We Discuss Remediation Steps Needed To Clean Up Flood Damage In Your Jamestown Store

9/9/2019 (Permalink)

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Remediation Steps Needed To Clean Up Commercial Flood Damage In A Jamestown Area Retail Store

Intense storms during the fall can cause a deluge of rain and flooding to overtake retail stores and shops in Jamestown. We consider the water that comes inside to be Category 3, which is the worst level of contamination possible. Specific remediation steps must take place for your store to re-open after this kind of disaster.

One of the initial steps we take when remediating a retail setting in Jamestown of storm or flood damage involves putting safety precautions into place. Employees of SERVPRO and those of our customers have a right to safe working conditions. During Category 3 remediation, wear personal protective equipment (PPE) that makes the interior setting less hazardous. Other safety precautions involving electrical wiring, gas lines, and debris are crucial to our safety.

Decreasing the ability of cross-contamination from happening is another vital aspect of protecting SERVPRO specialists as they perform remediation services. We address the issue of contamination with both disinfection methods and containment chambers. The first makes picking up and transferring contaminants from surfaces less likely to happen. Chambers use negative air pressure to help contain any dislodged contaminants, as these can rest deeper inside materials.

Cleaning up and carrying out the restoration process starts with removing remaining water. When pumping water out of basements, we do so in stages. This allows us to check for changes to your foundation that might occur if the ground outside is overly saturated and places too much pressure on the foundation's walls.

We actively work on reducing the humidity in the air, as this is a crucial part of drying the structure. As long as water vapor stays above normal levels, the structure can develop problems with secondary water damage. As long as contaminants remain in the area, we need to combine dehumidification efforts and negative pressure containment. However, until the level of contaminants dips down to normal, we refrain from using air movers because we want to avoid transferring any microbes from one area to another.

We also bag up debris from both the flood and also any damaged materials. This can require cutting and pulling sections of materials away from walls. We also collect furnishings and any salvageable inventory for cleaning and restoration at our facility. In some buildings, enclosed spaces can keep floodwater trapped. Our building services crew works with us in opening these areas up in a manner that makes rebuilding them possible.

Just before finishing, we clean the area with a disinfectant and remove any bagged waste for disposal. We decontaminate our PPE and equipment. Then we do a final check to ensure we have not missed anything.

SERVPRO of Jamestown / Olean wants to help you recover after a flood or damaging storm so you can re-open as quickly as possible. Retail shop owners in Lakewood, Falconer, and Frewsburg can contact us by calling (716) 338-4901 whenever an emergency arises. We are here, 24/7, year-round, including weekends and all holidays.

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