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Safeguarding The Built Environment Since 1983

Frequently Asked Questions

See some common questions we’re asked below…

contact e.h.c. for environmental hazard issues

Mold

How can mold affect me?

According to the EPA allergic reactions to mold are common. They can be immediate or delayed. Mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people.  The more exposure to mold that a person encounters, the higher chance they have of becoming allergic to the particular species of mold they were exposed to.   Mold spores and mold growth are always present outdoors; it’s what keeps leaves and wood from piling up.  People tend to have issues when mold growth occurs inside of a building because the toxin and the spore levels build up to levels much higher than found outdoors.

Where can you find mold?

Molds are found in virtually every environment and can be detected, both indoors and outdoors year round. Mold growth is encouraged by warm and humid conditions. Indoors growth can be found where humidity levels are high, such as basements or showers.

How can I tell if I have a mold problem?

Mold spores are among us all of the time; in our homes, outside, in our cars, and in our work environment.  Typically, mold only becomes a problem when it is actively growing inside of a home or building because the spore levels will increase drastically and the mycotoxin levels build up, often to unsafe levels. In order to stop mold growth in a building, first the water intrusion or humidity source must be fixed.  If you clean up the mold, but don’t fix the moisture problem mold will likely grow back relatively fast.  There is only one correct way to remediate mold growth; if these procedures are not followed the problem can be made worse.  We have seen this many times over the years when unqualified remediation firms performing sub-par remediation work.

How can people decrease mold exposure?

Sensitive individuals should avoid areas that are likely to have mold, such as compost piles, cut grass, and wooded areas. Inside homes, mold growth can be slowed by controlling humidity levels and ventilating showers and cooking areas.  Homes should also be inspected often for dirty duct work, water leaks, or signs of mold growth.

Specific Recommendations:

  • Keep humidity levels between 30% and 50% RH. An air conditioner or dehumidifier will help you keep the levels where they need to be.  Keep in mind that humidity levels change over the course of a day with changes in the moisture in the air and the air temperature, so you will need to check the humidity levels more than once a day; ideally you should purchase a dehumidifier with a digital read-out so you can see humidity levels real time.
  • Use an air conditioner or a dehumidifier during humid months.
  • Be sure the home has adequate ventilation, including exhaust fans.
  • Clean bathrooms with anti-microbial/ bacterial products; use bathroom exhaust fans to remove humid air from showering.
  • Do not carpet bathrooms and basements.
  • Remove or replace previously soaked carpets and upholstery.

How to keep mold at bay in your shower?

Moisture and water will always exist in your shower and/or tub.  It’s the perfect breeding ground for mold.  Here are some simple tips to keep mold from spreading:

  • Add a bathroom exhaust fan that is properly vented to outside of the home (not into attic space).
  • Keep exhaust fan on for at least 10 minutes after shower has ended (timers can be added by an electrician).
  • Add a dehumidifier to reduce the humidity levels in your bathroom.
  • Keep your shower and/or tub clear of any standing water and clean regularly with anti-microbial bathroom cleaner.

Asbestos

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is the name given to a group of six different fibrous minerals that occur naturally in the environment. Asbestos fibers are too small to be seen by the naked eye. They do not dissolve in water or evaporate. They are resistant to heat, fire, and chemical or biological degradation. Asbestos is also used in many commercial products, including pipe insulation, ceiling tiles, boiler wrap insulation brake linings, joint compound, plaster, vinyl sheet flooring, floor tiles, drywall, and roofing shingles.  There have been over 4,000 products made with asbestos, some of which we still import from other countries today in 2016.

What health effects can be caused by exposure to asbestos?

Three of the major health effects associated with asbestos exposure are:

  • Lung cancer
  • Mesothelioma- a rare form of cancer that is found in the thin lining of the lung, chest and the abdomen and heart.
  • Asbestosis- a serious progressive, long-term, non-cancer  disease of the lungs

What Should Be Done About Asbestos In The Home?

Because asbestos was used in thousands of building products it’s very likely that it might be present in some building materials in your office building or even in your home; but don’t panic! We find that is often best practice to LEAVE asbestos materials that are not damaged ALONE. Asbestos building materials that are in satisfactory condition will not release asbestos fibers unless they are disturbed by renovations, vibrations air erosion, or other human activities.  Asbestos is not dangerous unless fibers become airborne and inhaled into our lungs. If you suspect your home contains an asbestos building material have it tested prior to disturbing it.  Some common materials are floor tile (9”x9” and 12” x 12”), plaster, drywall joint compound, cement siding, vinyl sheet flooring, roofing, insulations, etc.

Lead

Where is lead found?

Many homes built before 1978 have lead-based paint. In general, the older your home, the more likely it has lead-based paint. Soil around a home can contain lead from sources like deteriorated exterior paint, past use of leaded gas in cars, or from past renovation activities. Household dust can pick up lead from deteriorating lead-based paint, from past renovation projects, or from soil tracked into a home. If you work with lead, you could bring it home on your hands or clothes. It is important to shower and change clothes before going home. Launder your work clothes separately from the rest of your family’s clothes.

Where can lead paint and dust residue be found in your home?

Lead is often found in many parts of our living environment- the air that we breathe, the water that we drink, the soil that grows our food and even in our homes. Most exposure is caused by human activities including the use of fossil fuels (past use of leaded gasoline), industrial facilities, and past use of lead-based paint in homes and commercial buildings.  Lead was often used in paint, gasoline, pipes and plumbing materials, batteries, ceramics, ammunition and even cosmetics.

Lead can contaminate our environment from its past use and remaining presence.  It can also be emitted into the environment from contaminated sites and industrial sources.  Natural levels of lead in soil can range between 50 and 400 parts per million, smelting, refining, and mining activities have caused increased lead levels in our environment.

Lead vapor can be released into the air from certain industrial sources and because it is in vapor form it has the ability to travel long distances before it turns back to solid form and falls to the ground.  Lead has the ability to move from soil into groundwater depending on the type of lead compound and the classification of soil.

State and Federal regulations have reduced the amount of lead in soil, air, consumer products, food, and drinking water.  New RRP contractor regulations have been put into effect which requires all contractors who work in target housing that contains lead paints must first be certified through the EPA’s RRP program.

Inspection method for Lead

Portable XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) lead-based paint analyzers are the most common primary analytical method for inspections in housing because of their demonstrated abilities to determine if lead-based paint is present on many surfaces and to measure the paint without destructive sampling or paint removal as well as their high speed.

How can I get rid of lead-based paint?

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency lead abatement is an activity designed to permanently eliminate lead-based paint hazards. Lead Abatement is sometimes ordered by a state or local government, and can involve specialized techniques not typical of most residential contractors. EPA requires individuals and firms who perform lead abatement projects in pre-1978 target housing and child-occupied facilities to be certified and follow specific work practices.

How can I lower my chances of exposure to Lead?

You can lower the chances of exposure to lead in your home, both now and in the future, by taking these steps:

  • Inspect and maintain all painted surfaces to prevent paint deterioration
  • Address water damage quickly and completely
  • Keep your home clean and dust-free
  • Clean around painted areas where friction can generate dust, such as doors, windows, and drawers. Wipe these areas with a wet sponge or rag to remove paint chips or dust
  • Use only cold water to prepare food and drinks
  • Flush water outlets used for drinking or food preparation
  • Clean debris out of outlet screens or faucet aerators on a regular basis
  • Wash children’s hands, bottles, pacifiers and toys often
  • Teach children to wipe and remove their shoes and wash hands after playing outdoors

Duct Cleaning

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 25 to 40 percent of the energy used for heating or cooling is wasted. Contaminants like cigarette smoke, pet hair and dander, or water damage are all factors that lead to your HVAC system not working to its potential. When an HVAC system is clean, it doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain the temperature you desire. As a result, less energy is used, leading to improved cost-effectiveness.

Why should air ducts be cleaned?

Indoor air pollutants such as pollen, dust, mold spores, skin cells and animal dander accumulate in supply and return duct work and even in the coil of the HVAC system.  These surfaces are hidden from our everyday view and can only be cleaned using proper procedures and specialty equipment.  Each time an HVAC system cycles on it causes these foreign accumulations to migrate out of the duct work and into your lungs.  Even worse, if mold is growing in your duct work spores and mycotoxins will be released into your breathing air.  Most duct work installed in residential homes is now made of fiberglass board that is shaped into duct work.  This board comes with a factory coating, but air erosion eventually causes it to break down and fiberglass can be distributed into your home each time the system cycles on.  We offer an option with our proposals to seal the duct work using a special paint formulated for use in duct work to re-encapsulate the fiberglass.

How often should I have my air ducts cleaned?

Once an air duct system is thoroughly cleaned, it should remain clean for 3 to 7 years if properly maintained. A standard disposable filter only stops about 10% of the airborne contaminates, allowing 90% of the dust in the room to flow back into the air system. To maintain protection against biological growth, an EPA registered biocide should be applied every 6 to 12 months by a qualified Air Duct Cleaning Professional.

How can mold grow in a duct system and what problems can it cause?

Mold can grow on the accumulated dust and foreign material that accumulates in supply and return duct work.  If humidity level increase, mold growth within 24 hours inside air ducts.  HVAC coils can also malfunction and push excessive moisture into the duct work, which will also cause mold growth.  The final cause of mold growth in duct work are whole house humidifiers installed in HVAC systems; often these can malfunction and push too much moisture into a system.

Which parts of the air system should be cleaned?

HVAC systems contain three major components:

1. Supply and return registers/grills;

2. Interior duct surfaces from return and supply ducts; and

3. The Air handler and Coil.  All  components must be properly cleaned following NADACA source removal procedures.

If a component is not cleaned, it will contaminate the system as soon as the system is turned back on after the cleaning.  The average size residential house requires a 2 to 3 person crew 8 hours to properly clean; if a company is doing it faster they aren’t following the NADCA source removal standard.

Will HVAC system cleaning reduce our home energy bills?

Research by the U.S. EPA has demonstrated that HVAC system cleaning may allow systems to run more efficiently by removing debris from sensitive mechanical components. Clean, efficient systems are less likely to break down, have a longer life span, and generally operate more effectively than dirty systems.

One customer well taken care of could be more valuable than $10,000 worth of advertising.

~ Jim Rohn

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Our Google Reviews

Good place to work
Jennifer King
Jennifer King
16:13 30 May 23
I would not recommend this company for duct work cleaning, They ruined the wall and ceiling paint around the ducts that they were cleaning, as well as scratching the paint on the vent covers. They chipped the wood on door casings. Their attention to detail was poor and I would not want to use them again.
Terri
Terri
20:35 05 May 23
I see that there are a lot of great reviews here on this website and that’s great but I just had this company in my home on 12/12 - 12/15/2022 yes they did a good job but they also robbed my home in the process, I am so hurt, and I feel so violated!! I would not want anyone to feel the way I feel right now. These people went so far as to take my clothes, my clothes it is the holiday, why???? I called the office right away, if they were a reputable company they would have called me back by now, but they have not. I just praise God for insurance. The work that was done was good work, but the workers robbing me, leaving me feeling so violated is the worst feeling I’ve ever felt in my life.
Georgette Cottrell
Georgette Cottrell
17:09 30 Apr 23
Alex and his team did a wonderful job. They arrived promptly and went right to work abating our asbestos. Alex answered any questions I had and made this frustrating situation a very smooth and easy process for me. The clean up after abatement was very good as well. I would highly recommend EHC and Alex for your jobsite.
Derrick Hamm
Derrick Hamm
12:52 14 Dec 22
Forrest and his crew did a great job, removing carpet and getting room ready for install.Very clean, and timely. Very appreciated!!
Christopher Trovinger
Christopher Trovinger
21:12 19 May 22
brett dworsak
brett dworsak
00:33 09 Apr 22
Elio is very informative and explains things so the average person can understand it. I feel he is an asset to your company.
Barbara Nitsche
Barbara Nitsche
15:10 16 Feb 22
EHC has done several projects at our facility no job to big or too small,they communicate and are mindful of ours and there safety responsabilities. forrest and alex and there teams are very easy to work with and do a very professional job, we will continue to use EHC for all our enviromental needs.
Devin Neff
Devin Neff
18:41 05 Oct 21
Ilse Ramires
Ilse Ramires
17:16 19 Aug 21
I would like to compliment EHC and its employees for a great job of asbestos removal and mold remediation. In particular I want to say how professional Elio Cirilo is. He was not pushy nor did he use any scare tactics. He simply explained what needed to be done and general details of how it would be accomplished. I believe it is absolutely best to be honest with people and answer their questions. He was very comfortable just talking to me and his integrity was evident. He answered my questions and even made a second trip to go over things with me and tell me more options. He told me if there was anything I wanted to discuss with him at any point in the work I should give him a call and he would look into it. When the work was finished he reviewed the time and materials and felt the estimate was higher than necessary so he reduced it. He said he wanted to be sure I felt I was being treated fairly. This kind of concern and ethics like this are rare and appreciated. Well done!
Wanda King
Wanda King
18:35 03 Aug 21
We live in a 100 year old house that had vermiculite in an unfinished attic. After having 3 other companies out to give us an appraisal and not feeling comfortable with any of them, we contacted e.h.c. associates. Elio Cirilo an estimator was out the next day. Within minutes of meeting Elio I knew that this was the company I wanted to use. He went over every step of the process from start to finish and answered EVERY question we had. The work they performed went beyond what I expected. Every associate that works for this company from the office staff to the field techs were friendly and professional. They will be the company I use for any projects I have in the future and I highly recommend this company.
Stephen Farren
Stephen Farren
19:35 29 Jul 21
Our infant son tested high for lead last year, and EHC was the place consistently recommended for testing and lead abatement. For a few weeks, our home ended up looking like a biohazard zone as they sealed it up and then meticulously tested and removed any sign of lead in our 125+ year old house. Some portions of our home were removed, some were encapsulated, some were sand blasted and sealed. The attention to detail was really impressive. In the end we felt we could move back into our home without worry that it was damaging our child. A few months later and our son's lead levels have dropped to below threshold for lead poisoning (so much faster than doctors anticipated), and it's because of EHC. This was an expensive process, but it is very clear why. I would recommend them to anyone.
Lauren Howard
Lauren Howard
18:15 09 May 21
We had E.H.C. disinfect our schools. Alex Henriquez led the team and they did an excellent job. I highly recommend them. They worked quickly and were very thorough. Great company!
Galeon Brown
Galeon Brown
18:57 10 Mar 21
I have worked with EHC as a vendor on multiple jobs. Tony Klopp and the crews are organize and communicate with us before the job begins, so we are all on the same page. The site guys work extremely well with our drivers when on site. Job sites are clean and accessible for our drivers to get in and do their job.
Harry Bertoti
Harry Bertoti
22:32 04 Mar 21
EHS associates just removed some asbestos insulation from some had to reach areas (older house) and Ernesto and his team did a great job.I am very pleased and would recommend then highly.
Eugene DiFilippo
Eugene DiFilippo
21:46 27 Jan 21
William Benefict@GMAIL.COM Benedict
William Benefict@GMAIL.COM Benedict
22:26 17 Jan 21
E.H.C. has been great to work with. Alex Henriquez is always very knowledgeable and professional about the situation. I enjoy handling projects with him.
Michael Potts
Michael Potts
01:05 11 Jan 21
E.H.C. provides top shelf service every time, all the time. From the estimating process through project completion the staff and support to the project is always superb. I have personally had multiple projects involving asbestos remediation with multiple lead site managers the most recent Alex Henriquez provided daily communications on project status and projected completion helping schedule the next steps in our projects. In the construction arena when finding quality contractors can be challenging E.H.C. sets the standard for a fantastic work experience.
Joe Deckman
Joe Deckman
12:40 23 Dec 20
Maria G Becerra cruz
Maria G Becerra cruz
18:38 10 Oct 20
It has been a pleasure working with EHC at Armstrong. Alex Henriquez did a great job explaining the work plan, and was very receptive to any small requests/changes we at Armstrong made. Elio Cirilo did an excellent job providing us with quick, accurate estimates.
Jeremy Brickner
Jeremy Brickner
20:18 29 Sep 20
I have had the pleasure of working with Dan and Alex on several projects over the past year. They are very professional and thorough. I would highly recommend their services to anyone.
Katie D
Katie D
18:20 28 Sep 20
EHC was fast at and on time for the work on our house. I would recommend them.
JD Roy
JD Roy
22:00 07 Aug 20
Very pleased with the outcome. Alex Henriquez and his crew were simply awesome. Cathy, Barb, Wendy and Elio were very professional and courteous. This team hit a home run...highly recommended!
Ron Mathiot
Ron Mathiot
23:48 05 Aug 20
This is the third time EHC has helped me with a problem and I couldn't be happier. This time Alex and his helper removed duct work with asbestos and did a fantastic job. Having asbestos is scary and these guys make it seem like an everyday occurrence. The office personnel are so kind and polite. This is a great company. Thanks EHC for your very professional, excellent work.
Nancy Benedict
Nancy Benedict
21:34 01 Aug 20
E.H.C. was very responsible to our needs! It was a small job in our basement, that was done promptly. Alex Henriquez and his team were courteous, quick and thorough. I would recommend highly!
Tom Curry
Tom Curry
15:30 16 Jul 20
Great service! Muchisimas gracias, many thanks to Alex Henriquez, Jorge Ortega Sr., and Jorge Ortega Jr. for amazing work! Very professional, thorough, and efficient. Couldn't have done it without you!
Naiomi Tapia
Naiomi Tapia
04:47 09 Jul 20
Alex and his crew just finished removal of asbestos tile from my basement. They arrived right on time and finished quicker than estimated. Alex was helpful and polite. Great experience!
Travis Lehman
Travis Lehman
19:10 28 May 20
Alex Henriquez and his team were wonderfully patient, professional, and efficient. Having their services to clean and sanitize COVID-19 was a great blessing to all of us!
Kay B
Kay B
13:17 15 May 20
Great costumer service by their employees.Providing a great service to our community.Spotted one of their great job supervisor ALEX HENRIQUEZ doing a great job at out community police department (Columbia borough police department) keep up the great work guys.GREAT JOB E.H.C ASSOCIATES
Gerson Urena
Gerson Urena
15:20 13 May 20
Alex Henriquez
Alex Henriquez
19:11 11 Apr 20
We recently had EHC come into the house to clean out the asbestos insulation on the plumbing in the crawl space.Luis Erena and his crew came in and did a first class job. Very quick and efficient.I would highly recommend EHC and Luis to everyone.Dave Natale
Dave Natale
Dave Natale
22:35 26 Mar 20
Daryl with EHC has been such a pleasure to work with on site at the Coatesville VA Medical Center. His team is performing our demolition and Asbestos abatement, Veteran Design and Construction Inc and myself would highly recommend EHC and Associates for any job large or small. Thank you Daryl for all of your hard work and taking the time to go above and beyond and keeping our clients safe during abatement and demolition on our sites.
Hugh Galbreath
Hugh Galbreath
12:11 26 Feb 20
great service from Daryl Hartman I really enjoyed the way he supervised the crew, Great job I will use again in the future.
Ervin Coop
Ervin Coop
20:48 24 Feb 20
Daryl and his team have done an amazing job organized and effect will be using ehc again
Bruce Phifer
Bruce Phifer
20:26 24 Feb 20
All involved was very professional and courteous.Thank you. Elio, Dan, Arthur, CJ, Luis, I forgot some names.
Dennis Matias
Dennis Matias
13:46 24 Feb 20
We contacted EHC, set up an appt and Mark came to visit and took readings. We suspected mold issues due to our Grandson was having a reaction every time he visited us recently. The testing indicated mold in our ducts. Art and Nelson came out and in 2 days the cleaning and treatment eradicated the issue. The whole process was seamless and we are confident it was totally taken care of.Art and Nelson were professional and courteous during this process, we couldn't have asked for more.
Richard Heller
Richard Heller
20:26 18 Feb 20
Wonderful service and experience. Elio was very knowledgeable and had excellent customer service skills. I would recommend them hands down.
Sukie Suarez
Sukie Suarez
22:28 14 Feb 20
EHC completed asbestos floor tile removal and interior demolition in the basement of our home. Throughout the process, I was highly impressed and very satisfied with their professionalism and responsiveness. The work was supervised by Daryl who went out of his way to communicate and was very diligent in ensuring the work was completed to a high standard.
Dominic Rice
Dominic Rice
20:51 10 Feb 20
We have worked along side of EHC and CJ on various projects and they have always been professional. It is great to partner with Companies like EHC.
dustin gingrich
dustin gingrich
11:38 31 Jan 20
We recently used EHC on a project with great results. The demolition scope was vital to keep a tight schedule on track. CJ and his team were up to the task and able to finish as promised. They were professional and made sure the site was cleaned up after every shift.
Doug McKain
Doug McKain
00:05 30 Jan 20
Mr. Cirilo was very patient and took time to answer all of our questions. We appreciated his effort to educate us and not just prescribe a solution.
Konrad Martin
Konrad Martin
17:04 28 Jan 20
Very satisfied with the mold remediation in our attic space. Alex Henriquez was in charge and communicated very well, explaining every step that was going on. He is quite pleasant and an asset to your company. The team was very prompt and efficient. Very glad we chose EHC!
Martha Kast
Martha Kast
21:13 20 Jan 20
This was a very positive experience. They showed up as scheduled and were very professional. They alerted me of a possible problem with my existing unit and supplied a detailed summary of the work done.Follow up was immediate. I highly recommend this company.Susie Ketner, Homeowner
Carolyn Ketner
Carolyn Ketner
00:59 31 May 19
Very professional and easy to work with. Kind and knowledgeable staff all around. I'd recommend them to everyone!
Beth Frey
Beth Frey
16:42 29 May 19
Company was great to work with from estimating to the final reports sent to us after the job was completed. They communicate well, show up as scheduled and do the job as estimated very well. Will definitely recommend in the future. Thanks again to everyone! Matt Shay - Dale E. Wentling Inc.
Matthew Shay
Matthew Shay
20:37 08 May 19
Tony Luse
Tony Luse
15:46 22 Mar 19
Obligatory 5 stars. I work for them, they're a great company.
Forrest Black
Forrest Black
01:25 26 Jan 19
On Red Rose bus.
philip Wrightstone
philip Wrightstone
21:33 27 Dec 18
My experience with EHC Associates has been excellent. They have been so helpful from the moment I placed the first phone call to when I payed my invoice today. My family has been out of our house for remodeling for almost 2 months. When we were able to move back in it dawned on me that there was a chance that some of the old building materials that were removed could have contained asbestos. I called EHC to get my air tested to make sure it was safe for my family to move back in. I called on Monday and they were able to squeeze me in for the test that very same day. I paid to get my results expedited and I had the information back the next evening. The price was not outrageous either. Thank you EHC and a very special thank you to Wendy, Elio, & Cathy for being so friendly, professional, and informative. I am a supervisor for a customer service call center and I can tell you that they get an A+ in my book for the way they treated me as a customer!
Kari Devers
Kari Devers
15:45 14 Dec 18
Kathryn Verwohlt
Kathryn Verwohlt
16:51 23 Jul 18
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