Cleaning After Fire

Cleaning After Fire The October 2017 California Fires in Northern California were devastating. Northern California will be dealing with the death and destruction of recent wildfires for years.  The immediate life safety concerns about fire are obvious and frightening, but what many don’t realize is that returning to fire damaged buildings is also hazardous. Cleaning
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SF Water Supply & Ground Water Testing

San Francisco Water Supply, New Chemicals & Ground Water Testing For the first time in nearly nine decades, San Francisco is blending local groundwater with Hetch Hetchy Reservoir water, sourced from over 167 miles away.  For some, this change has been hard to swallow as San Francisco residents have long held bragging rights to exceptional
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Dirty Electricity from LEDs

Dirty Electricity from LEDs People interested high fidelity sound systems or low-EMF environments want to minimize electromagnetic interference (AKA: EMI, High-Voltage Transients, Electrical Noise, and Dirty Electricity) from lighting systems. Compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) – the curly pig tail variety with some mercury in them – are notoriously “dirty” and create significant EMI (Electromagnetic Interference).
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IAQ Issues LEED Building San Francisco – Part Two

IAQ Issues LEED Building – Part Two As a healthy building inspector and industrial hygienist, I have performed several pre-occupancy IEQ tests to the LEED standard and specifically for LEED certification. I am familiar with both the testing and flush out options and IAQ issues related LEED Building certification. The flush out option is most
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Architectural Design – Mold Free Guarantee?

During one of my many presentations on Building Enclosure Commissioning to architecture firms, I had a question from an architect echoing the concern in many professionals’ minds about mold. The architect in question wondered if there is any way to guarantee “on paper” that mold will never occur in an assembly. Architectural design mold free
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House Plants Reduce VOCs and Create Healthier Environments

House Plants Can Contribute to Healthier Indoor Environments We spend about 90% of our time indoors. While inside, we are exposed to a variety of indoor air pollutants. Reducing or removing these pollutants and creating an optimal indoor environment is important to our health and well-being. House plants reduce VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and are
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Indoor Air Pollution Near Busy Roads

Indoor Air Pollution Near Busy Roads Freeways and other busy roads are sources of elevated auto emissions and indoor air pollution. These emissions can be harmful to human health for both people on the roads and people working, walking, and living nearby. Nearly 20% of the United States population lives near a high volume road,
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Air Filters for Allergies

Which Portable Air Filters for Allergies are Right for Me? Are you suffering from allergies?  Did you recently remodel your home and are bothered by noxious odors? Wondering which air filters for allergies are right for your home or office? Maybe you want to take preventative action against possible indoor airborne pollutants in the form
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Green Cleaning Products

For Our Home, Our Health, and Our Environment: Green Cleaning Products A regular and thorough cleaning regime is important in maintaining a healthy indoor environment. The cleaning products we use, however, can have adverse health effects. Most household cleaners can contain a plethora of chemicals. Overexposure to these chemicals can cause a variety of health
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Top 10 Tips to Look for Water Damage and Mold in Buildings

Top 10 Tips to Look for Water Damage and Mold in Buildings Every year the rains return, soil dampens, leaks pop up, and mold in buildings becomes much more prevalent than during dry times. This winter’s forecast “El Niño” may bring more rain and possible flooding than California has seen in a decade. Many of
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