How Do I Get Flood Water Out of the Floor of My Dover Business?

11/19/2021 (Permalink)

Quick action on your part can help with the flood damage that your business is experiencing. Team SERVPRO is standing by 24/7 for your emergency call.

When Flood Damage Happens to Your Dover Property, You Need Fast Help From SERVPRO

It can be disheartening to walk into your Dover business and find standing water or wet floors and walls from heavy overnight storms. One thing is certain: the longer the cleanup efforts wait, the worse the potential for damages become.

What Should I Do First After Commercial Flood Damage in My Dover Business Property?

If you find your Dover property has flood damage, the first thing you should do is ensure that neither yourself nor anyone else on-site comes into contact with the water. Other proactive measures to take include:

• Turn off the power to the property if there is danger water coming into contact with floor-mounted outlets
• Remove important documents and files if it is safe to do so
• Close doors to the damaged area if possible and turn off the HVAC 
• Fast Extraction is Crucial to a Complete Mitigation

SERVPRO techs remove the water in Dover using the most practical means possible. For smaller spaces, it may include the use of portable pumps allowing the techs to move quickly around the space. For large amounts of water, mainly if debris is part of the problem, truck-mounted pumps can remove copious amounts of water rapidly. Often this latter method gets followed up with the use of portable pumps to ensure the maximum amount of moisture gets removed before moving on to the drying phase.

Why is Flood Water Considered So Dangerous?

While the water in your commercial space may not look or smell harmful, it has the potential to have a diverse array of elements that have the potential to cause injury or illness. Sewage is a frequent component in floodwater, and due to the bacteria present, it should not get touched nor aspirated. When handling this level of cleanup, SERVPRO technicians wear head-to-toe protective clothing, including goggles and respirators with HEPA filtration.

Debris can also be a hazard. Sharp rocks and objects picked up by the water can pose a safety threat, while mud present in the water stains and seeps into any available space where it lands on the property.

Airborne water vapor droplets can have a myriad of bacteria or pathogenic factors present. During the cleanup process, SERVPRO techs run machinery known as "air scrubbers," and they do exactly as the name implies. With their labyrinth of HEPA filtration, they capture particulate matter smaller than the human eye can see and improve the air quality during mitigation.

Drying the property needs professional equipment. The technicians have access to a large array of devices and utilize a large number of air movers at a time to assist in rapidly bringing down the moisture levels. This method brings the interior to a dry state much faster and helps lessen any further degrading of structural elements from exposure to excessive moisture.

Common Damaged Items After Commercial Flood Damage

Floodwater brings some of the most extreme damages to commercial properties. Usually, anything that absorbs this water does not have the potential for restoration. SERVPRO techs remove the items and dispose of them safely. Other frequently seen damages include: 

• Glue-down tiles or carpet
• Sheetrock that has wicked floodwater
• Composite wood furnishings
• Electronics with direct exposure to water

Professional Odor Control Applications are a Must After Commercial Water Damage

While water damage within a property has a distinct, musty odor, floodwater stinks. The smell within the damaged area is stronger and usually needs more robust applications to remove from the premises. SERVPRO technicians often take a multi-layered approach to the odor removal needs within a commercial property and use more than a single application to ensure the area is left odor-free and ready for any reconstruction or repairs to get the business back on track.

Proactive Ways to Avoid Commercial Water Damage in the Future

A good plan is to talk to your insurance adjuster to develop a monthly inspection plan for your property. It can cover areas to watch, such as:

• Directing the grade for your commercial property to divert water flow
• Installation or repair of gutter systems
• Inspection of property looking for signs of small leaks or openings through which water could enter
• Signs of water stains or mold on walls or ceilings
• Use of an environmental monitoring system for both water and fire
• Choose someone to check in on the property during holiday closures or long weekends.

SERVPRO of Dover / Stillwater at (973) 810-2825 brings the equipment and expertise to handle any size of commercial flood damage to your property. The certified techs are available 24/7 and arrive quickly to clean up the damages and restore your property to its pre-damaged condition.