Dangers of DIY Smoke Restoration

3/28/2023 (Permalink)

This house received smoke damage from a recent fire.

A house fire causes damage to your home in many different ways. Smoke damage is particularly problematic as it will cause extensive damage. Even if the home has not sustained significant structural damage, smoke and soot left behind can corrode surfaces in your home and leave a lasting odor that’s difficult to remove. That’s why smoke damage restoration is extremely time sensitive. It's easy to search the internet and find articles on how to clean smoke damage on your own. But should you? We’re here to offer some reasons that DIY smoke damage cleanup is a really bad idea. 

• The structure of your home may not be sound. Even a small fire can cause structural damage, and you may not even be aware of the extent of the damage. It’s not just the fire that causes damage, but also the water that’s used to extinguish the fire. When a professional smoke restoration team cleans a house, they assess it first and determine how much damage has occurred. As a homeowner, you don’t have the experience to make a judgment call, or the resources to create a safe environment in which to work. Professionals will make sure the home is protected and safe, using tarps, boarding up the home, and doing whatever else they need to do to work safely. Once they’ve made their assessment and stabilized the house, they will do what’s necessary to clean up water damage as well as handling smoke damage repair. Trying to accomplish this yourself could cause you to miss a step and end up in a hazardous situation. 
• Smoke is very dangerous when inhaled. Even the residue left behind with smoke and soot damage can be a health hazard. What’s more, the process of extinguishing a fire, along with the residue from burned fabrics, carpeting, wood, and other materials leave behind chemicals and particles, which will settle into the home and create a dangerous situation. If proper procedures are not followed, all those contaminants and the smoke residue can cause respiratory illnesses like asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis. Professionals know how to keep themselves safe while removing smoke, soot, and other toxins from your ceilings, walls, and floors. 
• Damage from smoke must be cleaned quickly. Time is of the essence when it comes to smoke restoration. The area must be properly ventilated, debris must be removed, and the home must be cleaned with odors neutralized as quickly as possible to ensure successful restoration. If the restoration is not handled correctly, you could be stuck with lasting discoloration on porous materials in your home. Along with corrosion, pitting, and rust on metal surfaces. Hiring an expert team means you’re enlisting the help of people who know how to work quickly and efficiently, to minimize the damage. 
• Your insurance may not cover DIY restoration. The goal of restoration is to bring your home back to its pre-fire condition. While you may be personally invested in your home and want to put all of your efforts into restoring it on your own, the insurance company may not agree that this is a good plan. Talk to your insurer and your mortgage company before you make any move toward restoring it because there may be restrictions on how the repairs can be handled. In most cases, your best bet is to hire an approved restoration company to do the job correctly. 

If you’ve had a fire at your house, call SERVPRO of Jacksonville Beach/Ponte Vedra to assess and repair the smoke damage. Our highly-trained restoration technicians have the experience and equipment necessary to restore your Jacksonville, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach or Ponte Vedra area home and get everything back to normal. We’ve served our community for more than 40 years, and we’re experts in fire and smoke damage repair and restoration. Call (904) 246-6118 or contact us through our website.

What Happens If You Don't Clean Water Damage Right Away

2/7/2023 (Permalink)

Let SERVPRO help dry down your property quickly. Here our team dries out the area between the drop ceiling and the level above.

Whether it’s from heavy storms or a plumbing mishap, water damage is a headache. It’s even worse if you let the problem fester. Here are a few of the repercussions if water damage isn’t taken care of.

Health Issues

Mold loves moisture. If your floors, carpets, and walls are saturated with water and not properly dried out, mold is sure to grow. And it can grow fast. Why is this such a concern? That’s because mold causes a variety of illnesses, and the longer it grows in your home, the larger it gets, causing more health risks. 

But mold isn’t the only health risk from flooding. Water from severe weather brings dirt, germs, and fungi into your house, and water from plumbing accidents can bring even more harmful bacteria (and sewage) into your home. This all needs to be removed as quickly as possible to avoid serious risk of illness. 

Another health risk from excess moisture, especially if it came from outside, is how it attracts pests. Insects love to lay eggs in wet places. Water damage can also make the foundation walls weak and porous, allowing small animals to come in. This can include rats and squirrels. 

Home Value

Flood damage can reduce the value of your house. It can cause your house to fail inspection, which can lose you a sale and lead to costly repairs. It can cause discoloration and deterioration of wallpaper, baseboards, carpets, and flooring that make your house less attractive. It can also cause a musty smell that makes your home less appealing to guests and potential buyers. They will notice this smell long after you’ve gotten used to it.

Structural Issues

If serious water damage is left untreated, it can also cause structural problems that make your house less safe. It can cause rotting of your subfloor, causing instability and even holes. It can damage the foundation of your house, leading to costly repairs to avoid dangerous conditions. It can also damage the electrical system, wiring, and outlets, causing shorts and risk of shock or electrical fires. Water can also damage ceilings and walls, requiring costly repairs. Even your pipes can be deteriorated by excess water, causing plumbing issues. 

If your Northeast Florida home or business has suffered flood damage, call SERVPRO of Jacksonville Beach/Ponte Vedra, at (904) 246-6118. Our highly trained restoration technicians have the experience and equipment to restore your Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, or Ponte Vedra building and get everything back to like-new condition. A trusted leader in the industry, we’ve served our community for more than 40 years. 

DIY Flood Cleanup Mistakes to Avoid

2/7/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO has the drying equipment to dry out your structure properly, helping to bring you back to preloss condition.

Flooding is a very serious threat to the integrity of your home. If not professionally treated, water damage can lead to harmful mold growth or structural issues. If you’re determined to attempt a flood damage restoration project on your own, here are some common mistakes to avoid. 

Waiting Too Long

Flood damage gets worse the longer it lingers. Serious measures have to be taken as soon as possible.

Poor Assessment

Flood restoration professionals have special training and experience in looking for water damage and assessing the extent of it. Moisture is great at hiding under floorboards or linoleum, or within walls and baseboards. The inspection must be extensive.

Using Improper or Insufficient Supplies or Equipment

Water damage professionals have special flood damage supplies and equipment that make it much easier to remove moisture. Towels, a box fan, and a vacuum aren’t going to cut it. Check if your local hardware store has some of these items available to rent, as they’re expensive to buy.

• Heavy-duty Dehumidifier - to pull the moisture out of the air surfaces
• Heavy-duty Fan - there are special fans designed to dry out rooms and surfaces
• Air Scrubber - these appliances suck in air and expel it through a HEPA filter to remove impurities
• Extraction Tool - Basically a giant high-powered wet vac that can suck up air from surfaces and run it into a storage tank or drain. An industrial model can remove a lot of water in a short time. Also known as a flood pumper.
• Moisture Probe - uses a coiled cable to find moisture where it’s hard to detect.
• Floor and Wall Drying Systems - There are a variety of professional quality drying systems available to pull moisture from walls and floors. 

Overlooking Hazards

Floods can create a number of dangerous conditions that professionals know to look out for. They include:

• Gas Leaks - Floods can damage gas lines in ways that can poison the air or cause an explosion. Turn off all gas connections, and smell for gas. 
• Insecure Flooring - Water damage can weaken floor supports and soften floorboards, making them less stable. Tread lightly and carefully. If your foot falls through the floor you can get seriously injured. 
• Electrical Hazards - Flood damage can affect your wiring and circuits in unpredictable and dangerous ways. Shut off your home’s power to avoid the risk of shock, and look for downed power lines. 
• Sewage and Bacteria - Flooding can cause your plumbing to back up, which can make for very unsanitary conditions. Don’t ignore foul smells. 
• Animals - Flooding can be hard on wildlife. Look for rats, possums, ants, and other creatures. 

If your Northeast Florida home or business has suffered flood damage, call SERVPRO of Jacksonville Beach/Ponte Vedra, at (904) 246-6118. Our highly trained restoration technicians have the experience and equipment to restore your Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, or Ponte Vedra building and get everything back to like-new condition. A trusted leader in the industry, we’ve served our community for more than 40 years.

Why Rapid Fire Cleanup is Important

2/1/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Jacksonville Beach/ Ponte Vedra can clean up after any house fire, making soot damage and smoke smell, "Like it never even happened."

A house fire can be a traumatic event. Your top priority, of course, will be to make sure everyone is safe. Once the fire is out and the danger has passed, you’ll need to have the building cleaned and restored as quickly as possible. Beyond what’s lost in the fire, smoke, and soot can cause extensive damage. That’s why rapid-fire cleanup is important. 

What does a fire do to your belongings? In part, it depends on the type of fire. Food burning on the stove is a protein fire, and it can leave a strong odor and smoke residue behind. Complex fires are fires that burn natural and synthetic items. These fires cause noxious odors and black smoke residue that must be cleaned to prevent corrosion. When trees and landscaping burn, it’s a natural fire that causes smoke and ash to enter the building through doors, windows, and attic vents, leaving strong smells and residue. When a heating appliance malfunctions, smoke fills the building. Fires can create electrical hazards because they burn wires and connections, and they can affect ducts and insulation within walls, in attics, and in crawl spaces. What’s more, the ashes and smoke that come with fire can cause discoloration of walls and surfaces, corrosion, and etching of glass. Textiles can become discolored and absorb long-lasting odors. 

It’s crucial to begin a cleanup of the fire and smoke damage as quickly as possible. The longer ash remains on your belongings, the more it can damage them and some of that damage can become permanent after a few days. Even metal, glass, wood, and vinyl can become permanently damaged after a few weeks. In addition to handling things quickly, it’s equally important to be calm and organized as you work through the process. Inform your insurance company about the fire immediately, then call in an expert to help with the fire restoration.

Why call in an expert? Your property and belongings will need to be examined and assessed to determine what is safe and what can be salvaged. Trying to do this on your own is ill-advised because you will not be able to identify what’s salvageable and what isn’t. The experts understand advanced recovery techniques that can save more of your belongings; they also know how to properly dispose of contaminated items that can’t be saved. 

Another reason to call in a professional fire damage restoration team is that you don’t have the equipment and knowledge necessary to deal with the soot and smoke damage or remove all the water and moisture. Your shop vac and a bottle of degreaser aren’t going to get the job done because all the surfaces must be deep cleaned. A thorough, safe fire restoration requires professional knowledge and professional equipment. Don’t wash your smoke-damaged clothing in your washing machine, either. This can further damage the clothes and cause a bad odor in the washer. 

It’s important to note, too, that health hazards are present after a fire. Exposure to the lingering residue and items that have been damaged by smoke and fire can be dangerous to your health. In fact, soot can contain toxic materials like asbestos fibers, ammonia, formaldehyde, tar, and more. By trying to do the cleanup on your own, you’d be exposing yourself to chemicals that can cause respiratory issues, heart attacks, or even cancer. It’s not worth the risk when there are professionals who can handle this for you. 

When you need help cleaning up after a fire, call SERVPRO of Jacksonville Beach/Ponte Vedra for expert fire damage restoration. Our highly-trained restoration technicians have the experience and equipment to restore your Jacksonville beaches area property and get everything back to normal. We’ve served our community for more than 40 years, and we’re experts in fire and smoke damage repair and restoration. Call us today to ensure your property is restored to like new condition following fire damage.

Dangers of Letting Smoke Go Untreated

2/1/2023 (Permalink)

Call (904) 246-6118 to ensure your property is restored back to like new condition following a fire.

When there’s a fire on your property, it can wreak havoc. Even if the fire damage is not catastrophic, smoke can cause permanent damage to your home and belongings. That’s why you have to move quickly to restore the home and treat the smoke damage.

Here are a few of the dangers of letting smoke go untreated.

• When you don’t handle smoke damage, your restoration costs increase. The odor becomes harder to neutralize and it becomes more difficult to salvage things like carpets. The restoration process will become more difficult and time-consuming, and therefore more expensive.
• Smoke and ash left behind can cause extensive damage. Mixed with water, smoke, and ash are extremely corrosive. When these substances are not cleaned promptly, they can corrode the walls, ceilings, floors, and other surfaces in your home. You may think you can clean the residue with soap and water, but that’s not sufficient. It requires deep cleaning with the appropriate chemicals and tools for the job. In fact, cleaning smoke damage with water can make the problem worse.
• Soot deposits can travel through the building. It may sound like something out of a sci-fi horror movie, but it’s reality: soot, left alone, will migrate through the building. Traveling from room to room, it will damage paint, carpet, drapes, furniture, clothing, and other items, even in rooms previously unaffected by the fire.
• Exposure to smoke residue can cause health issues. If the damage caused by smoke and fire is not completely eradicated, hidden dangers will remain behind. Both old and new homes hold chemicals that can become dangerous if the proper procedures aren’t used in restoration. Asbestos fibers, synthetic fabrics, carpeting, wood, PVC, and other materials can release harmful substances like hydrocarbons, ketones, cresols, sulfur dioxide, formaldehyde, and hydrogen chloride into the air. Exposure to smoke residue and all those chemicals can impact your health, resulting in respiratory illnesses like bronchitis, asthma, emphysema, and allergies. It can be especially dangerous for people with heart conditions or a compromised immune system.
• Without smoke treatment, your home can be permanently damaged. Within hours of a fire, damage from smoke and ash starts to set in. Leaving it untreated can cause your walls to turn yellow, metal surfaces to corrode, wooden furniture to need refinishing, and clothes to become permanently stained. It may also cause irreversible damage to the floors, which will need to be replaced.

If you’ve had a fire at your house, call SERVPRO of Jacksonville Beach/Ponte Vedra to assess and repair the smoke damage. Our highly-trained restoration technicians have the experience and equipment necessary to restore your Jacksonville, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, or Ponte Vedra area home and get everything back to normal. We’ve served our community for more than 40 years, and we’re experts in fire and smoke damage repair and restoration. 

Commercial Fire Sprinkler Myths

2/1/2023 (Permalink)

Fire suppression and sprinkler systems are effective at reducing property damage. Call (904) 246-6118 if your fire suppression system is triggered.

If you own commercial property, a fire sprinkler system can prevent irreparable damage to your building. Unfortunately, commercial fire sprinkler myths can get in the way of this important safety device. Here, we debunk some myths and reveal some truths about commercial fire sprinklers and how they work. 

• Myth: When one fire sprinkler goes off, all of the others do, too. 

• Fact: Contrary to what you might have seen in the movies or on TV, sprinklers don’t all go off at once. Each sprinkler head is activated individually when it senses temperatures of over 155°F. So, only the sprinklers that sense high levels of heat will activate, which typically means that only a few sprinklers will go off in a fire. This is fine because the majority of commercial fires can be extinguished by two sprinkler heads or fewer. 

• Myth: The damage that fire sprinklers cause is more expensive than fire damage. 

• Fact: The truth is that fire sprinklers release significantly less water than firefighters’ hoses. What’s more, because they help keep fires from spreading, they reduce the amount of extinguishment the firefighters need to perform, reducing water damage. 

• Myth: There’s no need for sprinklers if you’ve installed smoke alarms. 

• Fact: Smoke alarms will provide an audible alert when there’s a fire, but they do nothing to extinguish it. If a fire starts outside of business hours, the smoke alarm can’t do anything to contain the fire. The flames are likely to spread and destroy property before the fire trucks can make it to the building. 

• Myth: Sprinkler systems are extremely sensitive and easy to trigger. 

• Fact: According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), only about 1 in 16 million sprinkler heads activate accidentally. Because they only activate when they detect high heat, they won’t go off if an employee takes a smoke break too close to the building or burns lunch. Smoke alarms don’t set off sprinkler systems, either. Each system is triggered independently by heat. 

• Myth: Fire sprinkler systems aren’t effective. 

• Fact: Fire sprinkler system installation minimizes the number of injuries and fatalities from fires. Research indicates that buildings with sprinkler systems have an 87 percent lower death rate and a 27 percent lower injury rate than buildings that don’t have them. 
• Myth: Fire sprinklers don’t require maintenance. 
• Fact: Like any other mechanical system, sprinkler systems require regular maintenance. You’ll need to keep them from freezing in cold weather, test them, monitor pipe pressure, inspect the heads for damage, check for leaks, and make sure the valves open and close properly. It’s also important to turn them on; property owners failing to turn their systems on accounts for 59 percent of sprinkler system failures. 

• Myth: Your insurance isn’t affected when you install a sprinkler system.

• Fact: In some places, the installation of sprinkler systems is required by law. While this can be costly, insurance companies will often lower premiums for businesses with a sprinkler system installed. That’s because sprinklers are effective at reducing property damage. 

If your building has suffered fire or water damage, call SERVPRO of Jacksonville Beach/Ponte Vedra. Our highly-trained restoration technicians have the experience and equipment to restore your Jacksonville, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, or Ponte Vedra area commercial property and get everything back to normal. We’ve served our community for more than 40 years, and we’re experts in water damage repair and restoration as well as damage from fire and soot. Call (904) 246-6118 to contact us today!

Difference Between Flood Watch and Flood Warning

2/1/2023 (Permalink)

Let SERVPRO remove the flood-damaged material from your home and dry your structure down safely.

Floods can do devastating damage to homes and businesses, so it’s important to keep an eye on weather developments. Some of the common languages about floods can be a little confusing, especially when meteorologists assume their viewers know all the terms. There’s an important difference between a “flood watch” and a “flood warning,” for instance. Here are a few important terms and what they mean.

Flood Advisory - Be Aware

Issued when a specific weather event that is forecast to occur may become a nuisance. A Flood Advisory is issued when flooding is not expected to be bad enough to issue a warning. However, it may cause significant inconvenience, and if caution is not exercised, it could lead to situations that may threaten life and/or property.

Flood Watch - Be Prepared

A Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding. It does not mean flooding will occur, but it is possible.

Flood Warning - Take Action

A Flood Warning is issued when flooding is imminent or occurring. This always comes after a flood watch. 

Pay attention to all three, but realize that a flood warning is much more serious. Here’s one way to remember the difference: You watch for a threat. When you see it, then it’s time to warn people. 

Flash Flooding is flooding that begins within 6 hours, and often within 3 hours, of heavy rainfall. It can also occur after dam or levee breaks or mudslides.

Flash Flood Watch - Be Prepared

Issued when conditions are favorable for flash flooding. It does not mean that flash flooding will occur, but it is possible.

Flash Flood Warning - Take Action

Issued when flash flooding is imminent or occurring. If you are in a flood-prone area move immediately to high ground. A flash flood is a sudden violent flood that can take from minutes to hours to develop. It is even possible to experience a flash flood in areas not immediately receiving rain.

Areal Flood Warning

Normally issued for flooding that develops more gradually, usually from prolonged and persistent moderate to heavy rainfall.  

River Flood Warning

These are issued when a river is forecast to go above its designated flood stage at the forecast point.

Coastal Flood Watch

This means that seawater spillage over dune lines and sea walls will occur if the weather develops as expected. People in the watch area should be ready to move to safe ground if flooding occurs or if warnings are issued.

Coastal Flood Warning

This means that seawater spillage over dune lines and sea walls is occurring, is imminent, or is expected within the next 12 hours. People in the warned area should take immediate action to protect their lives and property.

If your Northeast Florida home or business has suffered flood damage, call SERVPRO of Jacksonville Beach/Ponte Vedra at (904) 246-6118. Our highly trained restoration technicians have the experience and equipment to restore your Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, or Ponte Vedra building and get everything back to like-new condition. A trusted leader in the industry, we’ve served our community for more than 40 years. 

Top Causes of Commercial Water Damage

2/24/2022 (Permalink)

If your northeast Florida business has suffered water damage, make sure to call SERVPRO of Jacksonville Beach/Ponte Vedra to help!

Top Causes of Commercial Water Damage

Water damage can pose a serious challenge to your business, making it important to know all the ways it can occur. Here are the top causes of commercial water damage. 

Roofing Issues

As with residential buildings, the roofing of commercial buildings needs to be properly maintained and routinely inspected for damage. Even small leaks can eventually lead to ceiling damage, then secondary damage throughout the building. Some roofs are imperfectly built, leading to problems right away. Older buildings may be missing shingles and/or need the roof to be replaced due to normal wear and tear over many years. Gutters and downspouts can be a problem if not kept clear and clean, leading to water pooling on the roof and eroding roofing material. If you see leaks or other roof and ceiling issues, contact professional help before the problem spreads to other parts of the building. 

Weather Events

Hurricanes and tropical storms are an obvious cause of commercial water damage to businesses near coasts, but tornadoes can also lead to water damage by damaging roofs and windows.

Windows and Waterproofing

Besides the roof, the four walls of your building can be penetrated by water if not properly maintained. Seals and weather stripping around windows and doors should be routinely inspected, and replaced if not effective. 

Pipe and Sprinkler Problems

A well-maintained and modern sprinkler system is an important safeguard against fire damage, but if any part of the system is faulty, substantial water damage can occur. This is true as well for the rest of the pipes in your commercial building, which should all be occasionally inspected. Look for leaks and have them fixed as soon as you can to avoid further damages. Besides pipes, sinks and toilets can leak as well. Make sure there is always someone present or on call who knows how to turn off the main water supply line to the property in case of a water damage emergency.

HVAC Issues

Your HVAC system not only maintains a comfortable temperature in your commercial building, it is also important for removing humidity. The intake vents pull air from the interior of the building and run them through cooling coils, which removes heat and moisture from the air. A faulty HVAC unit or clogged vents and/or ducts will impede this process. Excess humidity can lead to mold. Commercial buildings in climates that are especially humid may require a special separate dehumidifier unit. 

If your northeast Florida business has suffered water damage, call SERVPRO of Jacksonville Beach/Ponte Vedra. Our highly-trained restoration technicians have the experience and equipment to restore your Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, or Ponte Vedra home and get everything back to like-new condition. A trusted leader in the industry, we’ve served our community for more than 40 years. Call (904) 246-6118.

Preventing Mold after Water Damage

2/10/2022 (Permalink)

If your northeast Florida home or business has experienced water damage, call SERVPRO of Jacksonville Beach/Ponte Vedra for a mold inspection.

Preventing Mold after Water Damage

If you’ve recently experienced flooding or another form of water damage at your home or business, there are a number of reasons to take action. You want to replace damaged materials, and make your property as attractive and functional as before, as quickly as you can. One important factor to remember is the potential of all that moisture to create a mold problem, which might not be immediately apparent. Here are a few instructions to help you avoid mold growth after water damage. 

Call a Water Cleanup and Restoration Company ASAP

Professional water remediation experts have a variety of special tools and equipment to dry your carpets, walls, furniture, and whatever else as quickly as humanly possible. They also have the experience and expertise to know exactly what to handle now vs later, what can be saved and what will need to be thrown out. All of these benefits can save you a lot of hassle, and doing it yourself might actually be more expensive in the long run, especially if you end up with a serious mold problem weeks or months down the road. 

If you must do the job yourself, or if you’re waiting for help to arrive, see the instructions below.

Shut off the Water

It’s good to know how to shut off the water to your home in case there’s a serious leak or a natural disaster. This helps a water damage event from getting worse.

Pick Up Rugs and Personal Items

Anything left in sitting water or on wet surfaces is getting more and more damaged as time goes on and can develop mold quickly, so pick up whatever you can. Hang up rugs. Bag up anything that can be taken somewhere to be cleaned.

Minimize Furniture Damage

Do what you can to help furniture in wet areas. Move items to dry areas, and/or put furniture legs on top of bricks, blocks, etc., to keep them above water. 

Dehumidify

Rent or buy a heavy duty dehumidifier to get as much of that moisture out of the air as quickly as you can. Mold is everywhere, but it thrives in excess water in the air and on surfaces. If necessary, get more than one dehumidifier. (Again, a professional water damage restoration company, like SERVPRO, will have this equipment on hand and know how and where to use it for maximum benefit.)

Prevent Future Damage

To prevent mold in the future, stay on top of any sources of excess moisture: leaky pipes, missing shingles, clogged gutters and downspouts, faulty sump pumps, old weather-stripping, etc. Be prepared for storms and flooding. Get a mold inspection if you see any sign of mold.

If your northeast Florida home or business has experienced water damage, call SERVPRO of Jacksonville Beach/Ponte Vedra for a mold inspection. Our highly-trained restoration technicians have the experience and equipment to restore your Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, or Ponte Vedra home and get everything back to like-new condition. A trusted leader in the industry, we’ve served our community for more than 40 years. Call (904) 246-6118.

What to Save When Your Office Building Gets Flooded with Water

1/26/2022 (Permalink)

If your Northeast Florida business has experienced flooding, call the experts at SERVPRO of Jacksonville Beach/Ponte Vedra!

What to Save When Your Office Building Gets Flooded with Water

Flooding at your office building can be a devastating experience. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the amount of damage that can occur in such a short period, but it’s important to stay focused and do what you can to save important materials. Here are some suggestions of what to prioritize. 

Power Down

Water and electricity can not only destroy valuable computers and data; it can electrocute you as well. If flooding is extensive, be extra careful. If you feel that you can safely reach the circuit board to shut down the power supply to your office, this should probably be your top priority. 

Computers

These days, many businesses have cloud backup for their digital documents to safeguard against events such as flooding or other misfortune such as fire, theft or electrical mishaps. Regardless of your backup capacity, those computers are valuable and can be ruined by exposure to water, so you may want to place them onto tables or shelves to keep them dry, or remove them from the building. 

Paper Documents

Many paper documents are high priority, and of course will be ruined by flooding, so move them to a safe place or remove them from the building. As a matter of protocol, it’s a good idea to routinely back these documents up by scanning them and uploading them to a cloud server, and to store them at least a few feet above the floor if it’s necessary to hold onto physical copies. 

Printers

Your printers may be one of the most expensive items in your office, so move them to safety if possible. Many commercial grade printers also store a copy of everything that’s been copied on them, so they can be a valuable data source after a disaster. Of course, it’s important that the power be off when you do this if you’re standing in water. They can also be extremely heavy, so get help. You don’t want to add a sprained back to your troubles. 

Get Professional Help

A professional water cleanup and restoration company has special tools, experience and methods to save as much of your office building, equipment and materials as possible, so call them as soon as you can. The quicker they can get to your business, the more they can save. 

If your Northeast Florida business has experienced flooding, call SERVPRO of Jacksonville Beach/Ponte Vedra. Our highly-trained restoration technicians have the experience and equipment to restore your Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, or Ponte Vedra business and get everything back to preloss condition. A trusted leader in the industry, we’ve served our community for more than 40 years. Call (904) 246-6118.