FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions)

BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT – FAQ

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Q: How does the BIOSWEEP system work?

A: Certified BIOSWEEP® Service Providers utilize proprietary BIOSWEEP equipment for surface decontamination and odor, germ and bacteria removal. BIOSWEEP deploys a proven technology called photo-catalytic oxidation (PCO) to produce simultaneous, interrelated forms of oxidation to eradicate airborne organic contaminants. This process is called BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT. These vapor compounds are unsurpassed in field applications for their penetrating oxidative power to remove virtually any embedded or persistent contaminant and odor.

Q: What are the primary uses for BIOSWEEP?

A: The BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT is primarily used for air and surface contaminant destruction and odor removal. Virtually any odor or contaminant can be completely eradicated with BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT. Additionally, BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE provides additional long-lasting antibacterial protection. (See BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE FAQ)

Q: Can you remove cooking odors from a home?

A: Yes, BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT is the only process that removes virtually any sort of cooking odors from a home or restaurant. A particular problem area stems from odors from cooking curry dishes. Curry oil is usually very difficult to remove but, with a special pre-treatment process specifically tailored to curry odors, experienced BIOSWEEP service technicians generally have excellent results in removing this odor as well.

Q: We had an animal die in our home. Can you treat that smell?

A: Yes, any organic smell, including those of deceased animals or human waste, can be treated with BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT. In order to eliminate the odor, the original cause of the odor and any remaining organic material must be first removed prior to BIOSWEEP treatment.

Q: Can the BIOSWEEP system kill mold?

A: After the existing mold has been physically removed by a certified mold technician, BIOSWEEP TREATMENT can eradicate any remaining particles in the air and on surrounding surfaces. Following BIOSWEEP TREATMENT, certified BIOSWEEP service technicians can apply an additional long-lasting BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE anti-microbial treatment to provide an ongoing bacterial shield to deter mold from returning.

Q: Can BIOSWEEP get rid of animal odors?

A: Yes, BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT eradicates most animal odors including cat urine and skunk odor. Pre-treatment of the affected areas to remove the source of the odors may be required to ensure complete elimination of the offending odor.

Q: My clothes and furniture smell after a smoke fire in my home. Can BIOSWEEP remove these smells from my clothes and furniture?

A: Yes, BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT is perfect for contents restoration after a fire disaster. If clothes or cloth furniture have lingering odors due to smoke, BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT can remove them usually in one (1) treatment. Smoke odor removal is a specialty of BIOSWEEP Service Providers.

Q: Can BIOSWEEP remove fuel spill odors?

A: Yes, BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT is very effective at removing the residual odor effects of toxic fumes associated with gasoline and diesel fuel spills. The organic compounds in fuel oils are broken down to non-volatile compounds during the process. Porous materials (i.e. concrete), however, will have to be treated with an enzyme to expedite the BIOSWEEP process breakdown. Please ask your local BIOSWEEP service provider about any necessary pre-treatments prior to the BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT.

Q: Does the BIOSWEEP equipment use any chemicals?

A: No, BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT equipment does not use any chemicals – simply the existing oxygen and hydrogen in the air! BIOSWEEP service providers do have a line of proprietary accessory chemicals for use in certain worst case scenarios such as fatalities or animal waste. However, these chemicals are supplemental, not part of BIOSWEEP’s primary technology and typically not used. BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT and BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE are 100% environmentally safe!

Q: Will the BIOSWEEP system bleach upholstery or harm fabrics?

A: No, the BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT is completely compatible with virtually all common materials. BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT will not bleach or harm carpet, upholstery or fabrics when properly applied by certified BIOSWEEP service technicians. In most cases, the BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE anti-microbial defense application also will not discolor materials, however, a certified BIOSWEEP service technician may test any area if needed. (Ask your local BIOSWEEP Service Provider for more information on specific materials.)

Q: How long does it take for a BIOSWEEP service technician to treat an area?

A: BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT can treat most indoor environments in less than a day. depending upon several factors including indoor environment conditions, odor or contaminant, floor plan and cubic air space (room size). BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT can reduce deodorization time as much as ninety-percent (90%) compared to other technologies and systems.

Q: Do BIOSWEEP services come with a warranty?

A: Yes, we guarantee complete removal of the existing organic odor. However, other odors could be introduced after the BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT or there could be additional non-organic odors underlying the main offending odor. We cannot guarantee odor removal if the customer continues to participate in activities that cause the offending odor. (Please see your local BIOSWEEP Service Provider for details.)

Q: How soon after the BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT can I re-enter the treated area?

A: Most treatment areas can be safely re-entered within 45 minutes to 1 hour after completion.

Q: Does BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT leave an odor?

A: The treatment process, while removing noxious odors, produces a pleasant “clean scent” smell that lingers briefly and gradually diminishes within 24 – 48 hours depending upon conditions.

Q: How large an area will the BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT system treat?

A: A treatment area can be as small as a car or structures well over 100,000 square feet. The time it takes to treat an area depends on how many BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT units are used. The quantity of BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT needed is dependent upon several factors such as temperature, humidity, contaminant source and severity, floor plan, and cubic space. (Please ask your local BIOSWEEP Service Provider for details in estimating your treatment area.)

Q: Can the BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT system be operated with people or pets in the room?

A: No. BIOSWEEP can ONLY be safely operated in vacant or unoccupied spaces. BIOSWEEP CANNOT be operated when humans or pets are present. Operators must wear NIOSH-approved half- or full-face piece respirators with NIOSH approved P100/Organic Vapor/Acid Gas cartridges when working around or exposed to the BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT process.

Q: Is BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT an ozone generator?

A: No, BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT is not considered an ozone generator. The units produce purified oxygen and hydrogen peroxide within the treatment chamber. These oxyradicals are exported from the air filtration units to attack contaminants in the air and on exposed surfaces. These units are at least TEN TIMES more powerful than most commercial ozone generators. See comparison chart here.

Q: What causes the residual treatment odor? Is it safe?

A: Any space treated with the BASE treatment is completely safe for occupation an hour after the BASE process is complete, as the gases generated have a very short life cycle (at most, 30-45 minutes once exposed to our atmosphere). The residual treatment odor that one may smell is actually extremely low levels (parts per billion) of off-gassing by the porous materials in the room such as carpet, furniture or ceiling tile. This “potpourri” of compounds form this residual odor, which is well below the acceptable NIOSH standards and carries no health risks. To speed up the dissipation of the residual odor, one may open windows/doors and/or use fans to create air movement. Where applicable, removing a few ceiling tiles may also speed up the dissipation process when there is a pocket above the drop ceiling that is not able to vent very efficiently.

Q: How much time is saved using the BIOSWEEP service?

A: BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT can reduce deodorization time as much as ninety percent (90%) as compared to simple ozone generators or other commercial deodorization and decontamination service providers.

Q: Can it take more than one treatment to resolve an issue?

A: One BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT will typically remove all odors caused by organic materials. In the unlikely event that odors do linger, BIOSWEEP Service Providers will typically perform a second treatment at no extra charge. Our 100% guarantee assures our customers that the BIOSWEEP system will be successful in resolving their issue. (Please see your local BIOSWEEP Service Provider for details.)

Q: Does the BIOSWEEP system ever fail?

A: When an odor rarely returns following a BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT, there are particular reasons why. The most common reason is that the area being treated has recently been primed/painted  to try to cover-up the problem. Paint will continue to cure for up to 12-18 months. As it cures, it produces millions of microscopic cracks, so the odor comes back. BIOSWEEP certified service technicians are highly trained to identify odors with the potential of recurrence and can identify the odor producers so permanent odor removal can be achieved. If BIOSWEEP is unable to remove the offending odor in one or more applications, we offer a 100% guarantee.(Please see your local BIOSWEEP Service Provider for details.)

Q: Why can’t we breathe the vapor from the BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT?

A: BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT produces both purified trivalent oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. The properties that make ozone and hydrogen peroxide powerful cleaners and disinfectants also make them dangerous to living tissues. The same chemical properties that allow high concentrations of these oxyradicals to react with organic material outside the body give them the ability to react with similar organic material that makes up the body and potentially cause temporary harmful health consequences. For this reason we require the temporary evacuation of all treatment areas for the short duration of the treatment period. BIOSWEEP service technicians use highly-sensitive sensors to verify that application areas are absolutely safe for people and pets to reoccupy before allowing re-entry.

Q: How do we know if it’s safe to re-enter?

A: BIOSWEEP Service Providers use sophisticated and highly-sensitive vapor monitoring equipment and procedures to ensure that no one re-enters treated areas until it is absolutely safe to do so.

Q: Is BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT considered a “Green” treatment and environmentally friendly?

A: Yes, BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT will remove formaldehyde in the air. Since formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound, BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT is very effective at eradicating this.

BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE TREATMENT – FAQ

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Q: How does BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE Treatment actually work?

A: Our BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE Treatment services utilizes an antimicrobial solution that binds at the molecular level with any treated substrate rendering the entire surface antimicrobial. It creates a physical barrier of carbon chains that are pointed up like swords, penetrating any microbe which lands on the treated surface. Thus, it will prohibit any bacteria, viruses or mold from growing on the treated surface.

Q: Do surfaces need to be cleaned prior to BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE treatment?

A: For our BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE treatment to work effectively, all surfaces should be relatively clean through normal, routine cleaning practices. There should be no visible dust or debris on the surface prior to treatment. If so, we recommend using a damp microfiber cloth to wipe down surfaces that may appear dirty with dust or lint. In addition, BIOSWEEP BASE TREATMENT should be considered prior to a BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE treatment in order to eradicate any airborne germs or bacteria that may land on any surface areas.

Q: How long does the BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE Treatment application take?

A: The antimicrobial is rapidly applied using a specialized industrial sprayer – so the process is quite fast. Once applied, the antimicrobial coating air dries within an hour and the treated areas can be then reoccupied.

Q: Can a surface treated by BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE Treatment be cleaned afterward?

A: Yes, however it may not be necessary to use as much cleaning product or allow replacement with less costly or more environmentally responsible alternatives

Q: Will the BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE Treatment antimicrobial wash off or deteriorate?

A: No, the BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE Treatment antimicrobial will not wash off the treated surface. It can withstand temperatures up to 257º F and resist all organic solvents, strong acids and bases. It will begin to lose its maximum potency within 12 months, however, and should be re-applied during months 10 – 12 to assure ongoing protection.

Q: What if I can’t afford to treat the entire building with BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE Treatmentat this time?

A: No problem. While BIOSWEEP Service Providers are experts at deodorizing and decontaminating large areas that employees and customers typically come in contact with, they will apply it to the highest priority areas of your choosing, such as restrooms, waiting rooms, exam rooms, cafeterias, etc. Your local BIOSWEEP Service Provider can provide recommendations on areas commonly treated.

Q: Is the BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE treatment effective against MRSA?

A: The BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE Treatment antimicrobial solution has been clinically shown to eradicate MRSA and make the applied surface resistant to it 24/7 for up to 365 days.

Q: Is BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE Treatment registered?

A: Yes, the antimicrobial product used in BIOSWEEP SURFACE DEFENSE treatment is EPA registered and meets all Dept. of Defense (DoD) and US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) standards. It is even approved for use in food preparation areas.

Q: How do BIOSWEEP Service Providers monitor the level of cleanliness post treatment for microscopic biological?

A: BIOSWEEP Service Providers use testing equipment known as ATP technology to real-time test for living biological matter on site in predetermined or random locations to ensure that your treated spaces are clean according to acceptable industry standards and levels.