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Negative Air Pressure: The #1 Secret For Remediation Projects
10/13/2021 (Permalink)
The professionals at SERVPRO understand the importance of negative air pressure during remediation.
Utilizing the correct air pressure can make or break a remediation project.
The professionals at SERVPRO of Downtown Atlanta have worked on thousands of remediation projects and always aim to return the property to a safe and suitable condition for use.
The best way to effectively manage airflow during a remediation project is to ensure that the affected area and outside environment are safe from contaminants. On all remediation projects, the professionals at SERVPRO ensure proper ventilation, sealing off areas from which dust can escape, and utilizing clean equipment.
In the following blog post, we will be learning about different air pressure and why negative air pressure is necessary during a remediation project.
The three types of air pressure
There are three types of air pressure:
- Neutral air pressure
- Positive air pressure
- Negative air pressure
Neutral air pressure
Neutral air pressure equals the atmospheric pressure of 14.7 pounds per square inch at sea level and is the most common air pressure.
Positive air pressure
Positive air pressure means that there is more air pressure in a given area than what surrounds it.
Negative air pressure
Negative air pressure means more air pressure outside of a confined area than inside the room.
Why is negative air pressure necessary for remediation projects?
During a remediation project, the fundamental principle of negative air pressure is to isolate quarantine areas and prevent cross-contamination. The most common remediation job types that require negative air pressure are asbestos abatement, lead-based paint removal, mold abatement, and lead abatement.
Negative air pressure is designed to push contaminants out of a confined space to prevent dirty containment room air from escaping and cross-contamination from one area of a property to another. For example, imagine that half of a home has mold damage and is being cleaned out with negative air pressure while the other half has not been affected by mold and is undergoing a remediation project.
During a remediation project, you will want to control the air pressure in a building or area to prevent outside air from entering. Keeping track of air pressure is essential during a remediation project because it reduces the chance that contaminants will be introduced into the area and isolates quarantine areas.
Benefits of negative air pressure during a remediation project
For a remediation project to be successful, negative air pressure is a necessity. When a remediation project lacks negative air pressure, the particles can become airborne, and the environment becomes more contaminated than when found initially.
An initial site survey is one way to accurately determine if enough negative air pressure is being used for your project.
The use of a negative air pressure contained area will:
- Allow the environment to be safer for employees and members of the public
- Prevention of cross-contamination
- It puts all contaminated air into one defined area versus contaminating the entire environment
The best type of negative air pressure contained areas.
The best type of negative air pressure-contained areas are sealed off by plastic containment during a remediation project to prevent the spread of contaminants. However, if there are no proper ventilation measures taken, cross-contamination is possible. Remediation professionals can avoid cross-contamination with negative air pressure by using fans inside a contained area that exhausts air.
Wrapping up
We hope you enjoyed learning about negative air pressure and why it is necessary for any remediation project. When negative air pressure isn't used, the particles can become airborne, and the environment becomes more contaminated than when found initially. One way to accurately determine if enough negative air pressure is being used for a remediation project is by doing an initial site survey.
Please contact the IICRC certified professionals at SERVPRO of Downtown Atlanta if you need assistance on a future remediation project. We are available to serve you 24/7, 365 days a year!