Fire & Smoke Damage Recovery – Part 2
How much water was introduced?
Since most fires in building structures are extinguished with water, what do we do with it? The water can come from multiple sources, usually a fire suppression system, mixed with other efforts from the local Fire Department. Many thousands of gallons can run out and will travel the course of gravity, pressure, capillary action (wicking), and vaporization. If it sits too long, odors and microbial growth ensue.
It is very important to get this extraction and eradication addressed immediately. The sooner the building is dried and cleaned, the less demolition is necessary and the sooner the building can be put back in full operation. But it is critical to track the water in all forms. Where are the chases and passages that the water followed? Are they exposed, dried and repaired? This takes careful investigation and thorough monitoring. If the suppression system is a “wet” system, the water in the pipes also poses a higher degree of contamination to clean. This must be taken into consideration during the drying and cleaning process.
We at HLM do what is necessary to make sure your building is dried and decontaminated properly and efficiently along with the smoke and soot cleanup. This way you can be back in operation as soon as possible with no further repercussions from undiscovered water.
