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What is the difference between cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing?

Often times when it comes to the words clean, sanitize and disinfect they are used interchangeably. However, there is a significant difference between these terms and knowing what they mean can help keep your home or workplace a clean and safe environment.

Cleaning physically removes germs, dirt and impurities from surfaces or objects. It involves using soap or detergent and water along with a mechanical action such as wiping to remove germs from surfaces. Cleaning does not kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection.

Disinfecting kills germs on surfaces or objects. In order to kill germs properly, chemicals need to be applied according to the label as each product is different. Disinfecting does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection.

Sanitizing lowers the number of germs on surfaces or objects to a safe level, as judged by public health standards or requirements. In order for a product to be considered a sanitizer, it must reduce bacteria on a surface by at least 99.9 percent. This process works by either cleaning or disinfecting surfaces or objects to lower the risk of spreading infection.

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What does pre-loss condition mean?

There may be some damage to your home and property that existed prior to your loss. Therefore, these damages will not be included in the scope of repairs. We are responsible for returning your home to how it was before the damage occurred, in other words, to its pre-loss condition, using materials of like-kind and quality. At your request, we will provide you with an estimate for any additional construction projects you may wish undertaken by our team. This additional work is termed, “non-insured work.”

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Why are air movers and dehumidifiers used?

When water damage occurs in your commercial property, the water can be absorbed into the drywall (sheetrock), baseboards, sub-flooring, carpeting, etc. Drying these materials effectively requires high velocity air movers to accelerate the drying process, before mold and other more serious problems occur. The use of professional-standard dehumidifiers are also necessary for removing the excess moisture to create conditions for efficient drying and prevent further damage to your property.

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