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Specialty Testing

Hawk Environmental Services offers a wide range of specialty testing, including materials testing, specific chemicals testing, specific particulate testing and worker-safety compliance testing.

Toxic Gas Testing

Commercial, industrial, and even some of our residential customers sometimes need testing for hazardous gases that may be present in their environments, 0r produced as a byproduct of construction or manufacturing.  We have extensive experience in choosing the right piece of analytical equipment to get the job done and properly documented.  Below is a brief list of the gases that we can test for with real-time results.  We can always use our resources to design a testing plan for more exotic gases at the client’s request:

    • Hydrogen Sulfide – H2S
    • Combustibles (as lower explosive limit percentage)
      • Methane – CH4
      • Propane – C3H8
      • Octane – C8H18
      • Ethane – C2H6
      • Ethanol – C2H6O
      • Pentane – C5H12
      • Turpentine – C10H16
      • Methanol – CH4O
      • Acetone – C3H6O
      • And many others
    • Oxygen – O2
    • Carbon Monoxide CO
    • Broad total VOC testing with a parts per billion photo-ionizing detector
    • Broad specific VOC testing via EPA TO-15 testing with mass-spectrometry analysis
    • Specific VOC testing via sorbent tubes, summa canisters, or tedlar bags:
      • Formaldehyde
      • Acetylaldehyde
      • Benzene
      • Xylene
      • Freon
      • Acetone
      • Methylene Chloride
      • And countless others
    • Hawk Environmental Services will create a custom testing plan for almost any gases that need to be monitored at your facility
    • Inspection can be performed as a screening, monitoring during a specific project, or long-term data-logging
    • Some of the following gases are commonly testing in commercial and industrial facilities
      • Hydrogen Sulfide – H2S
      • Sulfur Dioxide – SO2
      • Nitric Oxide – NO
      • Nitrogen Dioxide – NO2
      • Chlorine Gas – Cl2
      • Hydrogen Cyanide – HCN
      • Ammonia – NH3
      • Phosphine – PH3

    Odor Investigations

    We offer testing for specific chemicals, and can help you optimize your construction project to be as green and as sustainable as possible. We can help you ensure that the materials you’re using are safe and nontoxic.

    What are the signs of an odor problem?

    As an owner or occupant, you may begin to notice unpleasant odors in a particular location or generally distributed throughout the building.  These odors may be the first sign of a water damage issue, rodent or pest infestation, sewer leak, chemical exposure, or a wide variety of other concerns.  Identifying the source of the odors and formulating a plan to get them fixed may save your building from additional damage and prevent a wide variety oof negative health effects.

    What can cause foul or irritating odors?

    The causes of offensive odors can be numerous, and may relate to building damage or illness.  Hiring the right inspector to locate the cause is important, as a full complement of equipment and experience is needed to get the job done.  Here is a short list of some of the problems that we commonly find:

      • Rat and mouse problems
      • Bird nests and nesting materials
      • Raccoon, opossum, or other medium sized mammals
      • Attic mold
      • Condensation-based mold
      • Plumbing leaks
      • Roof leaks
      • Leaking appliances
      • Sewer leaks in a crawlspace
      • Methane and other combustible gases
      • Hydrogen sulfide
      • E.Coli, fecal coliform, enterococcus, or other bacteria
      • New carpeting or paints
      • Epoxy coatings or sealants
      • Low-quality building materials
      • Paints, adhesives, and caulkings
      • Insufficient ventilation
      • High humidity
      • Crawlspace or attic air leakage
      • Poorly sealed ducting

      Odor inspection or odor investigation include:

      Before we can determine the scope of your inspection services, we will need to discuss the relevant information you already have.  Below are some of the questions we may ask:

      • When was the building built?
      • What is the building used for (residential, office space, storage space, manufacturing…)?
      • When did you first start to notice the odor?
      • How would you describe the smell (chemical, sewage, musty, dead animal, etc.)?
      • Where is the odor most notable?
      • Are there specific times or conditions when the odor seems to be strongest?

      Odor testing that we do:

      Based on the information provided by you, our consultants will help to choose the specific meters or lab equipment that will be most effective for identifying and locating the source of the odor problem.  The following techniques may be used by the inspector:

      • Combustion-safety testing (carbon monoxide and combustible gas meters)
      • Sewer gas testing (Hydrogen sulfide, Oxygen, and Methane meters)
      • Mold testing (direct tape-lift, swab, or air sampling)
      • Bacteria testing (E. Coli, Fecal Coliform, Enterococcus, or Legionella)
      • Moisture Testing
      • Infrared inspection
      • VOC testing
      • Ventilation Assessments

      Sewer Gases and Confined Entry

      How might you know there is a sewer gas issue?

      Building owners or occupants may notice a strong sulfur smell, or generally unpleasant odors that may be related to a sewer leak or sewage gas leak.  These odors can be very difficult to pin-point and are often extremely frustrating.

      What risks may be present?

      Sewer gases may contain explosive compounds such as methane, irritating gases such as hydrogen sulfide (responsible for the rotten-egg smell), and potentially harmful bacteria.  It is important to identify the concentrations and source of the issues to prevent possible risks of explosion, asphyxiation, and illness.

      What is included in sewer gas testing?

      When performing a sewer gas inspection we commonly test for the following factors.  Many of these can be monitored with an on-site meter and real-time data can be generated in a wide variety of locations.  These meters will limit our time on site, limit the necessity for extraneous lab testing, and allow us to get to the root of the problem in a cost-effective manner.

      What should you do?

      If you are concerned that the odors in your building may be related to sewer gases, feel free to call or email us for more information.  We will spend the time on the phone with you to explain the benefits of testing before costly plumbing or construction work gets started.

      • Gases

        • Methane (and other explosives as lower explosive limit percentages)
        • Hydrogen sulfide
        • Oxygen
        • Carbon Monoxide
        • VOC’s

      • Bacteria

        • Fecal coliform
        • Enterococcus
        • E. Coli

         

      Volatile and Semi-volatile organic compounds (using either real-time meters or sorbent tube lab analysis)

      More information on VOC’s

      • Broad total VOC testing with a parts per billion photo-ionizing detector
      • Broad specific VOC testing via EPA TO-15 testing with mass-spectrometry analysis
      • Specific VOC testing via sorbent tubes, summa canisters, or tedlar bags:

      Specific Chemicals Testing

      We offer testing for specific chemicals, and can help you optimize your construction project to be as green and as sustainable as possible. We can help you ensure that the materials you’re using are safe and nontoxic.

      Worker-Safety Compliance Testing

      The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) details information on workplace health and safety standards. Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthy workplace, and employers must comply with all applicable OSHA standards. Additionally, employers must also comply with the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act — which requires employers to keep their workplace free of serious recognized hazards. At Hawk Environmental Services, we can help identify those serious hazards and ensure that you’re meeting all safety and compliance regulations.

      Specialty Industrial Gases

      • After a brief phone consultation we can generate a testing plan for almost any suspect gases that are generated in your facility
      • Testing can be performed as a screening, monitoring during a specific project, or long-term data-logging

      Specific Particulate Testing

      At Hawk Environmental Services, we offer specific particulate testing. With our expertise, you’re able to measure the air quality in your building, home or office. Particulate matter is also known as particle pollution — or “PM” — and is a complicated mixture of very small particles and liquid droplets. Particulate matter is made up of a number of elements, including acids (such as nitrates and sulfates), organic chemicals, metals, and soil or dust particles. Inhaling particulate matter is linked to certain health problems.

      Materials Testing

      Hawk Environmental Services can provide testing for construction and building materials. At any point in the project, we’re happy to offer analysis and evaluation of your building materials for VOC off-gassing, alloy composition, asbestos, lead, PCB’s, or almost any other factors. We can help you ensure that your construction project is compliant with codes — and offer you the peace of mind to complete your project successfully.