equipped with HEPA-filters, the in- or out-floating air can be cleaned perfectly. Installed airtight and flexible into windows or doors, not to be remediatid rooms can be crossed as well - with the help of tubes. Therefore it is possible to properly air rooms in the inner part of the building which shall be remediatid without contaminating other areas.

  
  We use the VENTGATE^® system in connection for safe and quick spatial air cleaning, at microbiological and chemical contamination. The work safety is immensely improved during the remediation of inner rooms this way. Due to the intelligent use of VENTGATE^®, dust protection measurements are not necessary anymore.

  
  VENTGATE^® is also perfectly suitable to clean ventilation installations and air conditioners.

• 4.4 Internal refurbishment control (quality assurance)

  For self-control of our rehabilitation services during the mold removal.

   

  SERVICES on wooden soft fiber plates

   

  Mold contamination on wooden soft fiber plates (DWD)

  Wooden soft fiber plates, also called DWD-plates, in connection with dampness, are a culture medium for mold.
  Especially during the damp and cold season, owners take a surprised look at the bottom side of the wooden soft fiber plates in the attic of their new house. They do not trust their eyes: what they see there are countless smaller and bigger stains. In many cases, it is even a complete growth across an area of several square meters. At a closer look, the diagnosis is quickly clear - mold as far as the eyes can see. In corners, on edges, on flat areas, even on rafters and frames more or less massive visible mould contamination.

  
  The reason for such a disaster is increased construction dampness, which in most cases is related to stone floor and plaster and which presents no extraordinary event during construction time, especially during the damp and cold season.
  
  Once mold has expanded on a large area, countless spores are spread in the spatial air within according cycles. These behave similar to fine dust, are spread in the house in dependence of the air flow, and settle on all surfaces. Spatial air analysis proves concentrations of more than 30,000 times as many mold spores than in outside air.

  
  If the mold problem exists, actions have to be taken. Before the question of responsibility, there often is the question of how to solve the problem. If it is considered that mold grew some millimeters of roots in the wooden soft fiber plates, and did not only contaminate the surface of the plates with its resistant spores, but also spread more or less in the entire building, many of the described remediation methods can not be taken seriously. The suggested measurements also mostly do not correspond with the current state-of-the-art.
  
  
  The studies executed by us show that there are two possibilities to properly solve the microbiological problem:

• 4.4.1 The complicated, expensive, and regular solution

  The contaminated wooden soft fiber plates - are removed and disposed of completely - while considering safety measurements.

• 4.4.2 The low cost and effective solution

  To mechanically remove contamination of wooden soft fiber plates with the milling method developed by us, spore-, dust-, and poison-free. The settling depth of mold is considered and the consistence of the plate remains. In any case, a so-called "fine cleaning" of the affected rooms/stories has to take place to destroy the spores.
  Wooden soft fiber plate before remediation
  
  
  Wooden soft fiber plate after remediation by Special-Clean.com (no demolition necessary). Control measuring shows no more growth on the plate.
  

SERVICES IN Air conditioning and ventilation systems

• Air conditioning and ventilation systems

  
  

  
  Air conditioners are installations to create and maintain a steady temperature, humidity, as well as a requested air quality in inner rooms. In tropical and subtropical countries, the term air conditioning mostly stands for installations which cool the air down to a preset temperature. There, they are often a condition for a quality of life and performance in inner rooms, as it is usually found in countries of temperateness. Air-conditioned inner rooms are a necessity in many warm countries in order to build and maintain competitive industries as well as tourism.
  
  
  
  Ventilation systems are devices used to supply housing and business rooms as well as industrial installations with outer air, or, to derive contaminated inner room air. Depending on their application, these devices transport controlled supply or exhaust air, or both at the same time. Air conditioners as well as ventilation systems, depending on their conception and size, can be equipped with channels which extend over many meters in a building in the most different diameters, in round and/or angularly shape.

• 1. Economy and hygiene

  The economicalness and hygiene of a carefully conceived inner room air technological installation is only granted in case of thorough cleaning of the entire system. Deposits of dirt on the fans and in the ducts e.g. reduce the air flow and therefore the economicalness of the installation. If dampness develops in the polluted ducts due to climatic conditions, bacteria, mold and micro-organisms can spread very fast and in large quantities. In case they and their components get into the breathing air, the users of such microbiologically contaminated devices are endangered, and severe health damage may occur.
  
  
  
  Since people can not only be effected in their private environment, but also in many offices, places of production, hotels, banks, stores, hospitals, etc., where inner room air technological installations are in use, health damages due to a lack of maintenance do not only mean reduced quality of life, but also reduced ability to perform. The term "sick building syndrome" is often put in relation to this. A downgrade of inner rooms or even complete buildings contaminated this way is often the consequence. Whether it concerns old or new devices installed according to the most state-of-the-art requirements, depending on the conception and use, cleaning in certain intervals is necessary in order to keep up the economy and hygiene. In some countries, precise regulations and guidelines have been compiled for this, such as VDI 6022 in Germany.

• 2. Residential buildings

  Central ventilation systems in residential buildings – necessary inspections and professional cleaning of pipelines.
  
  PROLOG
  The central ventilation system is a hygienic component of the building. Basically there are pure exhaust air systems or systems with supply and exhaust air. Pure exhaust air systems, for example, suck in indoor air from the kitchen, bathroom and WC and discharge it to the outside. The resulting vacuum absorbs fresh air through openings in the window frames or in the outer wall. In case of systems with supply and exhaust air, fresh air is blown into the lounges by means of pipelines. In this the regulation of fresh air is not carried out by the vacuum of the exhaust air fan, but by the adjustable air injection pressure of the supply air fans. A lot of systems are equipped with corresponding filter media, for example, in order to reduce pollen and further particles from the incoming air. Some systems have heat exchangers for heat recovery. The advantages of monitored ventilation are the healthy indoor air, energy saving and higher comfort for the residents.
  
  HYGIENE
  Room users can definitely enjoy these advantages at a new carefully planned room ventilation system. However, if such systems have been in operation for a long time and if the necessary maintenance intervals have been neglected, the desired purpose of the system can have contrary impacts and even essentially impair the health of the room users. Studies prove that the majority of ventilation systems in residential buildings have serious deficiencies with regard to hygiene. In most cases ventilation firms only carry out the technical maintenance of their installed systems. The existing maintenance agreements hardly cover a comprehensive hygienic cleaning. Filter media can regularly be exchanged in the systems, however, the ducts and pipelines extending over many meters in the house remain non-cleaned. The daily practice shows that during the course of time dusts, spores and further particles are deposited in the ducts. If moisture builds up in such ducts over a longer time period, this will lead to the growth and multiplication of micro-organisms. The original hygienic ventilation system becomes a risk to health.
  
  INSPECTION
  The system should be subject to a hygienic inspection each three years, so that the residents can use the advantages of a monitored ventilation system without any problems. For a system with air humidification this should be done each two years. Employees of the special-clean.com GmbH regularly inspect your ventilation system and conduct visual, physical and microbiological examinations. Striking features are described in a test report and discussed with the client. On demand, we hygienically clean your ventilation system. For this we use mechanic, rotating brush systems in connection with the renovation air flow system VENTGATE^® , so that the deposits within the entire system are safely removed. Within this context, a disassembly of the system is not required. Hygienic safety is only guaranteed by a thorough cleaning of the overall system.
  
  
  
  CLEANING OF VENTILATION AND EXHAUST DUCTS IN SINGLE-FAMILY AND MULTI-FAMILY HOUSES
  The current energy saving regulation stipulates a clear reduction of heating energy consumption in residential buildings. Not only insulating materials but also intelligent house technology, like for example, room ventilation systems more and more come to the fore and will establish themselves as standard in the future. The air we need to breathe will increasingly be used for heating, cooling and moistening the indoor rooms. For this it is important that these systems work in an optimal manner. Functionality requires the supervision and maintenance of technical appliances as well as the hygiene inspection and cleaning of pipes and ducts.
  
  
  
  Contamination in the air flows causes frictional resistances and pressure drop. For this reason, the original capacity of the system does not exist anymore and a higher energy consumption connected with additional costs is probable. The decrease in the rate of flow can already tip a healthy room climate and is a risk to the residents’ health due to the deposits in the pipes which should not be underestimated.
  
  
  
  Due to regular inspection and cleaning of the system technology and above all the air flows a technically and hygienically impeccable condition of the entire ventilation system can be guaranteed.
  
  
  
  We inspect and clean systems in the single-family sector, in multi-family buildings as well as in business and industrial and in public buildings, hospitals, supermarkets, motorway service stations, underground car parks etc. Our skilled personnel of special-clean.com GmbH will be pleased to advice you!

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  [item title="3. Cleaning"]

  Cleaning of installations and ventilation systems
  
  MECHANICAL ONLY
  To guarantee optimal economy and hygiene, the cleaning of air conditionings and ventilation systems can only take place mechanically. In order for this to be realized in the most different air ducts, we use a system technology which is adjusted to each situation. Remote-controlled cleaning robots as well as brush drives of different size and specification are used. The rotating and especially developed brush systems are optimally suitable for round and right-angled duct shapes. With an intelligent drive technology, the strong brushes poison-free clean the deposits on the inner walls of the air ducts.
  
  
  
  The particles removed by the robot or brushes are then vacuumed off with a strong air flow by the redeveloping air guide system VENTGATE^®, which is connected to the duct system. The supply air is then checked concerning its quality. Larger particles are collected in an enclosed filter system (dust trap). The sucked in air flow is derived to the outdoor area of the building and, depending on the situation, additionally HEPA-filtered (H13).
  
  
  The system technology developed by us, VENTGATE^® has the decisive advantage that no (filtered) fine particles and also no scents can get from the installation into the inner room air of the building during the installation cleaning. The resulting large dirt is properly recycled after the cleaning event. The tube system outside of each cleaning section is closed by a sealing balloon during cleaning. This measure is necessary so other areas of the installation are not unintentionally polluted, or so the air guidance in the installation is not changed uncontrolled due to the created negative pressure. In order to achieve a complete cleaning of the air ducts, it may be necessary to install so-called revision openings. Depending on the local situation, openings are cut into the ducts at according positions, which are closed off with according flaps after the cleaning measures. These revision openings ease later hygiene checks or cleaning measures.

   

  CONTROL WITH VIDEO CAMERA
  We control the cleaning process with high resolution video cameras during and after execution. Upon request, the customer receives a video recording (CD/DVD) for checking, as well as the result of a final laboratory control analysis. We provide optimal service on location to our customers, without complicated dismantling of the installation and without fine particles as well as odour disturbance as a consequence of the cleaning process. Time intensive and expensive dismantling for enduring cleaning of climate systems therefore belong to the past. Our mechanical cleaning technology is long-term tested and has proven itself in the most different installations.
  
  NO CHEMICAL DISINFECTION
  Sole disinfection measures of the channels with chemical products, as they are often used nowadays, are generally not used by us. Chemical disinfection measures do not remove the dirt and the deposits and are therefore not able to restore the original effectiveness of the installation. Internal analysis and controls after disinfection measures prove that spores of mold as well as resistant germs are often not or only incompletely removed. Although in strongly polluted ducts, and with a high chemical dose of some products, a reduction of the microbiological showed on the surface of the contamination, but an in depth effective and lasting effect of the used products can not be proven. It also has to be considered that destroyed microbiological components, as long as they get into the breathing air, may have an allergic or toxic effect. There also is the threat from the used disinfection substances that lasting disturbing odours develop which were not present before disinfection.
  
  SUMMARY
  In accordance with our more than 10 years of experience in removing microbiological inner room contaminations, we can confirm that only the systematic, mechanical removal of microbiological contaminations is the method for optimal hygiene. We correspond with the content of the press information of the Federal Environment Department. Clean ventilation ducts and clean air are the conditions for a healthy inner room climate.
  
  
  OUR SERVICES FOR COMMERCIAL AND PRIVATE INSTALLATIONS

  • Initial inspection with documentation (CD/DVD)
  • Inspection of the installation (VDI 6022, video documentation, laboratory analysis)
  • Planning and organising of the cleaning
  • Cleaning of the air ducts with installation specific system technology
  • Air guidance with VENTGATE^®, therefore odour-free and without fine particles in the building
    
  • Chemical-free, mechanical and dry removal of pollution
  • Quality controls (video documentation, laboratory analysis)
  • Air volume flow analysis
  • Control and cleaning of fire protection flaps
  • Planning of individual maintenance

OVERVIEW - SERVICES special-clean

• Our services at mold contamination

  • Determining of the reason for mold contamination.
  • Modern long-term control of mould-relevant climate parameters.
  • Creation of mold remediation concepts and planning of the remediation.
  • Remediation, mould removal according to D-MIR^®. Cost reducing spore-, dust- and poison-free removal or mould lawn as well as of chemical products, including material such as wallpaper, wood, plaster, etc. - removal of 1 - 3 mm - in one work-step, with specially designed milling machines, in connection with high performance safety vacuum suction devices and filter medium, including VENTGATE^® fans. By this, the pollutant concentration on the surfaces and in the spatial air is already clearly reduced. In more than 80 % of all cases, a complicated demolition of contaminated material is therefore not necessary. Time and cost-intense dust protection becomes obsolete. The work protection is also improved immensely by this. In case demolition of microbiologically contaminated materials is inevitable, we can realize this with low spores and dust.
  • Fine cleaning of surfaces and interior.
  • Filtering of spatial air with HEPA air filter.
  • Remediation of archives.
  • Quality control during and after completion of each inner room cleaning program.
  • Disinfection and cleaning of all work tools before each use.
  • Remediation of chemically contaminated inner rooms.
  • Remediation of chemically contaminated "visible wood".
  • Control and poison-free cleaning of ventilation installations and air conditionings of all kinds, keeping the according regulations under consideration.
  • Capacity for large objects such as houses, hotels, VIP real estate, industrial buildings, schools, kindergarten...