Your business isn’t just your livelihood: it’s proof of your hard work and a major part of your identity. That’s why it’s so devastating when your commercial property suffers a fire, as this represents an enormous loss of income as you throw away ruined inventory, close up shop, and allow fire damage remediation experts to take stock of the situation.
The good news is that excellent Oregon restoration professionals can get your shop up and running sooner than you would expect, utilizing a proven cleanup process that will make it seem as if there was never a fire at all. A Portland water damage restoration team will follow these steps in order to get your company back to business in no time.
Upon your call, the water damage restoration company will begin the assessment process
Once the rescue teams have left and you’ve contacted your insurance agent to let them know about the situation, you should call a damage restoration company as soon as possible so that they can get started right away. While you wait for them, take pictures to document the condition of the property, particularly shots of damaged inventory in order to calculate your losses. This can be used by both your insurance agent and the restoration company to determine what can be fixed and what will need to be replaced. If you are a retail vendor, it’s likely that much of your inventory will be written off, as soot and particulates can pose a serious health risk to your customers.
While performing their assessment, the technicians will note the areas most heavily affected and ensure that there are not any structural issues which will need to be fixed first. They’ll look at both the initial fire damage and the damage caused by the firefighters dousing the fire, as each can create unique problems that must be resolved together. Once they’ve identified every element of concern, the team will develop a comprehensive plan to fix each problem that your property faces.
Your team will then pack up all items and secure the property
In order to begin restoring the building itself, the technicians will perform a pack-out, which means that they box up and remove everything so that the structure is almost entirely empty. These items will be placed in a secure facility, where they will undergo their own treatments to revive and refinish them. This can include property like heavy machinery, furnishings, furniture, and electronics, all of which will be restored using different techniques depending on their particular properties.
You will likely be encouraged to oversee and advise in this process; some machinery can be worth thousands of dollars, and the fire damage restoration company will not want to damage or imperil anything while moving it. Staying responsive and lending your expertise can ensure that all of your items arrive at their secure facility in good condition.
In regards to the property itself, the technicians will secure the area to prevent trespassers and ensure that everything is safe for their workers; they will board up broken doors and windows, place caution tape around areas that need to be treated carefully, and put up plastic sheeting for areas that need to be isolated for the safety of everyone involved.
All the water used to fight the fire must be removed so that everything is completely dry
Air circulation and dehumidification is essential to the restoration process, because the firefighters will have used a vast quantity of water in order to put out the fire. To do this, the team will use large, powerful fans and dehumidifiers to suck out the moisture and help evaporate it from every surface. Only when everything is fully dry can they proceed to the next stage, which involves disinfecting everything.
Next, all soot and smoke particles are removed, and disinfectants are used to inhibit mold growth
Everything will be assessed as to whether it can be salvaged, and anything too damaged will be thrown away. Rest assured that the team will do their very best to save as much as possible, but some objects will be unsanitary because they have been penetrated by mold or soot.
The experts will now clean and sanitize the remaining belongings, both at their secure facility and on the property itself. This utilizes a number of different techniques based on the properties of the items in question, which can include anything from abrasives to ultrasonic waves.
Structural issues can now be fixed, and damaged elements of the property will be replaced
This component is essential to ensuring the safety and well-being of you, your employees, and your clients, so it needs to be undertaken with particular care. The damage restoration company will assess everything and replace structural elements, drywall, flooring, and anything else within the property itself that needs fixing. A similar process is underway at their secure facility, where craftsmen will help repair machinery, furniture, and other items that must be placed back in your business.
The entire building is cleaned, and the finishing touches are put in place
Using air filtration and other techniques, the professional cleaners will remove any last unpleasant smells from the area, then they will give everything a final scrubbing to ensure that there is no risk of mold growth or remaining soot.
Once everything is nice and clean, the restoration experts will return the property to its previous splendor by painting the walls and placing carpeting. Broken fixtures are replaced, and your belongings are brought back in to resume their spots. Now, your business is ready to reopen, better than ever.
It’s a complicated process, but by working with qualified professionals, you can enjoy a swift and efficient return to order. Your water damage remediation team will remove all damaged items, clean and sanitize every part of the space, repair structural damage, restore anything which can be fixed, and finally apply some fresh effects to reinvigorate the space. Before you know it, you’ll be welcome to your customers and associates back to a welcoming environment that’s safe, sanitized, and secure.
