Category Archives: Environment

As one of the leading environmental cleanup companies on the west coast, we often get asked, what is the best way to prepare for winter. Naturally, we thought it was time that we put pen to paper and finally answered that question on our blog! So, here is how to prep for a Vancouver winter to prevent any future issues.

Check your home’s rain readiness

We get much rain in the winter here in the Lower Mainland, and your home needs to be prepared for a west coast winter! Make sure to spend some time checking on your gutters, are they flowing well, and free of debris? If they are not, clean your gutters, and downspouts before the rain starts. Next, you should check the paint on the outside of the home; paint is designed to colour your home but also is designed to keep moisture away from rotting the house. If it is flaking or peeling, it might be time for a touch-up.

Reverse your ceiling fan

This might seem funny, but then you have to remember your high school physics class. Remember, heat rises, so in the winter you will want to push warm air down and limit your overall cost of heating the home. While you are at it, it might be time to change your furnace filter to help your unit during the winter.

Clean your roof!

The winter is a time of moisture, wind and terrible weather, and if you are like most west coast homes and living under cedar shakes, then you need to treat it right! Cleaning your roof allows you to remove debris and moss from the roof which can affect how water comes off the roof. This yearly cleaning will not only extend the life of your roof, but it will also ensure all of that water is going to the right place.

Prep, your deck

We all love enjoying a beautiful day on the deck, but before winter hits, you need to prep your deck for the season. This means removing any pillows or cushions into a dry area, emptying clay pots from their soil and of course, completing any treatments you might want to do to the deck itself.

Final Thoughts

As one of the premier environmental companies on the west coast, we know what it takes to prepare for winter in the lower mainland. From checking your homes rain readiness to doing things such as prepping your deck or cleaning your roof, preparing for winter can be a bit of a process. Make sure to spend the time to prepare, and you and your home will make it through yet another west coast winter to enjoy a gorgeous Vancouver summer! If you need any help with issues that may arise, make sure to call the team at Urban Environmental today!

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.

2. Find the right contractor

This is where Urban Environmental can come in, especially if we are completing a job that includes vermiculite or asbestos. We know this industry like the back of our hand and can assist in finding you a contractor that knows what they are doing.

3. Complete a home inspection

This can also be helped along by Urban Environmental, as we will be able to complete the inspection or bring in an outside inspector to complete the job. We know what to look for, and no matter if we are dealing with an older home or an abandoned home, we will find any issues that may cause problems moving forward.

4. Obtain the necessary permits

Each city is a little different, so you will need to go to the city website or down to city hall for the process, but you may need to get notifications or permits for the demolition, noise or even the removal of the debris.

5. Prepare for demolition

Contact all of the necessary services and have them disconnected by the company. You should also contact Urban Environmental to ensure you are covered for removal of the debris once the building is demolished. Many cities will require you to list your rubbish removal company, so you may want to consider this earlier in the process if necessary.

6. Tear down and removal

Finally, you will have the demolition contractor start the process of tearing down the house, and have your debris moving company into place as soon as they are done. The average home takes an afternoon to take down, while debris removal may take at least a couple of days. If you are looking to prep the site for a new build, you may be able to utilise the same equipment for the job, but you will need to chat with the contractor.

As one of the premier building demolition companies in the lower mainland, the team at Urban Environmental would love to sit down and chat. With our years of experience and vast knowledge in the area, Urban Environmental is your go-to company for all things demo!

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.

What is best in the lower mainland?

Here in the lower mainland we are blessed not to have horrible winters, at least in terms of cold. This is why the insulation that is best in the lower mainland would not do great in Northern BC. With that in mind, here are the best options for insulation in Vancouver, and the rest of the lower mainland.

Ceiling Above Attics

It is best to utilise R-60 insulation in this critical space. The attic and the roof above are where the majority of your heat is lost in your home and can cause significant costs in terms of heating and cooling. We would suggest either a Batt insulation or if you can, blown insulation in this space.

Cathedral Ceilings

In these high ceilings, you should be looking to insulate as much as you can. This space should use either R-31 Batt insulation, or alternatively you can also use R-10 CodeBord if that fits better.

Floors over unheated spaces

Spaces such as your garage, or additions may have to deal with unheated spaces under their floorboards, which can lead to significant heat loss. This is why in these spaces you should look to use Batt insulation of at least R-31 or you can use R-10 CodeBord as well.

Walls above grade

When it comes to your walls that are above the foundation, you should be looking to utilise insolation that will help keep the heat inside. These spaces are not as integral as ceilings or floors above unheated areas, but they are still relevant. You should look to use R-5 CodeBord, or if you prefer, you can also use R-24 Batt insulation.

Foundation Walls

Naturally, as these spaces are a little cooler, and because you have a natural heat barrier in the foundation, you can utilise lighter insulation. Look to use R-14 Batt insulation, or if you are looking for CodeBord, R-10 will do.

If you are looking for insulation services, call the team at Urban Environmental

today! We offer a wide range of insulation services that will cover your home from foundation to ceiling.

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.

2. Install proper ventilation

Areas such as attics and areas with vent appliances need adequate ventilation in and out of the home. Without proper ventilation, these areas would start to become moist and could start to grow mold, especially if there is traditional drywall surrounding these areas. One of the easiest ways to avoid these issues is to install a mold-resistant gypsum board instead of drywall to limit the possibility of mold spreading.

3. Direct water away from the home

Although most homes do this already, there are some homes in the lower mainland that continue to fail to direct the water away from the home’s foundation. As we get a lot of rain here on the west coast, directing water away from your home’s foundation is crucial to avoid mold and other issues such as damages to the foundation. A simple change to the eavestroughs or other changes could help take water away from the home, and let your home enjoy a water-free existence.

4. Keep indoor plants mold free

It might seem a little silly, but your indoor plant’s soil is a prime spot for mold growth. It is wet, moist and often forgotten, and for many in the lower mainland, it is where your mold growth can start. To prevent any future issues, you can add a bit of Taheebo tea to the water. The Taheebo tree is known for its mold-resistant nature and can be found in many natural food stores around town.

If you happen to be dealing with mold in your home, now is the time to call the team at Urban Environmental to complete the abatement process. We are the real experts in the city when it comes to mold abatement, and we cannot wait to help you and your home get rid of that nasty stuff.

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.

1. It can be damaging to your health if left exposed

Vermiculate does most of its damage to the human body when air born, and thus if you find vermiculite in your home, you will need to quarantine and remove it properly. Failure to do can result in long-term health concerns, including cancer, raspatory issues and in the worst case, death.

2. It can be anywhere, and you need professionals to help

Vermiculate was used everywhere back in the 1900s, and you can find it throughout older homes. This means that you can discover it when you are dealing with flooring removal, in the pipes, and of course, on the ceiling. As noted above, if you find out vermiculate you will need to call in a team to quarantine and remove the material. This is why mid-century remodels can often become quite a bit more costly than first expected; vermiculate removal is not cheap!

3. Professions know how to dispose of it

Vermiculite, unlike common construction waste, cannot just be thrown out at the dump, or grabbed by your local junk guys; it has stringent recycling laws that govern who and how it is disposed of in the lower mainland. It is best to call a team like Urban Environmental who has the connections in the industry that can not only quarantine and remove the vermiculate but also remove the waste from your home safely. This is not a job for the local contractor, but rather it is a job for a team of experts that know what they are doing.

Here at Urban Environmental, we have seen our company grow over the last few years, and especially in our vermiculate and asbestos abatement team. With a number of older homes starting to be renovated and outright destroyed to make way for new builds, our calls for abatement services continue to grow. No matter if you need assistance in a renovation, or simply have some questions about vermiculate abatement, call the team at Urban Environmental today, and talk to the experts in Vancouver.

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.

As well, if you try and clean this space yourself, you may have some issues as typical home cleaners do not have the power to remove the blood and other bodily fluids from carpet for instance. However, when you trust Urban Environmental, you are getting one of the best crime scene clean-up companies in the Vancouver area, and we know what we are doing.

Safety First

Many homeowners do not realise the dangers that a crime scene can hold, but the key to a proper clean-up is speed and efficiency.

Blood

Blood and other fluids are great incubators of diseases and other pathogens, and although it might look like it is dried and no longer a threat, as soon as you add water from your cleaning solution it re-energises. Proper cleaning methods are needed, as are industrial strength cleaners to truly neutralise the threat and create a safe space inside the home.

Bodily Fluids

Bodily fluids are never something that you want to deal with on your own, and for the team, at Urban Environmental, they are one of the most dangerous parts of the job. These fluids can contain hepatitis, pathogens or other diseases that could cause significant issues for homeowners. This is why we always suggest that professionals handle blood or bodily fluid clean-ups in homes!

If you or someone you know is dealing with a violent crime scene clean-up, you need to call the team at Urban Environmental. We have been handling these types of scenes for years, and have the training, tools and cleaners that can manage an assortment of crime scenes. Do you and your family a favour and opt for a professional when it comes to crime scene clean-ups, you will be thankful that you did in the long run.

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.

Take care of the old insulation

Naturally, insulation does not go in the garbage, and the recycling of this product can be a little difficult to figure out. That is why professional companies like Urban Environmental offer removal, and installation, and will recycle the fibreglass properly. This will let you rest easy, and the environment will thank you for your choice!

Guarantees

As an insulation installer, the team at Urban Environmental can help ensure that your insulation is guaranteed for at least 25 years. These manufacture guarantees are only honoured if the insulation is installed to code, and the manufactures specific instructions. Although many think they are following the instructions, certain manufacturers demand other methods, and thus, professionals are some of the few people that can help homeowners ensure they are covered!

It is just easier!

The best part of hiring professionals like the team at Urban Environmental is that the job is done right the first time. We know how to do insulation, and no matter if you are looking to have a new addition done, or an attic completed, our team of experts will be able to help and complete the job with ease. Take a load off, and let a team of dedicated professional handle the dirty work for once in your life!

As one of the premier insulation removal and installation companies in the Lower Mainland, the team at Urban Environmental is here for you. With our excellent service call times and professional attitude, you will be in good hands when you call our team. Call us today, and see the difference that hiring professionals can make with your next project!

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!.

• You may notice modified ductwork that does not make sense.
• If you discover holes in roof trusses or floor joists that could be used for venting, typically these holes will be recently patched.
• If you notice replaced brickwork or chunks of new brickwork that is not normal to be replaced.
• Your soffits, which are the exposed undersurface part of the roof eave may have brown stains or may have been recently replaced.
• In the winter, you may see bald spots from the roof from heat loss.
• There may be stains on the basement floors or blemishes in the laundry tubs. These stains are from the pots sitting for a long time without moving and are hard to remove.
• You may notice new or changes to the wiring and electrical panels. Please note that there may be live wires in or around the panel, so be careful if you suspect an issue!
• Foundations or concrete walls may have been cored or breached. This is to get the wiring around the hydrometer and is common in the lower mainland.
• Moisture gets everywhere in a grow-op, and you may notice warped or rotted wooden structures due to the moisture damage.
• Finally, you will notice a musty smell, or in the case of something a little stronger like a meth lab, it will smell like cat urine.

Grow-op remediation is not something to play around with, and if you suspect your home is a former grow-op you need to call the team at Urban Environmental. As one of the top-rated grow-op remediation companies in Vancouver, we are outfitted and fully prepared to help professionally remediate your space. Give us a call, and see how Urban Environmental can help get back your home in order.

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

If you are planning to complete demolition of a current home, you will need to remove the contents from inside. This means moving, storing and then eventually moving these contents once the new structure or house is built. This can be a painstaking job but will make things easier once you start the demolition process.

Pull the blueprints

If you are dealing with an older home, you never know what surprised could be in store for you! If you have access to the original blueprints from the owner, or if they have been handed down to you, it will be a great help when it comes to limiting potential issues on site. These blueprints can help showcase any old gas pipes or electrical problems that could make demolition dangerous. If you do not have access to the original plans, try appraisal records of the home and note the changes throughout the years and account for them on the property.

Exterminate pests

If the home has been out of use for some time, you will need to spend the time and care to take care of any pests that may have made their home inside the property. Find a trusted exterminator and work with them to ensure that pests are noted, and taken care of. The reason for this is that if you complete a demo and pests infest the rest of the neighbourhood, it can be linked back to your property. Secondly, extermination will help make the demo site safer, and help limit health concerns of companies like Urban Environmental as well as your staff or family.

Plan for rubbish removal

Make the calls early and secure bins, and rubbish removal teams to help the transition from demolition day to clean up go a little smoother. This way larger pieces can be quickly removed, and cleanup of the site can start as soon as possible.

Urban Environmental can help coordinate, and ensure that demolition is environmentally friendly and goes off without a hitch. Call our team today, and see how we can help deliver a top of the line demolition service that will go above and beyond your expectations.

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.

Walls

Due to the fire retardant and excellent insulation properties of asbestos, we have seen it in some wall units in Vancouver. This includes in drywall and cement sheets in basements and even in putty, plaster or caulking in older homes.

Other areas

There are a ton of other areas in which asbestos can be hiding, and really… it can be anywhere. We have seen it in older electrical switchboards, primarily as secure housing insulation. As well, in pipe and duct covering, as well as in plumbing in some mid-century homes. Finally, we have also seen asbestos in the fireplace and thermal boiler insulation and vinyl floor tiles! The stuff can be anywhere, and whether you are professional remodeler or someone who is doing it themselves, you need to be wary of asbestos-laden materials that you could unearth in a home and what you need to do if you discover asbestos.

What to do if you find asbestos

If you are unlucky enough to uncover asbestos during a renovation, or any time, you need to stop, isolate the room and call the team at Urban Environmental. We are trained, and insured to provide asbestos abatement here in Vancouver, and will be able to contain and remove asbestos-laden materials with ease. We will ensure that the home is secure, and will chat with you on next steps, and how to secure your home and family from further contamination.

Asbestos is not something you deal with by yourself, and for the team at Urban Environmental, we know the dangers, and how to treat home to ensure asbestos will no longer be a concern. From the first contamination to turnover, Urban Environmental will be with you the entire way.