3 Ideas for Growing Your Restoration Business in 2022

From talent and culture, to greenfield investment, to renovation services, Daniel O’Brien and Mak Neirynck highlight their views on the most important items for restoration business growth in 2022 based on their combined 100-plus years of first-hand experience transitioning to a new year and 55 years of industry experience.   

by Daniel O’Brien and Mark Neirynck

Mold Remediation Roundtable    

For this R&R Roundtable, we asked four mold remediation professionals – Rachel Adams, Mark Cornelius, Cliff Grost and Jim Pearson – the same seven questions on topics including top tools, safety precautions, memorable projects and future predictions.

Hiring in a Challenging Market: The Power of Non-Traditional Benefits

Does your mission inspire people to come to work? Does the vision tell people where you want the business to go? Are your core values really the guiding principles that the business uses to manage internal and external relationships? Beyond these, and as an alternative to simply paying significantly higher wages to outbid the competition, elements to consider in creating the differentiation, that uniqueness, are non-traditional benefits.

by Tom Cline

Pulling the Curtain Back on 3 Key Drying School Secrets

“Drying schools hold secrets. I am going to pull the curtain back and explain the three main secrets that make the drying school experience what it is. And, dive into what you need to know before you take classroom training and unleash your knowledge to the world,” Lorne McIntyre writes.

by Lorne McIntyre  

Top Goals for 2022

We asked restoration industry professionals to answer one question as we embark on a new year: What is your top goal for 2022? Watch this video to see industry peers share their foremost intentions for the new year.

by Valerie King

A Highly Publicized Hoarding Cleanup   

"On this particular day, Kowalski Construction was called to respond to a unique situation from local law enforcement. Police asked us to secure a home after making forced entry for an unanswered wellness check. To say the scene quickly escalated into a massive operation would be an understatement. Almost immediately, thousands of rats were discovered living both in and out of the home."

by Jim Kowalski

Changing the Mindset on Safety Boots

“Maybe you have difficulty getting your restoration technicians to wear safety boots, even with the vast selection of types and brands. So how do you, as a restoration company owner or project manager, change this mindset? Let me provide seven basic ways to do this,” writes Barry Rice, CSP.

by Barry Rice

The 3 Biggest Mistakes a Restorative Cleaner Can Make When Dealing With a Hoarding Situation

Annissa Coy has found over the years that when a hoarding job goes sideways, there are three big mistakes that often are the culprit. “If you avoid these, you will be setting yourself and your client up for success right from the start,” she writes.

by Annissa Coy

Why Concrete Testing Matters  

“After reading this article, you will know: The importance of testing concrete, the breakdown of concrete testing procedures, why concrete is a material that should be tested and the best concrete drying procedures,” Kyle Herndon writes.

by Kyle Herndon

Leading With a Servant Heart: Restoring a Hoarder’s Home  

“Hoarding cleanup is not an easy task, and it is best done by restoration professionals who have the expertise and equipment to perform the job efficiently and safely. By no means was this particular case the worst I have seen in my tenure, but the timeline from the property management company was tight, so we needed to get to work quickly and efficiently,” Ben Doebler writes.

by Ben Doebler

Restorer’s Digest: Using Ozone in Fire Restoration

In the fire restoration industry today, many practitioners use ozone generators as one of their primary means to neutralize smoke odor. Although ozone may be effective to some degree in neutralizing odors, many experts disagree on its effectiveness and whether the risks outweigh the rewards. So, what is ozone? And what are the associated health risks? Sean and Briana Scott examine the effects of ozone exposure and offer necessary precautions for working with ozone.

by Sean Scott and Briana Scott

Hands-On Education: Turn Your Staffing Challenge Into Epic Opportunity

“As an industry, we must perform at a higher level than ever before with less qualified people than we’ve ever had. That is the restoration industry’s staffing challenge,” Jeremy Reets writes. “Companies that bring on new staff and quickly get them to a high level of competency will be the ones to dominate their market. So, how do you increase the competency of your staff quickly and dominate your market? Hands-on training is part of the solution!”

by Jeremy Reets

Hoarding Cleanup: A Matter of Safety, Collaboration and Sensitivity

Jeffery Gross shares an overview of hoarding cleanup best practices based on his experience with First Onsite Property Restoration. “The process of cleanup includes several steps: Bulk removal of trash, then cleaning and disinfecting of all surfaces and remaining contents. Then comes extermination and usually some refurbishment like painting or replacement of damaged fixtures,” Gross writes.

by Jeffery Gross

From Student to Instructor

“I recommend everyone who looks to have a future in the restoration take the ASD course and experience the flood house, especially if you are a hands-on learner. Not only will you learn new drying techniques, and make yourself and your business more efficient. You will also meet an array of extraordinary people with different talents and experiences,” Dustin Resendiz writes.

by Dustin Resendiz

The Toughest Hoards I Have Ever Faced

In this column, Laura Spaulding, CEO of Spaulding Decon, shares three of the toughest hoarding cleanup jobs she has worked on in her 15-plus years specializing in crime scene and hoarding cleaning. “The tougher the challenge, the bigger the reward and I have faced some tough ones,” Spaulding writes.

by Laura Spaulding

5 Tips for Natural Odor Control

We all have had at least one tricky customer with severe reactions to unfamiliar smells, or allergies to cleaning solutions. The methods listed here are not your average restoration practices, but they can make chemical- and odor-sensitive customers very happy while also providing effective odor-removing remedies.

by Andrea Stenberg