Category Archives: Environment

As one of the few companies in the Greater Vancouver Area that can complete complicated building demolition, the team at Urban Environmental has received many a phone calls on what the usual steps are in the process. So, we thought it might be time to put pen to paper and go through the steps on how to complete a building demolition in this great city.

1. Determine the demolition method

You can either complete a demolition by machine, which means front end loaders and bulldozers complete the work, or you can complete the demolition by hand. Mechanical demolition is usually the fastest and cheapest route, with the average demolition costing around $8000. read more

When you are looking to re-install or complete a renovation in your home, you are often left with a decision on what kind of insulation you will choose for space. It might seem like an easy decision, but it turns out that you need to know a little about where you are putting the insulation and keep in mind of where you live.

How insulation is measured

Insulation is measured in R-value. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation is at performing in lower temperatures. Thus, if you live in a colder temperature, it is essential to invest in higher R-value insulation if you lived in a warmer climate such as Arizona. However, you do have to consider if you have to compress your insulation, your R-value will drop. read more

Working to avoid mold is half of the battle, and here in the lower mainland, you need to know how to prevent mold from growing or even spreading before you own your first home. However, if you are new to the area, or want to know a little bit more about how to prevent mold from infesting your home you are in luck. Here are four tips on how to prevent mold from taking over your home.

1. Identify Issue areas and fix them

Issue areas that grow mold are often found around the house in all corners of the home. One of the most common areas is leaky windows that have a significant and almost constant stagnant wet or moist areas. Older windows will struggle to keep up, and one of the easiest ways to prevent mold is to identify those areas and replace the issue windows in your home. read more

For some houses and offices in and around Vancouver, vermiculate is a severe concern, especially if you are looking to renovate your old space. You see, vermiculate as you may know was a frequent and cheap building material on the west coast for much of the 1900s and no matter if you were looking for a great way to insulate the home or wanted to use some of the best-insulated material on the market, vermiculate was a great option. However, we have now discovered that vermiculate is not only dangerous but downright horrid for your health and is part of the reason that you need to remove vermiculate right. read more

Here at Urban Environmental, we know the impact that a crime scene can have in a home, and it is part of the reason that our expert staff members specialise in quick clean-ups. In this blog, we are going to look at why a fast clean-up is essential, and some of the environmental factors that homeowners may not even be aware of could affect them.

Why it is important

After a violent crime or death, the scene itself is a danger to both the occupants of the home and the first responders. Blood stains and other bodily fluids could transmit diseases through transfer, and other odours could start wreck havoc to your respiratory system. These fluids and smells have to be taken care of quickly, and a fast-acting crime scene clean-up company can help eradicate issues before they arise. read more

We all think of ourselves as do-it-yourself kind of people, but when it comes to insolation, it might be a good idea to call an expert. It is more than just rolling out fibreglass, and professionals like Urban Environmental will be able to help your home be truly insulated.

Professional know their stuff

A professional insolation installer can help you in more than a few ways. During the initial quote, they will be able to go over what type of insolation is best for your space and identify any potential issue sports to cover and check during the installation. As well, they will be able to give you an accurate quote and will review options for your space before moving on. Finally, they will be able to do the hard parts such as drilling patterns for cavity walls, roof or wall vents and even dealing vapour barriers in older homes. read more

As one of the premier grow-op cleanup companies in the lower mainland, the team at Urban Environmental has seen it all. Thus, we thought it was time that we sat down and gave our clients a list of signs you may be dealing with a grow-op. Naturally, if you do suspect your home of being a grow-op house, it is best to contact the experts at Urban Environmental quickly! We have been working in the remediation space for over a decade, and know how to handle and remove toxins from grow-op homes. Here are ten signs that you may be living in an ex grow-op home!. read more

Here at Urban Environmental, we have quickly become known as one of the top companies in the Vancouver area for demolition, and we love the work. From helping families restart after significant issues with a home to making way for new development, our team has been handling safe and proper demolitions since our inception. Naturally, we have been asked a few times on how to best prepare for demo day, and we thought it was time to put pen to paper on how to prepare a home for demolition.

Remove the contents read more

Here at Urban Environmental, we know and are professionally trained to deal with asbestos contamination issues. Naturally, the city of Vancouver is one of the highest concentrations of asbestos building materials in homes in the province, and our group has been containing and removing asbestos for years. So naturally, we have been asked a few times and decided to blog about, where is asbestos found, and what do you do if you see it.

Roofing

Asbestos was used for years as a quality roofing material, and we have seen it in a number of areas. First, you may have asbestos in your roof shingles or original roof. The material is quite fire retardant which made for an attractive choice for roofs in the mid part of the 20^th century. As well, you may see asbestos in vermiculite insulation, ceiling tiles, coatings and popcorn ceilings in and around Vancouver. read more

Here in British Columbia, we are blessed to live in a rain forest on the coast. We avoid those nasty winters that the rest of the country gets, and we get our rain and plenty of it. However, rain does mean that we live in a damp climate which in turn does increase the potential for mould in a home. Here at Urban Environmental, we are certified mould abatement professionals and thus have brought together the three common moulds we see on site here in the Greater Vancouver Regional District.

Aspergillus read more