Dry Ice Blasting - mold, soot and machinery

Steamatic of Sacramento (S.O.S.) has adopted a new method for cleaning structures that are contaminated by mold or heavy soot from a fire.

Dry ice blasting is rapidly becoming the preferred method of cleaning wood in the mold remediation industry as it is the fastest, cleanest and most environmentally-friendly process. 

The S.O.S. system uses small rice-size pellets of dry ice that are shot out of a nozzle with compressed air. Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide (CO2) that has the unusual property of subliming, or changing, directly from a solid to a gas, leaving no residue. 

When the pellets impact on wood or another substrate with surface contamination such as mold or soot, the dry ice creates extreme temperature differences between the substrate and the surface layer at a microscopic level. 

 The resulting contraction cracks the surface layer and allows the pellets to penetrate. Once between the surface layer and the much warmer substrate, the dry ice converts back into carbon dioxide gas that rapidly expands and blasts the surface layer into the air. The material being removed usually turns into a light dust that can easily be vacuumed. 

Dry ice blasting is a far more efficient for removing mold from plywood, studs and trusses than traditional sanding or scraping with a wire brush.  The process also is far gentler on the substrate than sand blasting or even hand scraping and doesn't alter the structural integrity of the wood in the contaminated area.  It also improves access to attics, crawl spaces, and other areas that are difficult to reach with usual cleaning methods. To top it off, carbon dioxide is a natural biocide that disinfects the substrate. 

As for fire damage restoration, dry ice blasting is a new tool in the S.O.S. arsenal that is extremely effective in removing heavy soot, toxic residues, and associated odors. However, depending on the type of fire and the extent of the damage, dry ice blasting may not be the preferred cleaning regime. See the fire damage restoration page for more information.