Mark Saiger
Mr Happy!
I am posting this with the hopes of helping someone in the future. This could happen even as a carpet cleaner just going out to extract water.
Situation:
7 pm Emergency call-(even after the insurance adjuster had been on site) Fresh water sink overflow from to top floor bath to main floor Family Room 1 day prior. Sheet rock ceiling, 1970's home, popcorn style ceiling, insulation between floor/ceiling joists in room. The insulation is a grey Blow in cellulose type, not the old kittly litter cellulite type. part of the ceiling caved in, the insulation is just mush and black. There is also an electrical heating grid (no longer made) in the ceiling to help heat each floor level and of course other wiring.
Main problem: The smell is real serious like battery acid or mustard gas. I cleared the home and got the crew out. Calling for an environmentalist. Dont' know what the off gassing smell.
First nights procedure: large phoenix air scrubber and one phoenix 200 HT in that room and it sealed off! No other equipment, no cracking of windows to vent. Just contain the area.
Environmentalist shows up....Stumped (9:30 am). I begged them to at least take some air samplings. Noon-they stopped in on way to lunch to take a few readings. CARBON MONOXIDE over 280 or more parts per million!!! Evacuated house and called 911. (also now calling everyone who had been in house about being exposed to carbon monoxide)
Fire dept emergency response shows up. Takes readings and confirms. Got to be something burning somewhere creating Carbon Monoxide. Checked furnance, stove...the Room. Yep in the water damage room largest readings. I grabbed my thermal cam....3 Hot spots now in the ceiling and floor joists just starting to errupt. Fire trucks in and pulling out ceiling and floor joists.
Fire had been dwelling in the wet insulaton for about a day and a half and as dried out, got more fuel. The Toxic Gas was from glue between floor/ceiling joists and flooring so it would not squeak and some of the insualation. The fire was originally started from an electrical short. Even with the power off in that area, the fire had time to get a good start.
15 more minutes and we would have lost this house!
I also was in contact with my Brother Dave (while he was at a party) Chavez, Lindquist, Al Bradham...I was networking with all my power. I am now sharing so others might learn as I have from this board. Thank you all for reading and sharing as you all do. Thank you Dave, Chavez, Linduist, Al. You guys are some of the best!
This was the craziest day I think I have had in a long time!
Mark Saiger
Saiger's Steam Clean, LLC
Grand Rapids, MN
Situation:
7 pm Emergency call-(even after the insurance adjuster had been on site) Fresh water sink overflow from to top floor bath to main floor Family Room 1 day prior. Sheet rock ceiling, 1970's home, popcorn style ceiling, insulation between floor/ceiling joists in room. The insulation is a grey Blow in cellulose type, not the old kittly litter cellulite type. part of the ceiling caved in, the insulation is just mush and black. There is also an electrical heating grid (no longer made) in the ceiling to help heat each floor level and of course other wiring.
Main problem: The smell is real serious like battery acid or mustard gas. I cleared the home and got the crew out. Calling for an environmentalist. Dont' know what the off gassing smell.
First nights procedure: large phoenix air scrubber and one phoenix 200 HT in that room and it sealed off! No other equipment, no cracking of windows to vent. Just contain the area.
Environmentalist shows up....Stumped (9:30 am). I begged them to at least take some air samplings. Noon-they stopped in on way to lunch to take a few readings. CARBON MONOXIDE over 280 or more parts per million!!! Evacuated house and called 911. (also now calling everyone who had been in house about being exposed to carbon monoxide)
Fire dept emergency response shows up. Takes readings and confirms. Got to be something burning somewhere creating Carbon Monoxide. Checked furnance, stove...the Room. Yep in the water damage room largest readings. I grabbed my thermal cam....3 Hot spots now in the ceiling and floor joists just starting to errupt. Fire trucks in and pulling out ceiling and floor joists.
Fire had been dwelling in the wet insulaton for about a day and a half and as dried out, got more fuel. The Toxic Gas was from glue between floor/ceiling joists and flooring so it would not squeak and some of the insualation. The fire was originally started from an electrical short. Even with the power off in that area, the fire had time to get a good start.
15 more minutes and we would have lost this house!
I also was in contact with my Brother Dave (while he was at a party) Chavez, Lindquist, Al Bradham...I was networking with all my power. I am now sharing so others might learn as I have from this board. Thank you all for reading and sharing as you all do. Thank you Dave, Chavez, Linduist, Al. You guys are some of the best!
This was the craziest day I think I have had in a long time!
Mark Saiger
Saiger's Steam Clean, LLC
Grand Rapids, MN
