Damage From Water Should Be Cleaned By Professionals

1/20/2021 (Permalink)

The amount of damage water can cause is amazing, and often underestimated by commercial building owners . Excess moisture is bad enough, but when a commercial building is flooded or hit with a plumbing disaster (like a burst pipe), the situation can quickly get out of hand. There’s a reason why these incidents are among the most expensive problems a property manager can face. Contaminated water not only creates immediate structural problems, it can leave serious biological threats behind after it has been removed.

Floods, sewage backflows, and other sources of contaminated fluid usually cause the worst damage. Dirty water is filled with all kinds of deadly substances, ranging from chemical residues to animal feces to parasites. Bacteria, viruses and fungi grow explosively in contaminated fluid, and severe health risks, like salmonella and hepatitis, are common in flood waters.

This problem is compounded by the composition of most buildings, which are filled with organic materials. Drywall, wood and the matter that is trapped in carpet fibers are just a few examples, and they can give pathogens room to grow. Within 48 hours, mold may begin creeping behind the walls and releasing spores, and any organic materials that have been soaked through by contaminated fluid will usually have to be destroyed.

That’s why restoration firms, in addition to surveying the building for structural problems, will dry the building quickly and apply antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal agents to all surfaces that had contact with the water. This ensures the employees or tenants can return to a safe building, and not one harboring a collection of deadly pathogens.