The 7 Biggest Questions About BioHazard Removal

First of all What is Bio Hazard Remediation?

The Definition of BIO HAZARD REMEDIATION: Comprehensive Response and Remediation to situations and structures that are contaminated or suspected to be contaminated with Bio Hazardous Materials. The objective is to return situations and structures to pre-event conditions. It includes remediation of known and unknown infectious diseases and bio hazardous materials, crime and trauma scenes, unattended deaths, unsanitary dwelling and living conditions, hoarding, suicides, mass casualty incidents, bio terrorism, human and biological (sewage, blood) materials.

The Definition of CLEAN: Dr. Michael Barry of the EPA – The removal of Spoil both visible and invisibleDefinition of Forensic Cleaning – The removal of biological contaminants to prepare surfaces bit vertical and horizontal for professional disinfecting.

The Definition of DISINFECTION: The application of an EPA registered, Hospital Grade, Tuburceluocidal Disinfectant proven to kill both gram positive and gram negative bacteria and all known pathogens and inactivate both enveloped and non enveloped viruses.

Tackling biohazards ultimately is microbial warfare.

1. Why Can’t I Clean Up The BioHazard Myself?

   A question people often ask is what are the reasons to not simply clean up the biohazard mess themselves. Here we answer that question and this is especially relevant when it is a family member, or when it seems like there may not be enough money to hire a company to do the job for you. 

   Blood, bodily fluids, and more all need to be thoroughly cleaned up and fully eradicated. Nobody wants lasting memories cleaning up the biological remains of their loved ones. This is work for a professional like Heroes Restoration Inc.

   Biohazards are hazardous, there are blood-borne pathogens that thrive after a person dies. If the person(s) doing the cleanup work aren’t taking proper precautions, these pathogens can infect those individuals. It’s best to rely on professionals to do the cleanup work and to prevent the potential spread of diseases.

2. Who Cleans Up After A Suicide?

   Many would immediately assume that it’s either the police, the coroner, or the doctors who would clean up after the suicide. Unfortunately this is simply not the case. Generally the body itself will be taken away, leaving the homeowner or family members to take care of cleaning what remains. Depending upon how violent the suicide was and how long the body was there before being found, there is likely biological waste in numerous places that’s not always easily visible. Biohazardous materials can be embedded within walls, the ceiling, flooring and other less obvious places.

   This is why Biohazard removal experts are so important. Heroes Restoration Inc. painstakingly and thoroughly checks everywhere within the affected area to make sure that there is no remaining evidence of the suicide. We clean up every possible aspect of the suicide, including blood spill and any remaining body tissue.

3. How Long Does It Take To Clean Up?

   We are sensitive to you wanting your home or property restored to its former glory, with no visual or olfactory reminders of what happened. That’s why we are on site within an hour*, so that we can begin cleanup as quickly as possible to help you move forward.

   The length of time to clean up bio-hazards can vary greatly. There are more straightforward cases which allow us to get in and out in only a few hours. And then there are more complex cases of bio hazards that are spread over a large area, which may take hours, and possibly days, to clean up. 

   The important thing to remember is that Heroes Restoration Inc. – we are your cleanup heroes. The first step is contacting us so that we can assess the damage and have an open conversation about what we can do together to best address your biohazard situation.

4. Will My Insurance Cover Any of This?

   The short answer is that we are here to champion on your behalf – but as with most things related to insurance, it depends. Some biohazard removal companies will also work FOR you to get insurance benefits that help cover expenses and the costs of replacing damaged items.

   Many homeowners policies will cover some or all of the cleanup cost, since the property is devalued if there is any evidence of a gruesome act still around. What’s not always easy to determine is to what extent, if your insurance allows, that your homeowners policy will cover.

   Our core focus is to make your restoration process as easy and as painless as possible. We are YOUR heroes at Heroes Restoration Inc. and focused on helping you. That means fighting for you to get the help you need, including financial resources to help you address the biohazard cleanup on your property.

   Biohazard clean up and disinfection must happen FAST! The quickest way determine if your insurance will cover cleanup is to call Heroes Restoration Inc. for an assessment. 

5. Do the Police Clean Up After a Murder?

   No, the police do not clean up after a murder occurs. The coroner will remove the body, and what remains will be the responsibility of the property owner or tenant. 

   The police are on scene to assess and record every piece of evidence when a murder occurs. When finished they leave it all for you to address on your own. This can include fingerprint dust, any emergency technician refuse, body tissues and blood, and so forth.

   At a murder scene, there can be biologically hazardous fluids and debris in many, many places. Depending upon the violence of the crime, body tissue and bodily fluids can be spread throughout the scene.

   Cleaning up after a murder is what Heroes Restoration Inc. is best at, zero trace cleanup. Our expert caring team provides exact methods of cleanup so no one would ever know that a murder had occurred. Fully eliminating the scene from bloodborne pathogens, we offer fast and effective cleanup against biohazards.

6. Why Is BioHazard Removal A Regulated Field?

   Biohazard removal can be incredibly dangerous. Biological hazards are dangerous to human beings and pets as biological threats to our health and safety.

   To prevent people from the dangers of the biohazards and pathogens, for safety this field is closely regulated and has specific standards that must be upheld by field experts. There are standards in place to help ensure that the technicians working on a particular clean up task are as protected as possible from any dangers to include bloodborne pathogens, diseases, and more.

   The very reasons why this industry is regulated are the same reasons why you shouldn’t undertake removing biohazards yourself. Biohazard removal is dangerous, and unless you are specifically trained biohazard cleanup expert, the risks you take may not be immediately apparent and can be very hazardous.

7. Are There Any Types of Emergency Biohazard Cleanup You Do not Do?

   You can always call us Heroes Restoration Inc. to find out. Call 804-410-1800 now!

3 Reasons Why You Should Hire A Qualified Disinfection Expert

Right now most everyone is interested in making sure that their home or business is in a state of thorough disinfection. It is important that you know everything you can to properly protect yourself and minimize or mitigate the effects of COVID-19 along with other diseases, viruses and pathogens from further spread within your spaces. Hiring the cheapest person to do the job can be dangerous – you may not be getting a professional disinfection and dangers can still linger. Hiring a reputable disinfection expert is key for a thorough and professional disinfection, here’s why. 

1. some companies Are Not Qualified or Trained for VIRUS & PATHOGEN disinfection

   There are tried and true methods for whole house or whole business disinfection. These methods have been rigorously tested and shown to be most effective against 99.99%-99.9999% of pathogens such as common bacteria and viruses.

   Reputable companies have invested a lot of resources to learn and perfect these disinfection methods. These reputable companies were either in existence before the current COVID-19 crisis or carefully learned the exhaustive process to properly disinfect a home or a business.

   In every disaster, unfortunately there are opportunists. There have been reports of entrepreneurs who saw an opportunity to sell disinfection services, and have started to offer such services without the proper training, materials, tools, and or understanding of how viruses and bacteria work.

   Even regular over the counter disinfectants have to be used in a specific way otherwise they won’t actually kill anything. They have to be sprayed or wiped on in a specific manner, and then left on the surface for a specified amount of time. Failure to read and follow these instructions can result in bacteria, viruses and other pathogens continuing to pose a threat.

   This means that someone in great need of whole house or whole business disinfection can pay for these services, expecting to have surfaces without pathogens when the disinfection job is finished, yet still have surfaces that are harboring dangers because the least expensive person was hired to do the job. This leads us on to the next potential issue…

2. Popup and low budget disinfection services Create A False Sense Of Security

   People operate differently when they believe that surfaces have been disinfected and dangerous pathogens have been killed compared to when they believe that the pathogens are potentially all around. Generally people will become more relaxed with hand washing, doing so less frequently or not as thorough, and will also be more relaxed about where they put their hands too. 

   In some cases, stores and businesses are paying for professional disinfecting services before allowing people most at risk for the coronavirus inside. But if the person doing the disinfection service is low budget, or doing a subpar job, or is under qualified, the disinfection service provided may not actually kill the viruses and bacteria. And those vulnerable patrons and visitors are still in danger and risking exposure.

   Thinking that something is disinfected without it actually being disinfected can create a false sense of security, and this can create a waterfall of negative effects and liability for the store or business who hires a disinfection service that is not fully reputable.

3. Spreading Pathogens Throughout The Environment

   What method is the person performing your disinfection service using to kill and eradicate the bacteria and viruses within your environment? If there is any force of air from tools used during the disinfection process, or if improper tools and methods are used, then you can have someone who ends up just blowing around bacteria and viruses all over your interior spaces.

   Study after study shows that some of the most common household items are really breeding grounds for harmful germs. Many people use these items to clean other things – thereby spreading the viruses and super bugs. Think of a household sponge – people often use a single sponge to clean multiple surfaces, and to clean other things throughout their home too. This can spread the bacteria and viruses to areas that didn’t have any to begin with.

   If a person performing disinfection services is not properly trained and qualified, there can be lapses in care to include improperly disinfecting their own tools and supplies. And this lapse in care can potentially bring pathogens from other places into your home or business too.

   Where is the last place this the person performing your disinfection services cleaned? Was it a hospital? Do you want germs like that in your home or business environment? Invest in a professional for a thorough and proper disinfection done the right way.

   Yes, There Is Cost Involved With Quality Disinfection Services

   If someone comes in to a business or home to kill germs, there is a certain amount of labor and supplies involved.

   It takes money to run a disinfection business, to hire and train or certify employees, to conduct research (or be a part of a research system), to innovate germ-killing processes, and more. This means that there is going to be a certain level of a minimal pricing that needs to be charged to make sure that you are well protected, that your home and business are safely and thoroughly disinfected, and that your disinfection job is done well and right.

   Find Your Germ Disinfection Heroes

   Wherever you live, do some research to find the proper qualified heroes with helping you take care of disinfecting your home, store, or business. You will want reputable companies who work with reputable suppliers, and who use EPA approved and in some cases patented processes. Choose to work with disinfection businesses that are careful to conduct research and find the proper solutions that will truly protect your spaces and you.

   Disinfection processes are important as well. Your qualified disinfection heroes are the ones who have specific processes in place to make sure that technicians are professional and responsible between jobs, taking extra care to clean and sterilize tools so that you are well protected from the start.

   If you are in the central Virginia area and are looking for a Heroes to help you with killing the germs, bacteria, pathogens, and viruses in your spaces, Heroes Restoration Inc. is here to help. We can get rid of lingering diseases like influenza (flu), rotavirus, coronavirus, rhinovirus, and much more. We also have a process that will help protect surfaces up to 3 months. Call us today, 804-410-1800!

5 Reasons to Call A Water Mitigation Company First
BEFORE Calling Your Insurance Company

1. Water Mitigation and Water Restoration Companies Works For YOU

   As a third-party contractor, your water restoration company is focused on their client, which is YOU. The insurance company will likely be paying the bill, but the water restoration company is hired by you, the homeowner or business owner.

   This means that at every step of the water mitigation and water removal process, the core focus of your water restoration company should be your happiness and satisfaction. This virtue is held first at Heroes Restoration Inc.

   With the business model of an insurance company, they will typically WANT to find a reason to not pay you for water damages. The less claims an insurance company pays out, the more profits they post.

   Time and again it is smart homeowners that have hired an experienced advocate, working with them and for them, who are able to maximize their insurance claim and recoup as much of their damages as possible versus those that called their insurance company first.

2. Any Delay Before Cleanup Can Cause Much More Damage

   Water damages can quickly and sometimes catastrophically damage a home or business. Water gets in nooks and crannies, spreading throughout your porous surfaces. Having a water mitigation team on site and starting clean up as quickly as possible is CRUCIAL in making sure that your damages are limited. This will also help in preventing mold damages too.

   By calling a water removal service FIRST you are giving the team the power to begin cleanup and water removal while you are communicating with your insurance company. It can take a long time talking with your insurance company over the phone, to get assigned an adjuster, talking with the adjuster about the hows and when and where and what has occurred, and more – all the while, the water is causing additional damages to your home because it’s not being cleaned up quickly.

   By calling water remediation experts FIRST, you will have a team of experienced professionals on their way to you fast, so cleanup can begin immediately. If you’re in central Virginia, Heroes Restoration Inc. can be on site within 1 hour* to help you on your way to speedy and thorough water removal.

3. Not Acting Fast May Make YOU Liable For the DamageS

   Many insurance companies have clauses in their contracts stating that if you are not doing your part to take care of your home – including delaying getting things fixed when they can cause damage – you may be liable for the damages caused instead of the insurance company.

   Most homeowners have a fiduciary obligation to do everything they can to mitigate the damage of an event, such as a flood or water damage. And if they haven’t yet, the insurance company may be able to beg off the damages, stating the damages wouldn’t be nearly as bad “if only” the homeowner had acted faster.

   Why put yourself at risk of the insurance company trying to get out of a claim? When you call a water remediation expert first, the technicians are documenting your entire claim and cleaning up the mess while you communicate with the insurance company to get the claims process started.

4. Zero Dollar Claims

   There is a concept in insurance called a “$0 Dollar Claim.” What this means is that the insurance company has a claim filed on your account, which they determined they do NOT have to pay for. It is a claim for $0.

   The reasons behind a zero dollar claim can be complex. It could be the water damage is too low to get over the deductible threshold. It could be that the insurance company determines that the homeowner didn’t react quickly enough. There are many reasons WHY the zero dollar claim can show up. The insurance company still records it as a black mark on your record, and may raise your premiums because of it.

   By calling a third party water remediation service first, your water cleanup experts can help you determine if you have a claim over the deductible threshold, and can document all the water damages using tools at their ready disposal. Heroes Restoration Inc. has special 3D imaging equipment to create documented proof of your water damages. This enables us to work on your behalf with PROOF that you experienced water damages, which helps the insurance claim process move along on your behalf.

   Don’t allow the insurance company to raise your rates due to a $0 claim. Make sure that you have someone who will FIGHT for you and help you make the right decisions from the beginning.

5. Calm And Effective Technicians Can Help You In Your Most Trying Time

   Your home just flooded. Your bathtub just leaked everywhere. The entire basement is filled with water.

   These are incredibly stressful moments. Emotions are running in so many different directions, anger, frustration, stress, exasperation, and more.

   It is precisely at these times that you need friendly, capable professionals at your side who are there for YOU and are able to help you remain calm and focused on what will help you the most.

   In Stressful Moments Like Water Damages, You Need a Hero!

   Surely you have seen someone going through a stressful moment? They lean on and depend upon calm people in their lives, the people who always seem to know what to do. This is what we do at Heroes Restoration Inc. We make it our business to be the hero people need in their times of crisis.

   Having been there for so many others going through trying times, we have worked hand-in-hand with homeowners to help them maximize their insurance claim so that they can recover and move on to living their best lives. Call us when you need a hero at 804-410-1800!