Deodorization After the Disaster: Hydroxyl Generators as an Option

5/5/2022 (Permalink)

Hydroxyl generators are similar to ozone ones.

Deodorization After the Disaster

Flooding can result in extensive water damage that requires the services of a professional cleanup and restoration company in Pelican Marsh, FL, to repair. One common and unpleasant effect of a flood is the presence of a lingering odor. This smell may cling to furniture and saturate the air in a structure for long periods if not dealt with. It is generally the result of mold growth, sewage loss, flood water or a combination of two or all of these. The first is caused by the creation of habitats conducive to the fungus's development, namely areas with excess moisture. The second comes about when flowing waters drag along waste from the streets and sewers. The final saturates items in a structure, allowing the odor-producing microbes inhabiting it to emit bad scents in rooms. Hydroxyl generators are a tool commonly used to deodorize buildings.

How Do They Work?
Hydroxyl generators are similar to ozone ones. The difference is that instead of ozone they create hydroxyl radicals (OH molecules). They do so by mimicking a natural process, the reaction of ultraviolet rays from the sun with oxygen and water vapor, through the use of UV lights. These hydroxyls pull in hydrogen atoms, causing the breakdown of odor molecules and volatile compounds in the air.

What Benefits Are Associated With Them?
Besides the obvious stink-removal, hydroxyl generators also come with other benefits, including:

Variability - they can remove virtually any kind of odor, from the musty scent of mold growth to the stench of protein fires
Sanitization - as the decomposition of particles in the air proceeds, the process actually extends to certain objects like furniture and textiles, heading off microbial development (this does not apply to the penetration of walls)
Ease - the equipment is simple to use and move around
Safety - hydroxyls cause no damage to materials

Hydroxyl generators are a valuable tool for deodorizing commercial property after a flood. They can handle odors from mold growth, sewage and bacteria.