If a musty odor pervades your home, you should take a closer look at your walls and fixtures. In rooms exposed to moisture, a series of highly concentrated dark patches seem baked into some of the surfaces. At first glance, they resemble insect colonies or messy blots of ink. But you’ll notice that they have a fuzzier, more organic complexion to them. If you come across one of these confusing patterns, it’s clear that you have a mold problem. But you shouldn’t panic. Hiring a mold remediation team quickly will spare you from any serious health hazards and property damage. Despite their infamous reputation, these unsightly fungi are simple and cost-effective to treat during their early stages of development.

Although they are practically ubiquitous indoors and outdoors, mold spores are only bothersome when they begin to reproduce in mass on surfaces in our homes. A colony forms when spores are exposed to water or excessive humidity. When that happens, the fungi will stick to the damp surface and grow in chaotic arrangements, producing unpleasant odors and particles that aggravate our respiratory system. At some point, everyone in the home will start sniffling, sneezing and wheezing. But those with asthma may suffer from an asthma attack if the mold continues to cultivate unattended. Even worse, some species—like black mold—will generate toxins that harm healthy people. For those with allergies or asthma problems, these spores may be fatal. While toxic molds are rare, it’s important to address a colony quickly. Not only will doing so improve the air quality in your home, it will prevent extensive property damage and costly treatments over time. The larger the colony, the larger the price tag.

The EPA says that moldy areas less than 10 square feet can be removed without professional help . But some people may have problems with recurring growth. This likely derives from the mold’s source. Colonies form 24 to 48 hours after they are exposed to water, or in areas with above 50 percent of relative humidity (You can measure relative humidity with a hygrometer bought from a local hardware store). You probably are unable to eliminate the mold because it continues to thrive off moisture in the room. Reducing water exposure—even if it means halting shower use for a couple of weeks—is likely the key to solving the problem. But as mold colonies grow, they become increasingly dangerous to address. Because of the hazards of treating colonies larger than 10 square feet, they should be avoided.

Buying a respiratory mask will temporarily protect your respiratory system as you try to fix the problem. But to remediate the area, you also need to seal the room that’s being worked in. As you clean the colony, spores will travel into adjoining rooms, stick to furnishings and repopulate in moist spaces. Hidden mold, which grows behind wallpapers, ceiling tiles and dry wall, may burst if you attempt to pry the area open, spreading spores even more effectively. To solve the problem, you need to clean the growth with the right chemicals, prevent spores from spreading and suppress the underlying water source from attracting new fungi. Because of the time-sensitivity of this process and the expertise it demands, it’s best to leave the job to the professionals. 

             Bio-One can remove mold from your home permanently. We hire technicians who will isolate the source of the growth, decontaminate the area and remove and reconstruct surfaces that have been affected. Our services are remarkably quick, and they are efficient. Once our team is notified of the job, we’ll usually complete the work within a 24-hour window. Give us a call at your local Bio-One office and you’ll be put in touch with a representative who can address your unique situation. Our phone lines are open 24/7/365. We’re happy to help.

Lingering odors frustrate homeowners and business owners alike. Cigarette smoke, animal waste and mold produce foul, pervasive smells that are difficult to remove. Despite your best efforts, they often survive over-the-counter cleaning agents and air fresheners, and return with the same potency as before. An ineffectual process of spraying and scrubbing ensues, prolonging the issue and circumventing the problem. Why are some odors so intractable? The answer depends on the concentration of a smell’s source and the permeability of whatever it touches. Cat urine, for example, is a highly concentrated chemical solution that soaks a given area with powerful compounds. These molecules sink deep into porous surfaces and fester over time, making them extremely difficult to remove. Left unattended, these urine stains will produce an overwhelming odor that will only go away if the right cleaning chemicals saturate the affected area. A similar situation occurs in the homes of chronic smokers. While not nearly as concentrated as cat urine, cigarette smoke penetrates walls, carpeting and wooden fixtures. As these surfaces absorb the molecules that irritate our noses, a lingering odor develops. These smells are stubborn and persistent.

Sometimes, they’re even dangerous. Mold, feces and decayed animals produce noxious odors that pollute your home with airborne bacteria. Once inhaled, these germs can cause respiratory problems that require medical treatment. They’re the reason why people who haven’t been trained in biohazard remediation are discouraged from cleaning up unattended deaths and large decomposing animals themselves. Air respirators and other professional equipment are required in these situations to stymie infectious airborne pathogens.

Unfortunately, home appliances and common cleaning solutions are not effective at dealing with lingering odors. Instead of pushing these smells outside, ventilation systems circulate them throughout the home. Your ability to eradicate them depends on where the odors are coming from and the severity of the source. In hoarding situations, unattended trash and waste rot for months and years, creating a cornucopia of complex odors that are nearly impossible to remove. A single pet stain, conversely, can be remedied easily. But if your carpet is continuously soaked with animal waste, or your walls are frequently exposed to cigarette smoke, you may face a more serious challenge. In extreme scenarios, scented candles and reed diffusers will do little to purify the air quality. While fresheners like Febreze neutralize bad smells, they only offer a temporary solution in these situations. Because the odor’s source often lies beneath carpeting, behind vinyl and inside walls, these products only hide the problem. It will resurface once the deodorizer drifts out of the room, leaving you back where you started.

So what are you supposed to do if you’re struggling to remove a lingering odor? You may need to contact a professional odor remediation company to ventilate your home or business. Bio-One offers a simple and effective approach to restore your property’s air quality in a timely manner. After identifying the source of the smell, our odor removal experts use powerful chemicals and special equipment to comprehensively decontaminate the area. Fixtures in the home that sustain the odor—like porous walls, carpeting and flooring—will be removed and disposed of in accordance with state regulations. Please give us a call so we can address your unique situation. Our phone lines are open 24/7, any day of the year. 

Biohazardous waste demands a different disposal process than other items you might throw in the trash, like discarded food. Any object suffused with blood, bodily fluids or pathological materials must be processed in accordance to state regulations, lest they damage the environment, harm human beings or spread infectious diseases. While regulations vary state-to-state, they invariably result in enormous fines—and even prison time in some cases. Though severe, these penalties are designed to stymie an ongoing problem. Agencies like the World Health Organization regularly highlight the costs of improper medical waste disposal, like the inundation of contaminated syringes in low-income nations. A person who suffers an injury from an incorrectly disposed syringe, according to the agency, has a 30 percent chance of developing HBV from an infected source patient. Incorrect disposal methods can also contaminate a city’s water supply, pollute the air with toxins and injure landfill workers. Because of the dangers of improper biohazard disposal, you should be aware of the precautionary techniques that professional cleanup technicians follow to responsibly remove infectious waste.

First, it’s helpful to define biohazard waste and the materials that constitute it. Simply put, biohazard waste is trash that has the potential to transmit a disease. Because the phrase carries such a broad definition, it is generally divided into five subcategories that require separate cleanup procedures. They are outlined here:

1)     Sharps

Any biohazard that can puncture the skin adopts the rather colloquial designation “sharps.” Used syringes, knives, scalpels, broken glass and microscope slides fit under this definition. Among the various categories of biohazard waste, sharps should be approached with the most caution. Someone who hasn’t been formally trained in biohazard cleanup can easily cut themselves if they aren’t careful, which will surely result in a trip to the hospital. According to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, biohazardous sharps must immediately be disposed of in a properly labeled biohazardous sharps container. As their name implies, these containers have been specially designed to collect sharps in a safe and simplistic manner. You can purchase sharps containers online, but you should only do so if you’re planning to transport the waste to a proper disposal site. These supervised collection sites include hospitals, pharmacies, universities, police stations, health departments, fire stations and doctor’s offices.

2)     Solid Waste (Non-Sharp)

Solid, non-sharp objects contaminated with blood, bodily fluids or other potentially infectious materials fall under this category. They include medical gloves, used gauze, linens, towels, plastics, non-glass containers and other personal protective equipment. If the object can splinter or break apart (i.e. glassware), it should be treated as a “sharp.” All solids should be stored in a thick, leakproof container fitted with a lid. Make sure your container is properly labeled and lined with a biohazard disposal bag. You can find biohazard waste containers online, but from here, you must contact a certified medical waste disposal contractor for pickup. They will proceed to sterilize the contents of the container and dispose of the materials in accordance with state law.

3)     Liquid Waste

Liquids such as blood, saliva, semen, breast milk, biological culture mediums and other blood products qualify under this category. Like with solid waste, these fluids must be stored in a properly labeled, leakproof container. The University of Tennessee in Knoxville recommends placing the container in a larger receptacle for safety. You can disinfect the product by adding bleach proportionate to 10 percent of the container’s entire volume, but we recommend that you call a certified medical waste disposal contractor if you are untrained in this procedure. Refrain from disposing the product down the sink or dumping it somewhere outside your home. Even if the solution has been diluted, you will risk damaging the environment and subjecting others to harmful pathogens.

4)     Pathological Waste

Pathological materials include human and animal tissues, organs and body parts (teeth are an exception). We recommend that you immediately contact a licensed medical waste disposal contractor if you come across one of these items. Proper storage procedures involve placing the waste into two properly labeled leakproof biohazard bags. When transported, these bags should be contained in a secondary storage unit—a tray or plastic container—for additional security. Disposal teams will usually incinerate the items.

5)     Microbiological Waste

Unless you’re a medical professional, you are least likely to encounter microbiological waste. It’s almost always found in laboratories, and includes items used to handle biological cultures—such as dishes, mixing devices and other tools. Laboratory personnel generally handle waste disposal on site. If you encounter any of these items, contact a certified medical waste disposal contractor immediately. 

Bio-One’s certified technicians frequently work with clients to remove biohazardous materials safely, courteously and privately. Please contact us if you have any questions. We’re available every hour of the day. 

You’ve probably seen grey lockboxes with biohazard stickers mounted to walls in pharmacies and libraries and wondered what they are. These containers have been implemented in public institutions to contain sharps waste, a dangerous kind of medical refuse. Referred to colloquially as “sharps” in the health care industry, this category of infectious waste includes anything that can pierce the skin. Needles, knives, scalpels, broken glass, lancets and razors are included under this definition. As are syringes, which tend to feature in the most publicized examples of sharps mismanagement. For instance, CBS News reported that officials in San Francisco collected 13,000 used syringes off the streets in March 2017. While these numbers were certainly amplified by the opioid crisis, this extreme example illustrates why everyone must take precautions to ensure that discarded needles are properly disposed of. Moreover, it underscores the fact that this is a ubiquitous and contemporary issue in the US. What makes sharps so dangerous is that they’re almost always contaminated with someone else’s body fluids. When the instrument pierces another person’s skin, it can easily transmit bloodborne pathogens like HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. To suppress the spread of disease, you’ll need to know how to dispose of sharps properly.   

            Allowing a trained medical professional to handle sharps is ideal. But some situations may require you to dispose of them yourself. If you need to pick one up off the ground, be sure you’re wearing thick, puncture resistant gloves and that you’re walking slowly. Point the tip away from your body and from others, and dispose of the item in a secure sharps container as quickly as possible. Regulated by the FDA, these containers are distinct for their red, puncture proof exterior and clear top. They are also marked by the internationally recognized biohazard symbol, which looks like three rings pinned together concentrically by a nail. You will find these at a number of disposal sites in your state. They include hospitals, some libraries, pharmacies, universities, police stations, health departments, fire stations and doctor’s offices. Wall mounted sharps containers come in red and grey, and look like lockboxes. If you are unsure, an official collection box will always carry the biohazard symbol.

Often times you’ll need to transport the item to one of these disposal sites. Placing sharps in a puncture proof, leak proof container is required to avoid an accident. While the vessel can be something mundane, like a bleach container, be sure to mark it as hazardous for additional safety. Although this process is inconvenient, the law mandates that you dispose of sharps at a collection site. So make sure you never throw them in the trash or flush them down the toilet. Doing so puts trash collectors, landfill operators, sewage workers, children and other household members at risk. Do not place sharps in a container that is overflowing, and never try to force them inside. If you are stuck with a sharp, wash the wound with soap and water, and seek immediate medical attention.

Bio-One transports and disposes of medical waste daily. Contact us if have any questions about sharps management. We’re available to help 24/7/365. 

A recent outbreak of MRSA at University of Pittsburgh’s Medical Center Children’s Hospital had people talking about the infection’s scariest attribute: It’s resistance to antibiotics. This tenacious staph infection affected 12 people in the intensive care unit—six of them babies—raising concerns about the bacteria’s contagiousness and apparent invulnerability. Fortunately, the disease can be treated, though it may be difficult to do depending on the location of the infection on the patient’s body. Here, we’ll break down what MRSA is, the symptoms you should be looking out for, and how to prevent it.

MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It is a highly contagious staph bacteria that infects the skin and resists numerous antibiotics—including methicillin, which once successfully treated staph infections. In the past, doctors over-prescribed penicillin-related antibiotics like methicillin, allowing the bacteria to develop a heightened tolerance for them. Now treatment typically involves drainage of the infected area, culture testing of pus from the wound and stronger antibiotics. Though the infection is relatively uncommon—94,000 Americans are affected each year, and 19,000 die—two out of 100 people carry MRSA, according to the CDC.  The bacteria do not usually cause a serious infection in carriers, but it can develop in others if it enters their bloodstream.

Symptoms arise when a red, swollen abscess appears on the body. It tends to look volcanic, with a white bump appearing between an area of reddened skin. Touching it will cause pain, but if you suspect you have the infection, gently feel the abscess to check if its emanating heat. If it is, you’re likely affected by a bacterial strain of some kind, and should seek a doctor for consultation. Pus and other drainage will likely ooze out of the affected area, and you’re likely to develop a fever. Although these symptoms are associated with MRSA, recognizing them on your body does not necessarily mean you have developed this specific infection. Only a doctor can make that distinction. While you don’t need to make a trip to the emergency room, you’ll want to make an appointment quickly. If left to fester, MRSA will infect the matter beneath the wound, which can result in a life-threatening situation. You will need to cover the abscess immediately, however. The bacteria will spread to every surface is touches, raising the chances that you will infect someone else.

Though MRSA is highly contagious, prevention is relatively easy. Washing your hands thoroughly—especially after hospital visits—will deter the infection almost entirely. Make sure you scrub them for 15 seconds and you use soap. Hand disinfectr brands with an alcohol content of at least 60 percent will also help you kill the bacteria. Of course, you’ll also need to cover up open wounds. A clean bandage will do, but make sure you change them regularly. While these instructions seem obvious, it is critical that you follow them because of how effective MRSA is at sticking to surfaces for lengthy periods of time. Depending on the type of material, the bacteria will remain for several days, weeks and even months. Washing your hands and covering your wounds will do much to quell the spread of the infection. You should also avoid sharing personal items like towels, razors, clothing and cosmetics. Because MRSA abscesses will spread germs to any item it touches, the bacteria will enter your bloodstream through open wounds and orifices if you are not careful.

            Bio-One is happy to answer any questions you have about preventing the spread of MRSA. Our phone lines are open 24/7/365.

Not many people know that biohazard cleanup companies like Bio-One exist. Clients turn to us during moments of crisis in their lives, and hence, don’t usually discover who we are until they require a service. This lack of awareness is understandable. People don’t expect awful tragedies like homicide and suicide to affect their families. But the resulting unfamiliarity can generate mystique around our role here at Bio-One. It’s true that we specialize in crime scene cleanup and decontamination services. We also remove clutter in hoarding situations, eradicate stubborn odors and disinfect property tarnished by animal waste. But in our view, the role of Bio-One is more involved than that. We are here to help you during your time of greatest need. So we treat our jobs like first responders do, prioritizing the people in our communities when they need us most.

That’s why we’re always on stand-by. If you need to reach out to us, our phone lines are always open, no matter what time of the day it is. When you give us a call, we’ll immediately connect your request to the nearest team of cleanup technicians so that they can proceed in assisting you. Why does our perpetual availability matter to us? Because we never want someone to feel like they must confront a painful and daunting situation by themselves. We’re always ready to step in so you can focus on healing.

But consistency is not enough. For our clients, the road to recovery requires a rapid response on our part. We share your sense of urgency and understand that you need your property restored promptly. Our teams strive to arrive on site within an hour. In most situations, we don't collect payment until after a job has been completed. It’s the least we can do to ensure your needs are met first and foremost. That’s why our company motto is “help first, business second.” We prioritize your well-being over our bottom-line. When prices are discussed, you’ll notice that 95 percent of the work we do is covered by insurers. This coverage makes us one of the most affordable cleanup crews in town.

We also pride ourselves on being the most compassionate company in the industry. When you contact Bio-One, we are duty-bound to protect your privacy and provide you with superior customer service. We’ll arrive on site in unmarked vans to keep the job discrete. Moreover, our decontamination teams are trained to help you through a difficult situation. Not only will the service we provide be efficient and effective, it will be conducted in a manner that’s respectful of you, your family and your home. Your satisfaction is our guarantee.

Bio-One is also here to keep you safe. Biohazardous materials that are not properly disinfected create significant health risks. They are also dangerous to clean up, requiring specialized equipment designed to protect the user from unwanted viruses, noxious fumes and physical hazards. Proper sanitation requires an exhaustive process that only the professionals are qualified to handle. We dispose of biohazardous materials in accordance with state law to protect people and the environment from harmful toxins. You also don’t want to clean up the aftermath of a suicide or homicide yourself. Doing so will surely intensify your emotional trauma, making it more difficult to recover. Our disinfection process eliminates tenacious viruses safely and comprehensively, restoring both your property and your peace of mind.

We consider ourselves part of the communities we serve, so please reach out with any questions about biohazard safety, suicide prevention and more. We are here to help in every way that we can.