Protect Your Properties From Asbestos, Mold, and More 

By Chris McNulty – ATI Executive Business Development Manager and founder of Omni Environmental 

Summer may be prime time for construction and restoration, but it also exposes some of the most dangerous hidden hazards in commercial buildings. Every year, we see preventable delays and risks because asbestos and mold weren’t identified ahead of time. These are not just regulatory concerns — these are serious safety issues for employees, tenants, and contractors.

Asbestos often lurks in floor tiles, mastic, pipe insulation, and drywall joint compounds — materials that can remain undetected for decades. But any renovation, demolition, or water loss can suddenly expose these risks. Prevention starts with awareness. We work with industrial hygienists who conduct comprehensive building surveys, photographing and testing suspect materials before a project begins. Based on these findings, we’ll execute the necessary environmental services to limit unsafe exposure.

Mold thrives after water intrusion, often along building perimeters, behind walls, or in ceiling spaces. And unless the source of the leak is fixed, mold will inevitably return, no matter how many times it’s remediated. For mold prevention, rapid water mitigation is key. You have to stop the leak. Otherwise, you’ll see repeat mold problems and costly rework.

When an electrical issue tied to a jacuzzi tub ignited a fire in an Atlanta home this spring, the homeowner faced far more than minor smoke damage. Water used to extinguish the fire caused significant additional loss, including the master bathroom and lower level.

Our Atlanta team quickly mobilized. We fully reframed and rebuilt the master bath, now featuring floating quartz countertops, a curbless walk-in shower, a sunken tub, and custom tile. Crews also repaired the stucco walls, refinished hardwood floors, and installed new flooring.

The homeowner’s five-star review says it all: “The team reassured us that they would handle everything, and they certainly did! Their reconstruction work was phenomenal, restoring our home to its best possible condition. From carpentry to carpeting, plumbing to painting, and framing to flooring, their team had the expertise to manage every aspect of the reconstruction process.”

This spring, Jeff Moore, our President and Chief Acquisition Officer, was named President of the Restoration Industry Association (RIA) at the International Restoration Convention & Industry Expo, underscoring our dedication to elevating restoration professionals nationwide.

ATI also became the first contractor to win both of RIA’s Phoenix Awards in a single year.

We received the Phoenix Award for Innovation in Restoration for restoring a Sacramento food processing facility following a catastrophic fire and explosion with zero production downtime despite major structural challenges. Watch the video and read the case study.

We also earned the Phoenix Award for Innovation in Reconstruction for our rapid rebuilding of 250 hurricane-damaged apartments in St. Petersburg, Florida on an accelerated timeline, helping displaced residents return home faster than projected. Watch the video and read the case study.