Water Damage Restoration in Commercial Buildings

This article will be very useful to business owners who lease offices and retail spaces for their needs, because we all know that there can be various kinds of unanticipated situations and one of such situations is flooding your office or store, which can happen both because of the fault of the tenants, the organization, or servicing organizations.

What are the specifics of commercial buildings water damage restoration? The biggest difference is the importance of such restoration. When commercial building is affected from a flood, many people are left without work and income and their normal way of life is disturbed. If the water damage restoration is not done the right way or in timely manner, then the consequence may be closing the facility or relocating elsewhere. Companies that have specialized in water damage restoration in commercial buildings work around the clock to provide the most adequate help when they are needed.

What if the store or office is flooded? How to properly organize work to recover damages? We apply a step by step instruction.

1. Find out the cause for flooding and eliminate it.

The reason for flooding may be not a switched-off faucet in the neighbors from the top, a break in the riser of the heating system, damage to the roof of the shopping center and so on.
Take measures to prevent further flooding: if possible, remove your property, so as not to increase damage, find neighbors, guide the shopping center, turn off the tap, etc.
You can take a photo of the damage done to confirm your position in the future.

2. Determine the amount of damages.

Contact an independent appraiser to enter into a property damage assessment agreement and agree with the appraiser on the day of the inspection of the premises.
If possible, invite the culprit of flooding for inspection by the appraiser of the damaged room. It is desirable for earlier, in a way that can be documented (by telegram, registered letter, purposely with a note of receipt).
Obtain an opinion (report) of the appraiser about the amount of damage caused in connection with the flooding of the premises.

3. Pre-trial settlement of the dispute.

Submit the culprit a claim and propose to settle the dispute in a pre-trial order by paying you damages.
The claim is sent in writing with a copy of the report enclosed by registered mail with a list of attachments or on purpose with a note of receipt.
If the perpetrator agrees to a pre-trial settlement, conclude an agreement with him on compensation for damage, which should also specify which damage is compensated for, the amount, procedure and terms of compensation and indicate the responsibility of the parties for violations of obligations under the agreement (Article 421 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation and item 1 of article 1064 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation).

If the guilty person refuses to settle the dispute on a pre-trial basis, prepare a statement of claim in court.

What Does Commercial Water Damage Include?

• Immediate on-site staffing to prevent further damage
• Work directly with your insurance agent and you to formulate a total cleanup plan
• Removal, clean up and restoration of your personal property
• Complete water damage extraction with the help of top-of-the-line extraction techniques and certified specialists
• The most innovative and effective equipment is used for drying the premises in order to prevent mold formation

Consequences of Flooding a Commercial Building

Water intrusion can spread quickly throughout the building, causing not only stains on the carpets and furniture, but also mold. The presence of moisture and mold in the commercial building damages health of people working there. Recent research has demonstrated a direct relationship between humidity and the development of allergic and respiratory diseases.

The list of symptoms is long and includes symptoms of upper respiratory tract, eye irritation, nosebleeds, headache, nasal congestion, cough, gastrointestinal complaints.

In people with a weakened immune system, children and adults molds can cause serious illnesses. Stay in poorly developed mold, but for a long time, malignant formations, permanent damage to the kidneys and the liver may occur. It is for this reason that mold, even in the smallest quantity, must be removed in time from the dwelling.

Mold can cause illness in several ways:

• Direct infections – in these cases the molds develop inside the human body. Exemplary sites of development are the alveoli and the nasal cavity. The most affected are children and people with weak immune systems.
• Allergies – Spores and microscopic particles from mold in the respiratory system, on the eyes or mucous membranes can cause different allergic reactions. Such are, for example, conjunctivitis and rhinitis, but also severe bronchial asthma.
• Poisoning – The fungus produces toxins that can lead to poisoning of the body. The main penetration of the body is through the gastrointestinal tract where it is transported with food in an unnoticed way. Some of the mold toxins can be extremely strong poisons and the consequences for a person to be very heavy.

Besides damaging the carpets and appearance of mold, water can cause structural damage to the building. That is why professionals will inspect every corner of the building in order to make sure it is safe for the people working there.

The most important part of water damage restoration is drying the affected areas. Professionals use specialized equipment to speed up drying process. Of course, before starting dehumidification process, the source of water flowing should be found. Once this problem is resolved, all the furniture should be taken out from the building. Important documents, books and computers should be treated carefully in order to save them.
Professional cleaning companies understand the importance of dealing with damage and debris caused by flooding and provides quick and professional cleaning for both retail outlets and residential homes.

Trained professionals will quickly and efficiently secure the commercial building. They will clean and disinfect it, helping to minimize water damage and eliminate the risk to your health that is associated with waste and polluted water. If necessary, they will refresh and sanitize with special detergents to remove odors. Before and after disinfection, cleaning is also carried out depending on the level of certification required for the premises and equipment.