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Taking care of business is like taking care of yourselves. Just like you make efforts to have the best of your health, businesses require similar efforts to protect them.

There can be various scenarios that are not good for a business and fire damage is worst of all. It is one of the most common causes of property damage.

You have to take necessary measures to avoid the loss being caused through FIRE; remember about 10% of the small businesses are affected by fire damage with an average cost for a fire claim is $35,000:

#1. Install a Fire Suppression System or a Fire Sprinkler

Every business whether it is small or large, it requires a fire alarm system, at first. Other than a fire alarm, the thing that can save a lot of damage is to install a fire suppression system or a sprinkler system. Both are there to help extinguish fires before the damage starts.

It is good for restaurants and businesses where the interior offers easy ways to catch fire, the systems you install should have a UL 300-compliant wet chemical fire suppression system and follow the standards for fire protection and ventilation.

Here’s a TIP:

Make sure the system is NFPA 96 standard compliant and you’re ready to go.

#2. Reduce Clutter and Fire-catching stuff

After installing a fire suppression system, now is the time to reduce clutter and fire catching stuff.

Keep your business property as clutter-free as possible. Make sure there are no boxes, combustible materials and piles of paper that catch fire instantly. Also, don’t forget to place electrical appliances including toasters, coffeemakers away from paper or fire catching stuff. Have enough space in between your working area so that air can easily circulate around and keep them cool.

#3. Build an Exit Strategy

For whatever disaster we have, we require a proactive approach to prevent the extensive damage. With that proactive attitude, create an emergency exit plan and have your team practice fire drills together.

Make sure each of your emergency exit doors have proper signs and is vivid to look at (yes, the sign board should be RED colored and lit every time).

After you are done with emergency exit drills, make sure the path to emergency exits is clear and employees can easily make a run through them. Just ensure that nothing is blocking them.

#4. Regularly Inspect and Clean Equipment

If we overview the fire damage causes, we find out that electrical fires are the most common one. To prevent electrical fires, you have to keep your machines and equipment in proper working order.

There should be strict guidelines about switching them off when they’re not in use. Clean each tool and equipment to make sure there’s no malfunction out there and are safe to use. You can have regular check-ups from a professional to keep the machines, tools and equipment in shape.

#5. Outdoor Space Maintenance

After regular inspection in the interior, here comes another reason that causes fire damage; outdoor spaces.

Yes, the outdoor spaces are what that matter. For example, if your business is located in the American West, there are high risks for wildfire and it can happen anytime. You can ask an environment protection team to analyze the outdoor spaces and make a few practical efforts to save you from outdoor space’s risks.

#6. Set a Smoking Policy

The sixth strategy to prevent fire damage is to go for a smoking policy. Smoking might be good for you but it can introduce your workspace to potential fire hazards.

Consider these practical tips to implement and save yourself from any fire damage due to the smoke factor:

Design smoking and non-smoking areas: Where your crucial equipment including electrical appliances and wires/main switches are located? Mark them non-smoking areas. In addition, make sure your workspace is smoking free zone.

Have Ashtrays:

In your smoking area, have ashtrays availabile and guide your employees to use them. Keep the ashtrays clean of other material and away from flammable and electrical items. In your regular cleaning routine, clean ashtrays also!

#7. Place and Check Fire Extinguishers

The crucial one; place and check fire extinguishers. To prevent an extensive fire damage, the first step is to teach employees to use fire extinguishers. The next thing is to make their placement on spot; place them anywhere where it is easily accessible.

After the placement, you have to go for regular check-ups whether they’re working or not. Maybe a weekly check-up is what that can save your workplace from any unfortunate fire incident.

#8. Create a Fire Prevention Plan

We have already discussed checking the fire extinguishers, created emergency exits but what about a fire prevention plan?

That plan can save you from a lot of hassle and on-time (abrupt) decisions. For a creative and successful prevention plan, have an environmental clean-up experts like Armor Environmental Solutions; who can be by your side and create a prevention place accordingly. You can forward the fire prevention plan to your employees and have no worries about any unfortunate matters later on.

The Bottom Line

As you follow these eight practical tips, you’re guaranteed to stop 99% of the fire damage. The only 1% left have accurate dependencies on how you react to it. Just have a proactive mindset, have the services of Armor Environmental Solutions and keep your business all-safe and running!

What causes mold to grow in your business or organization?

The first thing you need to know is that mold can potentially grow anywhere with the right environment.

What is the right environment for mold? It must be humid and have limited airflow, and there cannot be any substances that actively fight mold.

Finally, just a few spores are enough to propagate mold growth very quickly.

Those simple rules of mold growth open a world of possibilities for where mold can appear.

So, the solution is to fix any issues that create mold-friendly environments.

Here are X things that help create mold-friendly environments

1. Leaks, new and old

It might be fairly obvious that active leaks create an environment where mold will grow. However, places, where there used to be leaks, maybe even more friendly to mold.

When you fix a leak, its also important to fully dry the are and replace any parts that were damaged by water or mold. The old moisture creates a great environment for mold growth.

Check for leaks in roofs, the floor, and plumbing.

2. Floods

Any area that was flooded due to a storm or a sink or bath overflow and was not properly dried up will help to create a moldy environment. The difficult part about cleaning up after a flood is that the water seems like it’s everywhere. This is where it is important to contract professionals, like Armor Environmental Solutions, to do the dirty work for you.

3. Spills

Did a liquid get spilled on the rug? Don’t just clean it up, dry it! Rugs rarely get exposed to the sun, so the liquid may stay there long enough for mold to find a comfy home in your rug.

4. Poor Rug Cleaning

Mold in the rug is what usually causes a musty smell to linger in the air. This happens more common than you might think. It often happens as a result of non-professional rug cleaning, or poor-quality products or drying after the rug has been shampooed.

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Are you worried about mold propagating in your office or building? Fix the problems that might cause mold now! Armor Environmental Solutions will help you get there. Give us a call now at 1-800-413-3070.

X Most Common Winter Environmental Risks That Can Affect Your Business

Free Checklist: Is Your Organization Ready to Confront the Winter?

College and University campuses are not only where student receive classes, they are places where students live, work, and stay entertained.

The idea of a college campus not being a healthy environment due to poor maintenance is something that no one is thinking about. Of course, students, employees and students’ families assume college campuses will be safe and healthy environments.

However, ensuring this supposed fact of life is no easy task. There are several factors to consider, including different types of buildings (dormitory, classroom, recreation, cafeterias), the changing weather, temperature, and humidity throughout the seasons, and the movement of people between buildings.

Just like any other building, buildings on a college or university campus are vulnerable to mold.

However, there are some reasons why it is more important for colleges to prevent mold growth in their facilities than other types of buildings. Here are 4 reasons to consider:

Reasons Colleges Need to Prevent Mold Growth

1. Students Sleep on the Premises

For at least the first years of college, it is common for students to sleep in dormitories on or near campus. This means that students are spending significant time in rooms that are the responsibility of the university to maintain.

If students discover mold growth in their dormitories or bathrooms, it could be a sign of poor air circulation, a leak, or water damage, among others. Not only can this affect the image of how well the university maintains its campus, it may also cause serious health issues in the students.

2. Mold Exposure Can Make Students Sick

Children and adolescents who have been exposed to mold have problems with their respiratory tract, wheezing, allergies and even eczema.

Illness is not conducive to a proper learning environment. How can you finish your homework efficiently if you are sniffling and sneezing and smelling the musty smell of mold?

If students complain of the mold, the college or university would likely be obligated to update and clean up the mold as an emergency action. This can be a problem for yearly budgets and logistics, especially if several students must be moved while the cleanup occurs.

3. It Looks Bad

Few will admit how important looks are for the impression of a college or university. Especially with the cost of university these days, if the university is stained with mold on the inside and outside of the building, it won’t take long for it to start affecting its reputation.

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Needless to say, it is important for universities and colleges to prevent mold from growing inside and outside of buildings at all cost. Getting a professional mold detection and cleaning service, like Armor Environmental Solutions keep mold at bay all year round will be an investment with benefits beyond simply meeting standards.

 

Once the hurricane passes, most people think they are in the clear. Even though the strong winds and major danger has passed, there are still several risks to your business you need to keep an eye out for.
Here are some of the most common issues that pop up after hurricanes.

⦁ Water damage

Even if flood water recedes quickly, water damage can become a big issue. Water can affect walls, flooring, roofing, and equipment, among others. Even if you aren’t in an area affected by flooding, water damage can be caused by leaks. After strong rains and winds, roofing can shift and water can begin to seep through. Humidity, moisture and stains need to be removed professionally, and Armor Environmental Solutions is ready to help.

0. Mold
Mold is a side effect of moisture, humidity, and water leakage that is not promptly removed. It can occur after a surface has had direct contact with water and is not in an area that easily dries out, or simply due to a very moist environment, as can occur during a hurricane or storm and in the days following. Mold is a hazard to the appearance of your business, but, most importantly, to the health of your employees. mold must be removed promptly by experienced hygienists, like the ones at Armor Environmental Solutions.

0. Infrastructure Damage

The damage of some infrastructure can only truly be felt after the storm is over and water has receded. This includes sewage damage, water services, public transportation, electricity and gas systems, and communications. If the infrastructure of your business was affected by the hurricane or storm, you can get in touch with Armor Environmental Solutions to help clean up the damage.
We can’t prevent hurricanes from coming our way, but we can act fast once damage has occurred to make sure it doesn’t make a big dent in our business income. Getting in touch with an environmental cleanup expert like Armor Environmental Solutions will help you get your business up and running in no time.

3.
How Common Are Storms and Hurricanes in the US?
It seems that the US gets hit by a major hurricane or tropical storm almost every year.
Are hurricanes and tropical storms really that common in the US?
The Hurricane Research Division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has recorded the number of named storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes in the Atlantic Basin since 1851.
The average number of hurricanes and storms per year in the Atlantic Basin, taking data from over the past 50 years, is as follows:*

⦁ 12 named storms
⦁ 6.3 hurricanes
⦁ 2.5 major hurricanes

Note that these are the average numbers of storms and hurricanes that develop in the Atlantic Basin, but not all make landfall in the US.
On average, the number of storms and hurricanes that make landfall in the US per year are:*

⦁ 1.7 hurricanes
⦁ 0.6 major hurricanes
The maximum number of hurricanes to ever hit the US in one year is a whopping 6 hurricanes and 4 major hurricanes.
In other words, data shows that the US will be hit by at least one hurricane per year.
Don’t let the next storm or hurricane catch you off guard. Call Armor Environmental Solutions to ask how we can help you be better prepared should your business be affected by a natural disaster.

4.
What Does the Category of a Hurricane Mean?
As you watched the news report about the changing strength of Hurricane Dorian and Hurricane Humberto, did you wonder what it meant for each of these storms to be categorized as category 1, 2, or even 5 hurricanes?
From the natural disaster cleanup and restoration experts, Armor Environmental Solutions, here is your quick guide to deciphering hurricane categories.
First thing to know: hurricane categories are based on what is called the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. It is a scale that categorizes hurricanes from 1 to 5 based on hurricane wind speed.
The higher the category, the greater the wind speed.

Here is your quick guide to understanding hurricane categories:
⦁ Category 1: 74-95 mph. Very dangerous winds will produce some damage.
⦁ Category 2: 96-110 mph. Extremely dangerous winds will cause extensive damage.
⦁ Category 3: 111-129 mph. Devastating damage will occur.
⦁ Category 4: 130-156 mph. Catastrophic damage will occur.
⦁ Category 5: 157 mph or higher. Catastrophic damage will occur.
Armor Environmental Solutions is a team of experts equipped especially to clean up damage caused by hurricanes of all categories, and other damage caused by natural disasters.

Hurricane Dorian has come and gone – but not without having made hurricane history.
With so many updates as the US and Caribbean followed Hurricane Dorian’s every move, it’s hard to wrap your head around what damage it caused.
To help you wrap your head around what Hurricane Dorian did to our world in the 18 days of its existence, below we have a recap of the astounding effects of Hurricane Dorian.
⦁ Formed on August 24, and dissipated on September 10, 2019.
⦁ Areas affected: Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, The Bahamas, the East Coast of the United States, Eastern Canada, and Southern Greenland.
⦁ The highest recorded wind speed was 185 miles per hour, and it was sustained for 1 minute.
⦁ The most powerful tropical cyclone on record to strike the Bahamas and is considered the worst natural disaster in the country’s history.
⦁ At least 70,000 left homeless in the Bahamas
⦁ Fatalities: 55 direct, 6 indirect
⦁ Damage in USD: $7.5 billion
Without a doubt, Hurricane Dorian is one to go down in history – and not in a good way. In the US, it damaged countless homes and businesses and some areas saw the worst flooding they have ever seen.
We cannot prevent hurricanes from occurring, but we can prepare our businesses to prevent damage and act fast to rebuild and repair, once the damage has occurred.

Water damage is no small deal. Not only can it cause an unexpected leak in your budget, but it can also lead to even more devastating problems if not dealt with swiftly.

Water damage doesn’t necessarily only take place due to floods. Pipe or roof leaks are much more common causes of water damage in both home and commercial properties. What can you do to prevent water damage in your commercial space? Here are 5 tips you put into practice in your business today.

1. Inspect gutters and drains

Clogged gutters and drains can cause backup and stagnant waters that can slowly make their ways through roofs and floors. Inspecting them regularly and cleaning them out will keep water flowing to where it needs to go – over, around and out of your building.

1. Keep your business warm

Temperatures should never reach below 50 degrees in your business, even when spaces are not in use or it is closed for the weekend. Freezing temperatures can cause pipes to burst. Remember that this is also an issue when nighttime and daytime temperatures vary, so make sure to keep your thermostat updated and well-maintained.

1. Insulate outdoor pipes

Pipes that are not in areas where the temperatures are controlled are vulnerable to variations in environment. When temperatures get low, this means that the water in pipes and freeze, and they could potentially burst. Keeping them insulated will reduce the risk of this occurring.

1. Seal cracks and gaps

Have an inspector identify potential problem areas – small cracks and gaps in the walls, floors and roof can open a space for water to come in.

1. Find where the shut-off valve is

If a pipe bursts or leaks, you are going to want to shut off the water as soon as possible in order to avoid flooding and significant water damage. If a pipe breaks, the last thing you want to do is wait for a professional to arrive before turning off the water.

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These five tips will help to prevent water-related emergencies from occurring, and will allow you to act quickly if a leak or pipe burst does occur.