Molloy Environmental

How to Hire a
Decontamination Professional

Step 1 - Close Your Windows
Most buildings naturally screen out a portion of the particulate matter in the outdoor air. The rule of thumb is that indoor air contains about one third the particulate matter in the outdoor air. Therefore shut your windows!

Step 2 - Throw Out your Dirty Filter
If your airconditioner filter was exposed to World Trade Center dust, throw it out. Cleaning the filter is not recommended. .

Step 3- Use Your Airconditioner
A good air conditioner filter can help keep toxic World Trade Center dust out of your home and office. The better the filter, the more it screens out.

Step 4 - Choose an Effective Filter
Air-conditioning companies sell special filters that you can add to your regular foam or fiberglass filter and your building's management can add to its central air-conditioning system.

.In order of effectiveness, from most effective to least, they are:

• HEPA filters
• Electrostatic filters
• Particulate filters

Step 5 - Install Your New Filter
Use your new filter in combination with the regular filter that came with your airconditioner. If the specialized filters don't fit, cut them to size.

     Multiple Filters: You can use more than one specialized filter at a time. Multiple filters (as many as can fit) will screen out even more toxic dust.

     Woven cloth: Wrapping your air conditioner filter in a finely woven cotton cloth will help screen out the outdoor dust.

Step 6 - Replace Filters Regularly

     If you are close to ground zero: Replace HEPA, electrostatic and particulate filters every two or three months.

     If you are not near ground zero: Replace your specialized filters every six months.

      Do not wash specialized filters.
     Washing regular foam and fiberglass filters, as well as any cloth you've added,
will not diminish their effectiveness.
      Be sure to wear a protective mask, If you do wash these filters, and do not wash them with other items. .

Step 7 - Window insulation is also recommended. Caulk up holes around the window and use storm windows if available.

Step 8 - Use an Air Purifier
Use a HEPA air purifier and change the filter as recommended above. Non-HEPA air purifiers are less effective, but better than nothing.

Fresh Air: Whatever type of filter you use, you must get fresh air into your home and office. Otherwise, low oxygen levels will cause humidity levels to rise and mold will become a problem. Therefore, use your air conditioner, but beef up your filtration system and keep all filters clean.