Clearing the Way for Something Better
Clear Environmental, LLC adapts to meet the needs of clients
Clear Environmental, LLC (Clear), an enterprise that began as a full-service demolition company in Rockwall, Texas, has evolved over the years as a result of its adaptability to market changes. In addition, the company demonstrates care for others thanks to its leader’s passion for making a difference.
An Entrepreneurial Break and Restart
Before becoming owner of Clear, Zach Shipley started his own residential and commercial carpet cleaning company at the age of 22, which eventually grew its services to include remodeling and construction. When the 2008-09 recession hit and businesses struggled to stay afloat, he transitioned to working for an asbestos abatement and demolition company to bring in a sustainable income. “I did that for a couple of years, but I wanted to begin doing my own thing again,” Shipley says.
So, with a renewed focus on business ownership, he started Clear in November 2015.
“About the same time, I realized I had personal struggles and problems that I couldn’t handle on my own,” Shipley says. Then he made a decision of the heart that changed his entire outlook on life. “I asked Jesus to come into my life, and since then, my whole existence has been different—everything, including my business, has changed because of Him.”
This fresh perspective provided the impetus he needed to form the company’s foundational values. “We have based our whole company around Jesus and biblical principles. In the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, I was asked what cultural object represents our company—the Bible was absolutely the answer,” Shipley says.
Gathering a Team
To get the business running in a positive direction, Shipley invited two men from his church to join him—Joe Flohr, who is a project manager, and Brad Warren, the Vice President/general manager.
Flohr is a Navy veteran who worked as a submarine sonar technician for 10 years. “He has been a friend of mine since high school, and we draw a lot of inspiration from him,” Shipley says.
Warren has four daughters and another little one on the way. Shipley describes him as “a good family man, a great father and husband—a significant benefit to us.”
The three leaders spend much of their time together, collaborating frequently on projects, company operations and other work-related matters. Their loyalty to each other extends to other staff members as well as to customers. Shipley adds, “We believe communication and transparency are key to growing relationships.”
Progression to Radon Mitigation
When Shipley launched the company four years ago, he started out providing partial and total demolition services for both residential and commercial properties, as well as debris removal and cleanup. In 2016, he branched out to offer asbestos removal as well as interior demo for commercial buildings.
When financial institutions involved in the purchase of multifamily properties started calling for in-depth radon detection during the loan application process, Clear began radon inspections. Shipley and his team discovered that many North Texas properties actually produced higher levels of radon than had been reported previously by other firms.
Recognizing a niche for further expansion, in 2018, Shipley added radon mitigation to his company’s list of services. “This is what makes our company special—we expand to meet the needs of the public in order to provide safety,” Shipley says.
Today, the demolition and radon mitigation contractor has four employees—all wholly dedicated to eradicating hazardous materials from properties in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area.
Developing New Expertise
Radon, the No. 1 cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, is a radioactive gas that comes out of the soil naturally and is caused by the breakdown of uranium. Buildings work like an airtight vacuum. Heat and air form a suction that brings radon up through the floors and allows it to collect in spaces frequented by people—odorlessly and imperceptibly causing harm.
The radon mitigation process begins with drilling a hole in the foundation and running a pipe from beneath the house up to the rooftop. Then, air blown from a fan forces the radon out through the pipe above the roof. It takes two days to put the system in place and it stays forever, the fan running into perpetuity. “We have a five-year warranty on our fans, although we’ve had reports of fans lasting for up to 24 years. We are always available to service or replace fans,” Shipley says.
In its first four months of performing radon testing and mitigation, Clear successfully eradicated radon in over 65 properties in the Dallas area. “Having specialized in radon over the last year, we’ve gotten very technical with our mitigation systems. We currently have a 100 percent success rate in alleviating high levels of radon that we’ve found in buildings and other structures,” Shipley says.
Thus far, Clear has handled radon detection and mitigation requests mainly from owners and managers of commercial buildings and multifamily properties such as apartment complexes. The Broadstone 5151 project, a five-story apartment complex located just north of the Galleria Dallas, called for the mitigation of 10 units while a retirement facility in Plano needed mitigation for 115 units.
Radon—an inert gas that people cannot see, smell or taste—is also a hidden danger in many single-family residences.
“The research indicates that radon-induced lung cancer kills seven times more people per year than asbestos,” Shipley says. “As such, it is imperative for both businesses and homeowners to test their properties.” The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends testing every two years.
He adds, “Sadly, the general public is not informed about the dangers of radon, so we have only executed a couple of residential mitigations and a handful of inspections. Our main goal right now is to enhance people’s knowledge of the life-saving services we provide.”
Working Toward Public Education
In its mission to educate the public about the dangers of radon exposure, the Clear team has attended quarterly meetings at the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) in Austin to notify them of its findings in the field and to provide public outreach recommendations. “We supplied the EPA with more test results and worked closely with the EPA Radon Officer and the DSHS to educate the Texas Radiation Advisory Board,” says Shipley.
Over the last year, Clear has also sent reports to Texas Tech University (TTU) for inclusion in an ongoing study of radon levels in Texas. TTU, in turn, forwarded this information to the EPA. “One of the heads of the EPA reached out to me a few of months ago and asked me about certain findings. So, there are some things in the works to get the public informed about what we’re discovering,” Shipley says.
Licensing and High Standards
Although the Lone Star State does not yet require it, Clear is licensed in the state of Texas for the inspection and mitigation of radon. The company’s leaders are also working to get statewide regulations put into place that would affect all businesses providing these services.
“We hold ourselves to the highest standard of quality and integrity in everything we do, whether on the job, at church or reaching out to the community,” Shipley says. “Because of this mentality, we actively seek ways to enact changes in the industry that will make our communities healthier and stronger.”
Faith in Action
While advancing the industry is a top priority for Shipley, in his mind, helping community members in need is equally important. As such, Clear participates in various charitable programs, one of which is the Austin Street Center where food is provided for the homeless twice a month and at Christmas and Thanksgiving. Flohr, an integral part of this outreach effort, volunteers his time to set up the grill downtown. “We like to do our best to supply meals and help out the people where we can,” Shipley says.
Serving the needs of others—whether through detecting invisible health hazards or serving up a heaping plate of barbecue to a homeless veteran—has and always will be a defining aspect of this company.
Shipley concludes: “We are most proud of being a faith-based organization and sticking to those principles. We’re also invested in creating lasting relationships with our clients and in remaining adaptable in the market through our solution-based processes.”