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RIA Members Create Cleaning Solution for Flood Damage

ROCKVILLE, MD — (Marketwire) — 02/18/13 — A number of RIA members have partnered with All Hands Volunteers to create The Sandy Solution, a cleaning solution designed to remediate houses with mold growth as a result of flood damage from Hurricane Sandy. The work can be done by volunteers in conjunction with the property owner.

Michael A. Pinto, CSP, CMP, CEO Wonder Makers Environmental, Inc. and a leader on the project stated, “The most important part was the generosity of RIA members and other professionals in the restoration field in sharing their expertise. All volunteer groups working to help needy homeowners have funding limitations. Through their donations of time, equipment and expertise the RIA has helped to make this comprehensive solution possible.” RIA members are dedicated to furthering education for residents and consumers in order to safely and properly repair damage after flooding disasters.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, households up and down the East coast were left with severe flood and storm surge damage. Initial responders were faced with significant health and safety concerns. But, as the time between the initial flood damage and cleaning efforts expanded, mold growth increased, causing more problems for the homeowners and contractors working to repair the damage.

Government officials have been quick to warn residents of the hazards and need for proper mold treatment; however no cost-effective and efficient solution specifically designed for non-professionals has been agreed upon. The Sandy Solution was created to be a comprehensive approach to dealing with the cleanup, mold treatment, and drying. Depending on the building conditions and the needs of the homeowner, The Sandy Solution offers a stepped approach to repair the damage.

The steps include:

Unlike other cleaning solutions used in flood cleanup, The Sandy Solution uses a foam generator to apply anti-microbial cleaners. The cleaning process includes a number of explicit but easy to follow steps that can be broken down for volunteers to be able to safely apply the foaming solution under a trained supervisor on site.

The goal is to have enough equipment and teams trained to use The Sandy Solution correctly to be able to clean 100 houses in seven to ten days.

“This is another example of how RIA members work to -make it better- for consumers after a damage event in a very practical manner,” said RIA President Sam Bergman, CR.

For more information on The Sandy Solution or assisting in cleanup, please contact the RIA at 800-272-7012 or David Campbell of All Hands Volunteers at 617-312-2999 or at .

The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) has member firms worldwide. RIA provides industry leadership, supports science, and promotes best practices for cleaning and restoration through certification, training and standards development. More information is available on the RIA website: .

:
Patricia L. Harman
Director of Standards & Communications
Restoration Industry Association
301.231.6505 ext. 28
Cell: 410-456-3700