Water Damage Mitigation for Restoration Projects
What is Water Damage Mitigation? The mitigation approach prevents secondary damage. With immediate response to a water damage, the mitigation approach prevents saturation and wicking up affecting more building materials.
The mitigation approach is about prevention and further damage. It is less intrusive with the focus on quick turnaround time and minimizing disruption. The mitigation approach is cost effective and in a commercial environment, it saves money and business disruption.
Repairing water damage after a flood goes beyond immediately extracting the water. The structure, including beams, drywall, and flooring, must be thoroughly dried to prevent mold. Damaged items can be packed out and restored. A proper restoration company will use specific processes and equipment.
Types of Water Damage
First, the type of water damage is determined; sanitary, unsanitary or black water? According to the IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification), which created the standards for the Restoration and Cleaning industry and water damage mitigation and restoration training, there are different levels and classes involved in a water damage situation. From the IICRC’s S-500 standards, there are three categories describing the type of liquid involved.
For example, sanitary would be water from a faucet, unsanitary is an appliance or overflowing toilet, and black water would contain raw sewage or pollutants. Each type of flooding requires different methods of extraction, and the technicians should know how to safely handle potential bio-pollutants. Carpet may be salvageable depending on the water. Carpet padding will be removed and replaced.
After the flooding has been stopped, the water is safely extracted so the drying process can begin. Heirlooms, books, paintings, and electronics are moved so that what is salvageable can be saved and stored off-site. The Mitigation company takes a full inventory of what is removed. Powerful desiccant dehumidifiers and air movers are put in place to completely dry the structure. Trained technicians monitor the drying progress and detect moisture behind walls with thermal imaging technology or moisture meters. Dryers and air movers are added or removed depending on the measurements.
Other services provided by a reputable restoration company include odor removal, mold/mildew prevention, and anti-microbial treatments. The end result is a safe and sanitary outcome for the property owner.
SteamMaster can help and is a 24/7 emergency response company serving central Colorado in Vail, Breckenridge, Aspen and the surrounding mountain resort communities. Please visit www.SteamMaster.com or call 970.827.5555 or 800.527.1253
