Water damage restoration is a long and involved process. Contact SERVPRO for certified technicians who are ready to help you.
Stay Operational With Water Damage Repair Services
Regular employees in your Marysville corporation can mop up small spills and fluid messes on hard flooring with the same equipment used for daily maintenance. Other times, more work is required.
Here is some information about three standard components often used in commercial buildings in Marysville:
Wooden elements,
Sealants and other compounds, and
Drywall and other coverings.
Wood, particularly ornamental pieces, can swell from exposure to water, sometimes causing deformation. Larger pieces, such as those used in flooring, can be repaired through controlled drying, minor sanding, and refinishing. We have technicians skilled in restoring damaged wooden decorations or logos.
Sealants are used in various settings to keep water out of an area. When sealants degrade, crack, or dislodge, moisture can get into previously-protected areas. This situation can involve build-ups of grime and microbial infestations. We clean these areas, apply preventative treatments where needed, and reseal the area "Like it never even happened."
Drywall, heavier sheetrock, and lighter-weight paneling are common wall materials in hotels and other places of business. Ceilings might be of the same materials or decorative or acoustic tiles. We can quickly repair walls with minor water damage, repaint, and leave them looking like other undamaged areas. In hotels, uniformity is often part of the branded look, and we work with business owners closely to ensure this occurs. For ceilings, water from overhead leaks on upper floors can leave otherwise undamaged tiles with noticeable stains. We have special cleaners for this situation, such as our in-house Oxi-Zap or Bright-N-Neutral Cleaner Item.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington is always nearby to serve other local businesses with skilled water damage repairs and restoration work. Call (360) 658-0506 for experts who can bring new life back to your business.
Apply Water Cleanup Methodologies Based on Scope of Damage in Marysville
If your commercial property needs water cleanup, team SERVPRO is the company to call. Our technicians are certified and have the equipment needed.
Thorough Water Cleanup in Marysville Commercial Buildings Avoids Future Mold Issues
Every water cleanup project has different requirements based on the amount of water in Marysville commercial buildings. Broken plumbing, storm damage, or flooding can introduce thousands of gallons of clean, gray, or black water into commercial buildings. All operations must be curtailed, and the focus must shift to the protection of employees and contents, cleanup, disinfection, and drying before your company can return to normal operations.
SERVPRO provides commercial water cleanup services for all types of water and flooding in Marysville. We have the equipment and team members to respond to clean up water from plumbing leaks as well as more severe flooding of your premises. Floodwaters may contain bacteria, viruses, pollutants, chemicals, and debris. We remove these materials safely following approved disposal methods.
We tailor our response to the scope of the water damage and follow standard approved industry processes:
Meet the client onsite within four hours of your call.
Assess the situation and check all safety-related issues – structural, electrical, contamination, slip, and falls.
Protect commercial buildings from additional damage - board up windows and doors, etc.
Remove contents, clean, and protect from secondary damage.
Begin mobilizing water extractors, air movers, and dehumidifiers to dry the building and its contents.
Inspect flooring, walls, and any material that may have absorbed moisture.
Remove damaged and contaminated flooring, walls, and contents.
We use moisture meters to confirm all areas of the building affected by water penetration have been dried to avoid future structural issues, mold growth, and lingering odors caused by flooding.
SERVPRO provides the resources to return your commercial building to normal operations as soon as possible. We check for pockets of moisture that can lead to the formation of mold colonies in as little as twenty-four hours, giving off a strong, musty smell.
Call SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington for water cleanup services. We provide service to Marysville and nearby areas. We can help 24/7. Call (360) 658-0506.
How Water Mitigation Can Save Your Soggy Business in Marysville
Rely on SERVPRO to mitigate water damage in your Chicago workplace "Like it never even happened."
Full Restoration Is Easier with Water Mitigation
A clogged sink in the restroom can happen quite swiftly and unexpectedly. That and any other plumbing mishap can leave water on your floor in Marysville. Our water mitigation team knows how to make this event short-lived, so your business stays focused on customers' needs.
We understand that you want your business to run as smoothly as possible to provide consistent products and services to your clients and customers in Marysville. SERVPRO's water mitigation experts handle the situation so your employees can work uninterrupted and with as little distraction as possible. We also want to be as out-of-the-way from your customers, so we do everything possible to keep cords, hoses, large pieces of equipment, and anything else out of the way.
Here are a few methods that help our water mitigation customers:
Preventing or lessening destruction or harm of goods and equipment,
Drying out flooring, furniture, and cabinetry, and
Stabilizing the humidity in the air.
If any equipment or inventory was in the way of escaping water, it could have become damaged almost instantly. We handle such items in a manner that helps eliminate the water before it can cause more harm. At times, contact with water means dusty equipment ends up with a dirty and damp residue. We remove this before it can dry and possibly harden. Other times, electronics require a specialist, and we can help with contacting trusted service providers.
Heavy Duty Industrial-Grade Equipment
Heaters, air movers, and desiccant machines help pull absorbed moisture back out of porous items. We open cabinet doors and prop up cushions on sofas and chairs to allow them to dry more easily. We take readings of affected materials to monitor this process. We want to avoid over-drying anything, as this can create different problems.
Desiccant machines also keep the air from holding too much humidity as we dry out furniture and carpeting. These dehumidifiers can tell us how much moisture remains in the air. When humidity levels are above normal, we know that damp things in your shop are still drying, releasing water into the air.
For water mitigation and other services your business needs to remain centered on daily operations, call SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington at (360) 658-0506.
Recovering after a fire is a daunting task. Contact SERVPRO for certified technicians and professional equipment. We are available 24/7.
SERVPRO Commercial Fire Restoration Services are Here
A fire at your business can leave unpleasant burnt odors for several weeks or months after the event. However, homeowners can significantly reduce this timeframe with a professional odor control technician. At SERVPRO, we use multiple odor control techniques, chemical agents, and equipment to ensure your business returns to its normal preloss condition without odor.
Facing fire damage in your Seattle company can be a traumatic experience. The lingering burnt odors make it difficult for staff to continue working and create an unpleasant environment for customers. Bad smells are volatile particles that can settle on or even penetrate porous surfaces. Some odors can become trapped inside textiles such as carpet fibers and release other bad smells when disturbed. To combat these issues, our technicians use absorption agents and powders that absorb humidity and odors together. These powders are sprinkled directly onto the carpet surface, forming a sealant between the odor particles and indoor air. We can also help you with:
Fire debris removal
Fire restoration
Smoke damages
Another method of controlling bad smells is with digestive enzymes. Enzymes are organic bacteria that help to break down substances on a molecular level converting them into odor-neutral particles such as carbon dioxide and water. We use these digestive enzymes primarily in restaurants suffering from kitchen fires where the causes of odor could be protein-based soiling. One of the core advantages of using a natural enzyme is that it can convert greasy smoke deposits into water-soluble substances. A simple detergent can be very effective on fatty soil deposits, providing that an enzyme has been applied first.
Adsorption agents are materials such as charcoal that can be used to filter unpleasant odors from indoor spaces. Equipment like air filtration devices incorporate these materials.
Electronic filtration devices can also be used in the home, which capture microscopic organisms and destroys them reducing odor.
Disinfectants and sanitizers are also useful in destroying or removing invisible odors from surfaces.
If your business has an odor issue after a fire, contact SERVPRO of Marysville/ Arlington, quoting fire damage restoration at (360) 658-0506.
When you find mold damage in your business, you want it dealt with quickly. Our technicians are here to remediate and mitigate the damage. Call 24/7.
Arlington Retail Businesses Depend on Commercial Mold Remediation from SERVPRO
No one wants to find mold growing within their business property. However, when it gets found, it needs immediate action to halt the spread.
Retail business owners know that they need fast commercial mold remediation in Arlington. Businesses that are open to the public need to have a safe and hygienic space for customers and employees alike.
Mold growth is complex and spreads quickly. Visible mold is the mycelium, a collection of tube-shaped cells. The individual cells are hyphae and are a part of the production of spores. The spores can:
Travel through the ductwork to other areas
Land on clothing or shoes and get transported
Wind up in bags given to customers and land in their homes
While it is impossible to remove all airborne mold spores, SERVPRO techs work to remove as much as possible to create healthy air quality. The techs may need to set up containment to concentrate air quality improvement efforts and capture airborne particulate through the use of equipment such as air scrubbers which traps spores in a maze of filtration; some have added carbon filters.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington at (360) 658-0506 brings their experience and professional equipment to assist local Arlington properties with any kind of commercial mold remediation.
Call SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington at (360) 658-0506 for assistance from a professional remediation company.
Certain Water Mitigation Approaches Speed Up Restoration for Marysville Accommodations
Several types of water mitigation and emergency services might be necessary after a water damage event. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster – so we stay prepared to mobilize 24/7 when disasters strike. We have stocked trailers and production vehicles loaded up with extraction, drying, and cleaning products to rapidly manage loss events.
Plumbing Repairs
There are several strategies for water mitigation in Marysville hotels and respective accommodations, but few have the far-reaching and definitive impacts of repairing damage to the plumbing system that caused the water emergency. Restoring the water service to the building after these damaging events is crucial, so we utilize our contractor license to help access the impacted portion of plumbing and replace it.
Water Removal
Any standing water is a threat to your structure. The longer materials remain exposed to pooling and puddling, the more absorption and saturation become costly and destructive concerns. We prioritize extraction upon arrival and have multiple tools in our inventory to help in this regard. Depending on the severity of the pooling, we can choose among several options, including:
Another one of the important mitigative strategies that we can implement is preventing mold growth where possible. During the water cleanup and its earliest phases, specific structural elements are at risk of developing mold colonies without inhibiting action from our professionals. We have antimicrobial products to spray on sensitive hosting materials to prevent growth and damage.
Because of how many people rely on your hotel and its availability throughout the year, damaging events like water emergencies must get resolved as quickly as possible. We have several mitigation solutions to help as soon as our SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington team arrives. Give us a call today to help with water cleanup at (360) 658-0506.
How to Avoid the Need for Commercial Fire Damage in Marysville?
Dealing with the aftermath of a fire in your commercial kitchen can be quite stressful. Team SERVPRO will arrive on the scene with the help you need.
SERVPRO Helps Marysville Commercial Kitchens Handle Fire Damage Restoration
Thousands of commercial kitchen fires take place in the United States each year. The fact is that many of these fires come from issues with cooking equipment, with others starting due to unattended open flames or faulty wiring. SERVPRO wants all restaurant and commercial kitchen owners to know that we are there if you need damage restoration assistance. However, prevention is the best policy!
A restaurant fire in Marysville can quickly turn into significant fire damage that calls for detailed restoration. These fires are often difficult to extinguish, and the protein residue left behind is stubborn and intense.
Preventing Kitchen Fires
Not only should your commercial kitchen have tools to put out a fire, but you also need tips to help keep them from starting to begin with. When running a kitchen, these are a few things to keep in mind:
Safety is paramount. Train kitchen staff and front-of-house the best methods for spotting and fixing fire hazards. They should also know protocols if a fire breaks out and learn a proper evacuation plan.
Equipment maintenance and inspections. Always check wires for splicing or fraying. When you notice equipment not working properly, unplug it and ensure it gets inspected and repaired by a trained professional.
Invest in a fire suppression system. Automatic fire suppression systems are similar to having a first responder on-call. The system automatically disperses chemicals to help diffuse flames while also shutting down the electrical supply or fuel to any nearby equipment.
Whether you have a commercial kitchen fire caused by cooking oil, grease trap issues, clogged exhaust filters, gas leaks, or wiring, you need trained fire and smoke restoration technicians on the job. We are that team at SERVPRO of Marysville/Arlington, and you can reach us 24-hours a day by calling (360) 658-0506 for commercial fire damage restoration.
Need Commercial Water Damage Repair in Marysville – Call SERVPRO
Even small leaks can be significant issues. Our team is always a phone call away to handle your water damage restoration.
SERVPRO Provides Emergency Water Damage Cleanup and Restoration Services in Marysville
A major water leak is a disaster for many commercial clients to their Marysville business operations. Whether it is a rental building, a motel, a school, an office building, or one of many other industries, employees and customers are impacted. They can no longer provide goods and services until the water has been removed and everything has normalized.
SERVPRO teams are available to respond 24/7 to provide water damage repair and cleanup in Marysville for commercial customers experiencing a water problem. We can assist in stemming the ongoing cause of the water leak and immediately begin water removal, protect the contents, and provide drying services to mitigate the time your operation is placed on hold.
For example, a small multi-story motel may have water in several units on several floors. We pack up the furniture and remove the contents to store them in a staging area while repairing floors, walls, and ceilings. Depending on the amount of water damage, we remove ceilings, carpets, underpads, and drywall to expose structures to be dried to prevent mold growth and the loss of structural integrity. We use a combination of air movers and dehumidifiers to dry the framework and reduce the humidity levels to normal.
Our SERVPRO teams provide construction solutions to assist with complete water damage repair and restoration of your commercial building. Our team manages the build back for everything from board up, carpet installation, drywall repairs, and installation to electrical and plumbing services. Our SERVPRO teams provide commercial services to help bring your commercial operation back online, including:
Water damage often accompanies fire damage. SERVPRO is always on call to restore your home.
Need Commercial Fire &Smoke Damage Restoration Service in Marysville – Call SERVPRO
Fires in commercial buildings are often extinguished quickly in Marysville through the combined efforts of the fire department and in-house fire suppression systems. The fire is extinguished before it burns and chars the structure; however, the water from the fire suppression system can spread hundreds of gallons of water over the entire building. The fire department uses chemicals and water to extinguish the fire and prevent a more significant catastrophe.
SERVPRO responds in four hours from your initial call for fire and smoke damage restoration in commercial buildings in Marysville. Our team is always on call 24/7 to respond to your needs and focus on protecting the contents and structure from additional damage caused by the water and chemicals used to quell the fire.
Commercial buildings are filled with various finished and unfinished products that are easily damaged by smoke residues, water, and moisture if action is not immediately taken to mitigate the impacts. High moisture situations can introduce further damage and contribute to mold growth in as little as 24 hours.
SERVPRO teams remove charred materials, vacuum up standing water and deploy air movers and dehumidifiers to dry the building and structure. Once the contents are dry, we pack them up and move them to a staging area until we can return them. All surfaces are washed and clean to remove smoke residues using a combination of water, detergents, and solvents to dissolve soils left over from the fire.
SERVPRO provides many services for commercial customers in the area, including:
SERVPRO has the manpower and equipment for any size commercial damage restoration project. Call now for fast and immediate service.
SERVPRO Evaluates Losses Determining What to Give Priority During Restoration
Whether water accumulates in your Arlington Heights business premises for a few minutes, days, or hours, you can expect some problems. The issues can range from soiling, odors, rotting, and rusting, among other forms of physical deterioration. It is crucial to recognize that the outcome of flood damage is hinged on the severity of the loss and the mitigation actions.
Minimizing water exposure for contents and structural materials should be your top priority when flood damage affects your Arlington Heights premises. Most of the severe problems that force businesses to close down permanently develop from severe water exposure. SERVPRO can help you take or expedite the necessary actions to prevent any unnecessary long-term effects from the loss.
Some typical flood-related issues that can lead to long-term closure include:
Accumulation of hazardous wastes
Proliferation of microbes
Rotting and other forms of material deterioration
Among the simplest ways to combat these problems is expediting water removal since floodwater that is left to sit in business premises over an extended period fuels such as breakdown of organic materials, which can turn into hazardous waste. SERVPRO uses various techniques, including highly efficient equipment to facilitate water removal.
Some of these water removal equipment used include:
Self-priming pumps to remove water with solids
High-pressure pumps
Truck-mounted water extractors
Apart from helping prevent extreme deterioration of materials, water removal also helps pave the way for regular restoration tasks, thus allowing regular business operations to resume. Carrying out such tasks with the water in place is impossible since the floors are slick and other hazards such as electrocution are high.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington helps businesses respond appropriately to the threat of flood damage. Call us at (360) 658-0506. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.
Commercial fire damage is no DIY project. Call the professional outfit of SERVPRO for all the commercial restoration services needed.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington Uses Numerous Deodorization Techniques to Battle Fire Damage in Marysville
In commercial businesses, fire sprinkler systems often get the fire under control quickly. Smoke can spread rapidly, and deposit smoke resides throughout the building. Deodorization is needed to get rid of the pungent smells, and the right equipment is required to get the job done.
SERVPRO’s Deodorization Procedures
Not every fire situation requires all the steps SERVPRO uses to deodorize buildings. Fire damage to Marysville companies varies depending on the depth of the fire, how quickly the sprinklers kicked in, and the material burning. We employ the following steps to get rid of foul odors brought on by fire:
Remove the source of odors – charred debris and unsalvageable material get removed from the premises.
Ventilate the area – open windows and provide ventilation.
Clean surfaces – Impacted surfaces get cleaned with the correct cleaning agent for the residue.
Control vapor odors – SERVPRO applies deodorizing beads or pellets to floors if needed.
Thermal- fog the area – Fogging takes place where the source is and spreads out from there.
Inspect for pockets of odor – Crawl spaces, areas above suspended ceilings, and wall cavities get examined.
Check the HVAC system – If needed, decontaminated and clean.
These are some of the basic steps we use. Sealants, ozone equipment, and other steps may be taken. Content may need to be removed off-site for cleaning and repair.
Serving Marysville Businesses
We are committed to fire damage restoration that gets your company operating as quickly as possible. For professional fire restoration services, contact SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington at (360) 658-0506.
How Can Arlington Proprietors Conduct Mold Removal To Address Persistent Infestations?
If your business is overtaken by mold you need to call the professionals. Call SERVPRO today for remediation assistance.
SERVPRO Takes a Multifaceted Approach When Carrying Out Black Mold Damage Repairs in Arlington
If you notice signs such as a musty smell or black spots on surfaces soon after addressing a mold issue, you likely have a persistent mold problem. Standard mold remediation processes such as cleaning and drying are less likely to provide long-term results.
Before embarking on mold removal at Arlington business premises with a persistent infestation, it is essential to establish the likely causes. Although leaky roofs and pinhole leaks in pipes are the common drivers of mold infestations, other issues can cause problems too. Significant variations in humidity and temperature levels can lead to condensation, thus providing the moisture mold needs even when there is no water leak. Our SERVPRO technicians check whether there is an issue with your HVAC system.
Growth might also persist if mold remediation cleaning does not incorporate antimicrobial and antifungal products. Our SERVPRO technicians incorporate various chemical agents, including Quats, which rapture microorganism cell walls and phenolics that work against bacteria and fungi. With our service, you can expect long term results from:
After a fire in your business property, you will need a team of experts by your side for the build back. Call SERVPRO for assistance.
SERVPRO Opts for Water & Fire Damage Restoration Methods with No Secondary Problems
Electrical outlet malfunctions can easily lead to fires at your workplace. Problems usually arise when there is a short circuit or a gadget, or even an outlet overheats. The fire can start from any point and spread once it touches wall or ceiling panels and any other flammable material in the vicinity.
Fire damage restoration in your Marysville workplace after an electrical fire may involve several processes, including cleaning smoke residues, removing the degraded materials, and deodorizing strong odors such as those produced from burning synthetic components of appliances and electrical systems. For the best outcome, you need the assistance of a team well-versed with:
Fire damage restoration
Smoke remediation
Water & Fire Damage Restorations
Our SERVPRO technicians identify the different residues involved then find a suitable way to capture and remove them. Chemical sponges are one of the media our technicians prefer when removing residues from surfaces after fire and smoke damage since they do not leave smudges. We also thermal fog the property after cleaning to neutralize odor molecules.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington provides any type of fire damage restoration services. Call us at (360) 658-0506 for immediate assistance.
Commercial Water Damage Restoration Needed in Marysville
SERVPRO has the manpower and equipment for any size water damage property. Call now!
Why Choose SERVPRO for Commercial Water Damage Restoration in Marysville?
Many business owners across the country have experienced a situation where they arrive at their office in the morning and see standing water. Not being able to get work done can often financially hurt your company.
When dealing with commercial water removal in Marysville, our SERVPRO crew knows you need to keep your business operating. We can provide the following services in a way that can support business as usual:
Water Damage Restoration
Water Clean Up
Ceiling Repairs from Water Damages
Sewage Cleanup
If there are more than two inches of standing water inside your office, we can conduct water removal services. Depending on the situation, we can use the following types of pumps:
Self-Priming Trash Pumps: Trash pumps vary and get classified by how big in diameter of material they can move.
High-Pressure Pumps: These pumps can pull out water at high pressure, but they do not work well when removing solids.
Electric Submersible Pumps: Small units can draw 100 to 18,000 gallons per hour, whereas larger pumps can remove 1,000 to 6,000 gallons per minute.
It will be exciting to see the community at the Sunnyside Nursery!
Inside Air Can Still Be Fresh Air for Marysville Residents
Houseplants are a simple, and natural way to clean the air inside your home. On November 14th from 10:00 am to 11:00 am PST, Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville hosts a free, online class to help residents select the best options for their home or business.
Their in-house expert, Holli Schippers, can assist with every type and size of residence and many businesses. Sunnyside Nursery has a wide variety of plants with every color and texture available and allowed in the state of Washington.
Do More Than Clean the Air, Improve It!
Besides removing malodors and particulates, houseplants can also provide pleasing odors that add to the enjoyment of each room. The strength and type of fragrance depend on the individual, but Sunnyside Nursery is ready to help with every residential and commercial need.
When your Marysville business needs more than plants to remove odors from commercial fire damage, call SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington at (360) 658-0506. We are here to return your facility to a clean, odor-free condition.
Should You Call SERVPRO or Your Business Insurer First after Flood Damage to Your Store?
Marysville Business Owners want to Know the Facts about Flood Damage.
Marysville is a delightful place to live and do business – but anyone who settles here soon learns that they have chosen a wet area of the country! Snohomish County gets an average of 46 inches of rainfall per year, several inches above the national average of 38 inches. Floods are a real possibility here, and store owners need to know what to do in such an event.
If you suffer flood damage to your Marysville store, you will most likely wonder what to do first. Most of us do not think clearly when disaster strikes, leading to poor decision making. One of the first questions you may ask is when to call your business insurer. Should you do it straight away, or wait till SERVPRO has a chance to assess the damage?
Who to call first?
We recommend you call your insurance company first. They will give you a number to call to make a claim. Then, call in a remediation company. You do not have to wait for your insurance adjuster to arrive before making the call.
Can my insurer tell me which remediation company to call?
Your insurer cannot tell you which remediation company you can use. However, they will most likely give you a shortlist of recommended companies. When choosing, find out:
If the company arrives promptly - SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington will be on-site within four hours of receiving your call.
If their technicians are well trained – we train our staff to the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) standards
If they liaise with your insurance company on your behalf – we are happy to do that
Feel free to take pictures while waiting for us to arrive. Our technicians will also take photographs, but it is never a bad idea to have extras on hand.
Can you start cleaning your store before we arrive?
The answer depends on the extent of the damage and the type of water involved in the flood. Do not start cleaning if:
You suspect flood water contains raw sewage, chemicals, or anything hazardous to health
There are electrical risks due to flooded electronics
There are debris, exposed nails, low lighting, or slip and fall hazards
The room is structurally unsound, for example, due to a sagging ceiling
However, if the area is safe to enter and you are confident the water is free of contaminants, you may:
Mop or soak up water from the floor and furniture
Pick up and hang rugs
Remove colored items such as magazines or books from floors
Place foil under furniture legs to prevent rust stains on the carpet
Use mops or cloths to soak up water – regular vacuums are not designed for use with water. Please also refrain from setting up fans in the area before we arrive.
Should you start throwing away unsalvageable items?
Please do not dispose of any items, even if you are sure they are unsalvageable. Your insurance company will want proof of what is salvageable and what is not. If you throw an item away, you can no longer prove that you need to replace it.
What happens when SERVPRO arrives?
We will begin with an assessment of your store. As well as visually inspecting the damage, we will use professional equipment to measure moisture and humidity levels in your premises. We examine everything from the walls and ceilings to individual pieces of furniture, carpets, and subfloors.
We will let you know our verdict and our advice for the next best steps. Your satisfaction is important to us, which is why we will never start cleaning until you have seen and approved our remediation plan.
We remove excess water with pumps and wands, and clear way items we need to clean or dispose of. Then we set up air movers, dehumidifiers, and portable heaters if required to create an effective drying environment. Thorough drying is vital for preventing structural damage and mold growth. That is why we monitor moisture and humidity throughout.
Can SERVPRO help with your claim?
We can interact with your insurance provider and give them our professional opinion about your claim. We can provide technical information, pictures, and details of our assessment to help your case. If we cannot save an item and the only option is a replacement, we will ensure your insurer is aware of that and provide evidence.
Can you do anything ahead of time to speed up a claim?
We recommend all local businesses set up their own SERVPRO Emergency READY Profile (ERP). This free app provides an online record of your store's critical information and what staff should do in an emergency. You can register us as your go-to restorer, and even submit a notice of loss through the app to save time.
We can restore your fire damaged salon. Call us today!
Fire Damage Restoration Is Incomplete Until Odors Are Eliminated--SERVPRO Has a Solution for Marysville Businesses Suffering from Smoky Stenches
Where do the persistent odors come from after fire damage in your Marysville hair salon? The answer usually connects to lingering soot particles or porous building materials that absorbed odors from smoke or the firefighting residue-laden water. Incompletely combusted structures, fixtures, or contents are the source of soot, tiny bits that float in the smoke from a fire, giving it color, until they settle on surfaces.
Should I Invest in Scent Diffusers or Air Fresheners to Rid My Salon of the Smell?
Your clients are eager for a new style or color and look forward to a relaxing bit of “me” time. When inadequate fire damage restoration leaves your Marysville salon filled with unpleasant odors, you risk losing your reputation and your customers. Avoid responding to the malodors only with masking agents like air sprays and wax melts or oil diffusers. Their chemical agents might react with the residual odor-bearing particles and vapors to create an even more noxious scent. They also lose effectiveness over time, and the smoke odors return.
What Is the Solution to Persistent Fire Residue Odors?
SERVPRO deodorization specialists follow a four-step procedure to restore the pleasant ambiance of your salon.
Remove debris -- this includes looking for burned materials hidden in building cavities.
Clean surfaces thoroughly-- our technicians match residues with cleaners and methods that break the bonds, permitting us to wipe or rinse the odor-bearing coating away.
Recreate the conditions resulting in the odor -- thermal fogging combusts deodorants in a heated chamber, and the fine particles pair with the odor-bearing molecules, rendering them odor-free. We also use hydroxyl generators whose particles bond with the soot, chemically changing to scent-free substances at a molecular level.
Seal surfaces that emit vaporized odors.
Persistent fire damage odors eventually meet their match when SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington takes on restoration duties after a blaze at your business. Call (360) 658-0506 to schedule an evaluation.
We understand the importance of getting back to business as usual. Call SERVPRO for quick fire damage restoration services.
SERVPRO Works Fast to Tackle Fire Damage – Get Your North Marysville Business Back Up and Running Sooner with Our Help!
Any time a fire takes place, it leaves behind charred debris, ash, soot, and smoke residues. You never want these things to linger in your place of business, so calling in the help of the trained experts gets the job done. In addition to the techniques and methods that SERVPRO has to offer, we have also perfected our craft to ensure you get your business up and running faster. All you have to do is give us a call 24/7, and we can be there in as little as four hours or less to start with the assessment and planning to restore your North Marysville business.
Can I Enter My Business After the Fire?
Once your commercial business suffers fire damage in North Marysville, it might seem as though it is safe to enter after the fire gets extinguished. However, even after the first responders give the okay, you run the risk of creating more damage by entering and not knowing how to navigate the fire loss areas. After our IICRC-certified team arrives, we go through the commercial space to do a thorough assessment of the damage. During this time, we take not of all charred debris, potential hazards, begin to formulate a plan on the best way to proceed safely and effectively.
When we get called for a fire damage project, we work through the following steps:
Securing the interior of your commercial space – ensures that the structure is safe and that we may proceed with the cleanup and restoration phases.
Taking note of all potential hazards from a safety standpoint so that we can plan accordingly.
Any risks are addressed right away – this includes exposed wiring, burned sheetrock, electrical dangers, and broken or hanging lighting fixtures.
After the crew chief finishes with the initial assessment, the team can then start with the removal of severely burnt and unsalvageable items. Depending on fire loss severity, some articles and inventory inside your business must be carefully disposed of and replaced. Our team does whatever we can to salvage items within your business using a range of advanced cleaning and restoration techniques.
What Determines Which Building Materials Must be Replaced?
There are times when partial removal of building materials will do, but others may call for complete demolition and full replacement. We take each project and treat it individually, using measures such as:
Partial Removal/Controlled Demolition: If wooden studs show a little charring, we may use steel brushes or slight agitation to remove it. The studs will then be sealed and finished. For drywall showing a small amount of soot or smoke damage, we might be able to seal and repaint to keep foul odors from lingering.
Specialized Techniques: SERVPRO has a broad range of techniques that help to address significant charring. Options include sanding, dry ice blasting, or soda blasting to remove charring.
Will There Be Leftover Smoke Damage?
Regardless of the size of your commercial fire, smoke odors always pose a unique challenge from a restoration standpoint. Luckily, we have the latest techniques and equipment geared toward foul odor removal so that we can leave the interior of your business "Like it never even happened." How we proceed will depend on the smoke that developed from the materials that burned.
Dry Smoke – This smoke comes from a fast-burning fire with higher temperatures, generally including materials like wood and paper.
Wet Smoke – This is smoke generated at lower temperatures, usually from burning plastics or rubber. The residue forms in a manner where it becomes sticky and 'webs' – this makes it difficult to clean without specific measures.
SERVPRO's Green Fleet comes with a vast assortment of deodorizing and cleaning tools to eliminate foul smoke odors in your business, such as:
Air Scrubbers – These help to remove airborne particles from the environment.
Injection Devices – These help by putting deodorizers into confined spaces, upholstery, carpeting, and more.
Fogging Equipment – We have both wet and dry fogging equipment available. Dry foggers, also known as thermal foggers, take solvent-based deodorants and turn them into a vapor that reacts with odor-causing particulates. Wet foggers atomize liquid deodorants, turning them into a fine mist that binds to odorous elements to facilitate easy removal.
Before we wrap up your fire damage project, we ensure that your business's interior is thoroughly cleaned and free of foul odors. We use EPA-registered cleaning agents and deodorizers that return the interior of your commercial space to preloss condition. Everything is clean and ready for you to resume normal operations without reminding your employees or customers of the fire.
SERVPRO of Marysville/Arlington has you covered when you are dealing with fire damage in your business. Call (360) 658-0506 to have a crew deployed to your location whenever you need us.
Can a Marysville Flood Recovery Company Help Clean the Soft Items and Toys My Children Love?
Let us help you get your Marysville Daycare back in order after a devastation.
Marysville Parents Rely on You to Keep Their Littles Safe and Comfortable -- You Can Count on SERVPRO to Complete Flood Damage Cleaning and Disinfection for Your Daycare Efficiently
Sustained rain over a few days causes overland flash flooding, a crisis for your daycare center. Although your durable tiled structural components can bounce back quickly from flooding with aggressive cleaning and disinfection, you worry about the blankets, pillows, and toys with which your tiny clients play and nap.
Is It Appropriate to Attempt Cleaning Flood-Damaged Fabrics Used Around Children?
You are wise to proceed with caution when flood damages your Marysville child care center. Flood waters are, by definition, Category 3 water, potentially contaminated with chemicals, human and animal waste, and always at risk of supporting a mold outbreak. Our production facility technicians welcome the chance to consult with you about our proprietary detergents and commercial washing systems. We test the durability of the damaged items treated with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)- approved and hospital-grade cleaners. Our pledge to you is adherence to the state and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) standards for decontamination.
Can SERVPRO’s On-Site Crew Clean Surfaces to the Specifications Demanded by Licensing Authorities?
We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster, essential when responding to a flooding scenario. The contaminants in the flood waters could accelerate the growth of molds and pathogens, making our rapid response crucial to cleaning, floors, walls, and other surfaces before the children risk exposure to substances that could make them uncomfortable or unwell. As part of the community, we know how important safe and secure child care environments must be, and we follow every precaution to make your center welcoming and healthy for the little ones.
The professionals at SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington take their responsibility to your and your clientele seriously when struggling with flood damage. Call us at (360) 658-0506 as soon as possible after flooding to devise a comprehensive plan that follows all applicable rules and regulations.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington is always available to those in our community!
SERVPRO Checks the Air Quality in Commercial Buildings in Marysville after Sustaining Fire Damage
Burning and smoldering materials fill enclosed spaces with smoke, and the intense heat helps bind many particles to surfaces throughout your business. Fire damaged buildings in Marysville can continue to circulate loosened soot particles through their HVAC systems. We use particle meters to gain a baseline reading of the air quality in several locations.
What does SERVPRO do to make the air safe again?
What does SERVPRO do to make the air safe again? We use air scrubbers to remove airborne particles while we work. Negative air pressure set-ups efficiently remove toxic fumes created when PVC and other synthetic materials become overheated and push tainted air out of the building while pulling in fresh, clean air. While we work, we use personal protective equipment (PPE), including face masks and respirators. Our certified technicians also perform several services, including:
• Controlled demolition of charred materials, followed by bagging and removal of these items, • Cleaning the HVAC system to remove smoke and soot particles, • Removing water used by the fire department (the presence of such water can cause water damage and microbial infestations), • Thermal fogging to encapsulate hard-to-reach soot particles, • Deodorization methods to make treated areas more pleasant.
Can SERVPRO recheck my business after the work is finished?
Refogging is perfect for odors whose source’s location remains unknown, and other deodorizing methods can destroy odors plaguing specific areas, as well. If our particle meter finds abnormal amounts of pollution inside, we can run air scrubbers to get the situation under control. Even though we perform these checks immediately after we finish a fire damage job, we can perform a recheck for you, if you feel one is warranted.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington is always available to those in our community, 24/7, year-round, by calling (360) 658-0506. Our goal is to help businesses recover rapidly after fire damage, minimizing the economic impact as much as possible.
Call (360) 658-0506 for rapid-response cleanup that can help you get back to business as usual.
Removing Commercial Flood Damage from a Marysville Bike Shop
Washington business owners have plenty of options available to them for flood preparedness. However, when flooding occurs, the extensive cleanup of inventory and structures required can be overwhelming and lead to further losses. Just two inches of flooding can cause as much as $42,000 in damage to structures, on top of the damage that can happen to fixtures and inventory on your property.
If your Marysville bicycle shop suffers commercial flood damage, IICRC-certified SERVPRO technicians can arrive at your business within hours of your initial contact to begin the mitigation process. This team uses OSHA-approved antimicrobials as well as cutting-edge technologies to restore your facilities to a pre-flood condition. SERVPRO teams are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so that you can minimize loss and reopen your business quickly and safely.
Preventive Tips for Flooding • Scope out your property. Make a note of vulnerable areas in and around your building, from loose window seals to cracks in the exterior, and make prompt repairs. Keep gutters, downspouts, roof drains, and perimeter drains clean to keep water from backing up into your facilities. • Check the basement. If your store has a basement, look for damage to the foundation, and caulk any cracks you can find. • Consider flood-proofing. Use waterproof coatings or coverings to prevent floodwater from seeping in through your building's exterior. • Invest in landscaping. Smart landscaping, including slopes, rain gardens, and adjustments to downspouts, can go a long way toward minimizing your business's flood risk. • Hire a professional. A skilled, licensed professional can evaluate the risks to your building and help you decide what measures you can take to safeguard your property.
How SERVPRO Can Restore Your Business SERVPRO technicians can get to work on restoring your property immediately after arrival. The first step in mitigating flood is extraction with a variety of tools, including submersible sump pumps for standing water over two inches, and portable, back-mounted extractors to address smaller quantities of water.
Unlike the typical water damage drying process, disinfection must be done after extraction to prevent the spread of microbes during drying, which can allow mold or other contaminants to spread throughout your facility. SERVPRO technicians use EPA-registered broad-spectrum disinfectants to clean surfaces, including salvageable inventory, such as bicycles and tires. Factors such as temperature, relative humidity, and pH levels are crucial to a successful restoration. Carpet and other flood-affected porous surfaces may require removal to prevent future contamination.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington strives to leave your business looking, “Like it never even happened.” Call (360) 658-0506 for rapid-response cleanup that can help you get back to business as usual.
Commercial Property Owners Rely on SERVPRO for Speedy Water Extraction --"Book" Us for Fast Service!
Commercial Water Removal for Libraries and Public Buildings in Marysville
Commercial Water Removal Marysville We are a restoration service that works closely with commercial clients to deliver on-spec, tailored services. Some buildings need special care and attention as well as large, industrial equipment to recover from a flood or water-related incident. Municipal buildings like libraries can often have a creaking infrastructure that fails to cope under increases in rainfall, extreme temperature changes, or frozen pipes.
As the building manager of a local library, you must use a service for commercial water removal in Marysville to ensure that costs remain low and losses keep to a minimum. Our team is specially trained to deal with water loss scenarios in more significant buildings. Often, more substantial buildings can be challenging to restore because the number of equipment needed is exponentially larger or need deploying in more significant numbers.
Here at SERVPRO, our technicians and staff receive backing from national-scale infrastructure and resources. This backing means we can mobilize large dehumidifiers, heating systems, and truck-mounted extraction units. Often, this equipment utilizes industrial generators or by converting your existing generators into the correct power outage. Addressing several rooms at one time requires exterior equipment to maintain efficiency. Large volume buildings, with high ceilings, mean increased efforts are needed to remove moisture and liquid water.
Many of our restoration technicians complete qualifications from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certifications (IICRC.) This body assists SERVPRO technicians to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies in our industry. While some aspects of removal may seem complicated, our crew chiefs are here to communicate with you directly every step of the way. This can be essential for library buildings where there may be the existence of materials like lead-based paint or asbestos. When books and cases are endangered by moisture penetration, a Project Manager can be on-site to supervise the preservation of this content.
As an operating commercial restoration provider, part of our job at SERVPRO is to build close ties with specialists and insurance providers. Often having a prior relationship with third-parties can help us to leverage services in favor of our clients. We record all actions digitally using automated inventories to maintain complete accountability and transparency. These records can be vital to public services like libraries and make the claims process quicker and easier.
Removing water from large buildings is a task that requires industry-leading training, industrial equipment, and experience. Contact SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington at (360) 658-0506.
Our Professionals Will Restore Your Flooded Marysville Bar
Give our technicians a call whenever you need us at (360) 658-0506.
Fastest Route To Restoring Your Flooded Marysville Bar
Flooding to any Marysville business can be detrimental to your potential profit and potentially cause a strain in the service that you can provide. These conditions are especially true when you are dealing with substantial water loss effects in the bar, as you can expect a steady volume of foot traffic in your establishment every night. Addressing flood damage should happen immediately, and our professionals have the equipment and experience to help.
As problematic as flood damage in Marysville businesses can be, the primary wood construction of all booths, seats, fixtures, and flooring in your bar can stress the importance of reacting immediately to this situation. Depending on the kind of wood and any coating applied to it, certain materials can begin absorbing standing floodwater right away. If these conditions do not get addressed promptly, wooden elements can become too saturated and distort and warp.
While you might be able to replace damaged elements like chairs and tables, exposure of installed booths and the bar itself can become very costly to replace or resurface when flooding mars the appearance. With the speed that these materials can become too severely damaged to preserve with traditional drying efforts, you need a team of professional restorers that can arrive quickly with the tools to help.
Not only does our SERVPRO team arrive with state-of-the-art extraction equipment that can remove standing water from wood flooring and prevent continued exposure to these susceptible features around your bar, but we can also employ specialized drying tools that can quickly manage moisture content and humidity levels in the room. With the combination of drying mats, air movers, and dehumidifiers, we can regain control of a damaged room and reduce the time that your doors remain closed to your patrons.
We strive to provide our commercial customers with an efficient response they expect because it is our business to get you back in business. You can always depend on the rapid response and the continued growth and experience of our SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington professionals to help you through every flood loss scenario. Give our technicians a call whenever you need us at (360) 658-0506.
This picture shows one of our expert technicians preparing equipment to be moved into a flooded business. We are prepared 24/7.
Commercial Water Removal in Time for Arlington Corporate Meeting
Let's face it; there is never a convenient time for commercial water damage. No matter what the cause, any event that results in the closure and need for restoration of a business affects the revenue stream and sometimes even the reputation of a company.
When an Arlington company needed fast commercial water removal, they contacted us. A supply line in a breakroom broke in the wee hours and the security company monitoring the property noticed the water flowing onto the breakroom floor. Our emergency response team arrived quickly after the call, and the property owner wanted to know how fast we could clean up the water damage and get the property cleaned as they were planning a corporate meeting and it was too late to cancel or reschedule.
Given the need to dry the property quickly, we scoped the room to track the water migration path and deployed multiple portable pumps to extract water removal and move on to the drying phase. While the property owner arranged for the supply line repair in the breakroom, we set up our air movers. We drilled weep holes in the sheetrock around the supply line to allow greater airflow and dry the area.
Once dry, we cleaned and disinfected the area. Because of an apparent slow leak that led to the breaking of the supply line, we treated the area where we drilled weep holes with an antimicrobial sealer to inhibit mold growth. To ensure there were no remaining water odors, we used two different odor applications, so when the corporate meeting was held in a few days, the property would smell as clean as it looked.
When SERVPRO technicians completed our restoration efforts, we gave the property owner the report to assist with expediting their insurance claim including:
Before and after photographs of each item restored or discarded as a loss
Listing of minor sheetrock repairs needed to restore the breakroom to its preloss condition
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington arrives quickly and performs fast commercial water removal with our state-of-the-art equipment. Call us at (360) 658-0506, and we can make the water damage "Like it never even happened."
Call (360) 658-0506 immediately after disaster strikes.
Prompt Professional Water Damage Response For Marysville Businesses
When your Maryville business struggles after a water loss, the risk of permanent closure approaches 50 percent. Customers are likely to seek other suppliers of the products and services they counted on you to provide if they lose confidence that you can recover from a water disaster. Partnering with our team of highly-qualified Water Damage Restoration Technicians (WRT) rapidly restores both your business and your reputation.
An overnight supply line leak in your Marysville grocery causes water damage that has your staff and customers wading near the deli case at opening time. Because the water ran for hours, you have no certainty that the pooled moisture has not migrated far beyond the food preparation area where it began. Failure to account for and remove all the water exposes your business to the risk of progressive damage to structures and severe secondary issues like mold damage.
Engage SERVPRO to permit you to continue to provide your neighborhood with a gourmet alternative to chain supermarkets. Our team is trained by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification and can remove the water quickly and dry out the property thoroughly. Our technicians are experts in using moisture detection and thermal imaging devices. We use that data to map out where the water spread, using controlled demolition strategies to release and remove it if necessary.
Once we determine the perimeters of the water incursion, our crew contains the work area so your clientele can shop in unaffected departments of your store. Heavy plastic sheeting combined with an air scrubber system seals off the water damage. Air is forced through HEPA filters to trap any contaminants stirred up during the project, venting to the outside.
SERVPRO employees use pumps and then extractors to remove the water, then scrub and treat surfaces with EPA-registered cleaners and disinfectants. Air movers and heaters strike a balance during the drying phase, facilitating the movement of water absorbed into building materials into the air as vapor. Our desiccant and evaporative humidifiers capture the vapor for permanent removal from the building.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington knows your business must meet the needs of your customers daily, so we help devise water damage recovery plans that permit commerce to continue during mitigation and remediation. Call (360) 658-0506 immediately after disaster strikes. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.
Flooding, whether it occurs as a flash or from a slow buildup, is a common occurrence in many parts of the country. If you're wondering how to prepare your business for a flood, the post below highlights some key steps you should consider in your flood disaster planning.
Flood Planning Need-to-Knows
National Flood Safety Awareness Week took place from March 16 to March 22 and with the recent flooding we've had along the east coast of the country, it's a perfect reminder of the importance of flood preparedness for your business.
Even if you think the flooding risks are low in your area, it’s important to be vigilant. For example, during the 2013 floods in Colorado, a very rare weather event hit Boulder County and surrounding areas hard. A stalled weather front dropped 21 inches of rain very quickly, and the resulting damage to businesses, homes and civic infrastructure was devastating and widespread.
The first step to prepare for flooding is to understand your potential exposure. Fortunately there are some convenient resources. For example, the NOAA Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service provides quarterly updates and maps showing areas that are higher risk during certain times of the year. Historic flood maps are also a great resource for understanding the potential risks in your area. Knowing how high water could potentially rise and how long it will take to drain are valuable insights for developing a response plan.
In addition to getting flood insurance, here are some other important steps to keep in mind for preparedness:
Safeguard key information—be sure you keep copies of flood insurance and other key business information in a safe place where it won’t be damaged or swept away by flooding.
Prepare your building—depending on your building layout, it may be worth getting a sump pump to help minimize potential damage. Be sure to keep gutters and drains clear of debris, and to anchor fuel tanks. Also, if possible, minimize storage of especially valuable assets in the lowest-lying areas of the building.
Develop an emergency plan—design a flood evacuation route and share it with employees so they can get themselves and customers to higher ground, if it becomes necessary. Also, be sure to have an emergency kit onsite, in case people are stuck in the building.
Key Take-Away
And take it from the experts—preparation pays. "Flooding is dangerous and costly, killing nearly 100 people and causing an average of eight billion dollars in property damage in the United States each year," said Dr. Louis W. Uccellini, director, NOAA's National Weather Service, which produces an array of flood outlooks and forecasts, including watches and life-saving warnings. "A weather-ready nation is a prepared nation; one that will reduce flood losses by planning ahead, staying abreast of weather forecasts, and heeding the warnings."
Your plan for disaster preparedness should include flood information and outline how to prepare for floods. Read on for information about floods and flood safety tips, and how to make them part of your emergency preparedness plan as you prepare for a flood.
Types Of Flooding
Topography and weather conditions play a prominent role in the impact different types of flooding have on specific locales. The following are some examples of specific types of flooding.
Rising water may be the greatest risk to inland areas away from a river bed after a heavy snow pack begins to melt or after heavy rainfall.
Moving water is a serious risk in areas near rivers or in coastal storm surge areas because it creates significantly larger lateral forces on a building.
Overtopping, breaching or opening of dams, levees, and other flood control mechanisms, which are designed to divert the flow of water to provide protection, can lead to flood damage that may be more significant than if the levees were never installed. The Mississippi and Missouri River floods of 2011 included breaches of levees, as well as controlled flooding by the opening of various flood gates on levees. The result was thousands of acres of farmland, crops, livestock and fish farms being destroyed to protect urban areas.
Flash flooding can occur in every region as a result of slow-moving thunderstorms or excessive rainfall from any storm system.
Large, slow-moving tropical storms can dump excessive amounts of rain on coastal locations and then move inland to continue the devastation, resulting in widespread flood damage.
Floods can occur anywhere, often with little or no warning, and with devastating consequences. Protecting the bottom line in order to remain open, or to re-open quickly after a flood disaster, requires taking steps now to prevent or reduce flood damage should your business be in the path of rising water. Below is a brief overview of issues that small businesses must address to reduce the likelihood of flood damage and to prepare financially and operationally should a flood occur. Many of the topics covered here involve complex issues that are best addressed by hydrological, engineering, regulatory or insurance experts; the goal here is simply to outline the basics in order to help business owners understand why they need to mitigate against flood risk and some of the challenges they may face.
Tropical Storm Allison (2001): A Case Study in Flooding
Often, businesses and homeowners let down their guard when a tropical weather system does not result in hurricane-force winds. Tropical Storm Allison is a good example of how rains associated with a tropical system can be equally devastating. The storm dumped approximately 32 trillion gallons of rain (enough to meet U.S. water needs for an entire year), according to the Tropical Storm Allison Recovery Project. This included 28 inches of rainfall during a 12-hour period just northeast of downtown Houston, and rainfall amounts ranging from 10, 20 and 30 inches in locations throughout the Southeast—earning Allison the infamous distinction as the costliest tropical storm in U.S. history.
Understanding Your Flood Hazard
There are several flood principles that should be considered to determine your facility’s exposure to flood waters and the type of protection to be deployed:
Duration: It is important to know if flood waters are expected to recede quickly or may be trapped due to the slope of the land. The longer a facility is exposed to flood waters, the greater potential for flood-proofing failures due to a breach in the protection.
Depth: Flood waters greater than 3 feet create hydrostatic pressure on walls that can cause cracks in masonry and greatly increase the potential of collapse to unreinforced masonry. When estimating the potential depth of flood waters, it is always best to include a safety factor to account for inaccuracies in the estimate.
Velocity: As flood water velocity increases, so does the pressure exerted on flood protection. River flooding can be very fast moving water at first and then may settle down. Coastal locations may be exposed to wave action from storm surge.
Water Condition: Many times flood waters are dirty, brackish or contaminated with biological and chemical materials including waste water, sewage, pesticides, industrial waste, toxic and non-toxic chemicals, or oils. Debris that is churning in the water can impact buildings and flood protection systems, create breaches in the protection and cause extensive damage.
Location, Location, Location
Proximity to water is the number 1 risk factor for flooding, but property owners should not assume being out of the floodplain will help you entirely avoid the possibility of flooding. It is always a best practice to locate your property as far away from bodies of water as possible. Flood maps available from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) identify 100-year and 500-year flood zones throughout the United States. The flood zones also delineate participation in the NFIP, as well as permitting and other requirements that communities adopt in order to meet NFIP standards and qualify their citizens for lower flood insurance rates. By definition, the 100-year and 500-year flood zones mean there is a 1 (.20) percent chance of flooding annually in an area based on topography and historical data; it does not mean that flooding will occur only once in a century (or 500 years). There also are other important points to consider.
Floods can and very often do occur outside the 100-year flood zone. In fact, approximately 25 percent of all flood damages occur in relatively low risk zones commonly described as being “outside the mapped flood zone.”
Specific boundaries on some flood maps may be arbitrary or include inaccuracies. For example, a property lying just outside the 100-year flood zone is almost equally likely to be flooded as one just within.
Obstructions or landfill can change the topography, storm-water drainage patterns, and flow of water over natural floodplains. Although permits are required for flood zone fill (and must be based on engineering assessments demonstrating “no impact”), it is possible that non-permitted work has occurred near your property.
Floods show no respect for the estimated probabilities. As Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Director Craig Fugate observed following a spate of natural disasters, “It just seemed like it was back-to-back and it came in waves. The term ‘100-year event’ really lost its meaning this year.”
The Importance of Elevation
When it comes to flooding, there really is no better solution than adequate elevation, aside from choosing a location well outside of a 500-year flood plain. If such a location is not possible, the best way to increase the safety margin against flood damage is to raise the elevation of your building above the 500-year flood elevation. Flood-proofing your building is another option to reduce damage. Through the NFIP, there is extensive regulation of floodplain development at the community level.
Permits are needed for a wide range of activities including construction of new buildings, additions to existing buildings, and substantial improvement to the interior of existing buildings that are within the most hazardous flood zones. Part of the permitting process involves whether your building site is higher than the base flood elevation (BFE), which is the elevation at which your property has a 1 percent chance of flooding annually, as indicated on the NFIP flood maps. Major storms and flash floods can cause waters to rise higher than the BFE—therefore, it is always a good investment to build in a safety factor several feet above the BFE. This safety zone is called “freeboarding.”
For example, IBHS’s FORTIFIED for Safer Business™ Standards, a package of enhanced voluntary construction standards that greatly increase a new light commercial building’s durability and resilience to natural hazards, requires FORTIFIED buildings to be at least 3 feet above the BFE or above the 500-year flood elevation. There are also ways to retrofit your existing building so that it meets or exceeds BFEs. While only a structural engineer/design professional can determine what is right for your property, the options include raising foundation onto pilings or columns or adding landfill, as long as “no impact” floodplain requirements are met.
When elevating a building so that the walking surface of the lowest floor is at the minimum elevation, areas under the BFE can be used only for parking and limited storage—under-floor bathrooms, utilities, and ductwork are not allowed.
Equipment, utility connections and all interior utility systems including ductwork must be elevated above the BFE. In addition, fuel and propane tanks must be properly anchored, since they can become buoyant even in shallow water.
What is “Dry Flood-Proofing”?
Sealing a building so that water will not enter is called “dry flood-proofing” or “flood-proofing.” Flood-proofing protects your building by coating the exterior with a membrane to prevent flood waters from entering. NFIP regulations allow flood-proofing as an alternative to elevation above the BFE for newly constructed or substantially improved non-residential structures only—new and improved homes must be elevated above the BFE to meet NFIP requirements. It is important to determine whether dry flood-proofing will provide the protections your property needs before choosing this option. This also applies if your business is located outside the 100-year flood zone, but you want to invest in additional flood protection. Dry flood-proofing is a complex procedure that should be done by professional experts. If done incorrectly, it may not protect your property and can lead to decay, mold, or termite damage:
As a general matter, dry flood-proofing is best suited to areas with clay soils where floods are short in duration and less than 3 feet deep.
Buildings in poor structural condition should not be dry flood-proofed, as the exterior walls will be under extreme pressure during a flood.
There are a variety of dry flood-proofing measures; a professional can help to determine whether any of them are right for your situation:
Applying a waterproof coating or membrane to exterior walls
Sealing all wall penetrations including where utilities enter the building
Installing waterproof shields over all openings, including windows and doors
Anchoring the building to resist flotation
Strengthening walls to withstand flood water pressures and flood debris
The Vulnerable Basement
Even above the BFE or outside the floodplain, basements are prone to floods because water may flow down into them. They also may have an increased hydrostatic pressure exerted upon them when the surrounding ground is saturated. Recognizing that elevation is the best form of mitigation, there are a number of additional measures business owners can take to reduce the likelihood and scope of basement flood damage.
Thoroughly inspect your basement and the surrounding property for evidence of water entry and sources of water flow and leakage.
Correct potential problems—for example, extend and redirect downspouts, re-grade sloping landscape, and caulk any interior wall cracks.
Basement walls should be designed to resist hydrostatic pressure.
Use flood-resistant materials where possible, including floor coverings, wall coverings, and wall insulation. Most flood-resistant materials can withstand direct contact with water for at least 72 hours without being significantly damaged.
Do not store valuable equipment, documents, or inventory in any crawlspace or basement where flooding is possible.
The “Green” Factor
In addition, there are steps you can take now to reduce health and environmental damage should a flood occur.
Anchor fuel and propane tanks to prevent them from being swept away. When they break away, the contents may leak, creating fire, explosion and pollution risks that can adversely affect health and the environment.
Install sewer backflow valves to block drain pipes from sewage back-up, which can occur if there is flooding in your area.
If you are supplied by well water, protect your well from contamination. A licensed well drilling contractor can inspect your well and suggest improvements.
Natural disasters can be devastating to businesses. While damage caused by some types of natural events—such as lightning or wind—will usually be covered by commercial property insurance, you need a special policy if you want protection from flood damage. This Q&A will help you understand this type of coverage and determine if your business needs it.
Frequently asked questions about flood insurance
Q. Does my commercial property insurance include flood coverage?
A. No. Damage from flooding, including flooding generated by hurricane-generated storm surge, typically is not covered under a standard commercial policy, including a Commercial Package Policy (CPP) or a Business Owners Policy (BOP). Flood insurance is available from the federal government’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
Q. What does flood insurance cover?
A.Flood insurance covers damage to your building and contents caused by flood. This includes losses resulting from water overflowing rivers or streams, heavy or prolonged rain, storm surge, snow melt, blocked storm drainage systems, broken dams or levees, or other similar causes. To be considered a flood, waters must cover at least two acres or affect two properties. Generally if water comes from above—for instance from rain or melting snow overflowing gutters and leaking onto your inventory—you’ll be covered by your standard commercial property insurance.
Q. What isn’t covered by flood insurance?
A. Property outside your building generally will not be covered. For instance, landscaping and septic systems will not be covered. In addition, flood insurance will not cover damage to your business vehicles, but this can be included in the optional “comprehensive” portion of your business vehicle insurance. Financial losses caused by business interruption or loss of use of insured property are also not covered.
Q. Do I have to purchase flood insurance?
A. If your commercial property is located in a high-risk flood area and you have a mortgage from a federally regulated or insured lender, you are required to purchase a flood insurance policy.
Q. How do I determine my risk for flood damage?
A. Location is the most important factor for weighing your risk for flood damage. Is your business located in or near a flood zone? (Flood map search tools can be found online.) In what part of the building is your businesses equipment and inventory located? Anything housed on a lower floor, for instance, will be at greater risk.
Q. Where can I purchase flood insurance?
A. Flood insurance is available from the NFIP and some private insurers. However, NFIP coverage can only be purchased through an insurance professional; you cannot buy it directly from the federal government. To find a local insurance professional who is familiar with the National Flood Insurance Program, contact the NFIP at 888-379-9531 for an agent referral.
Q. How long does it take to get flood coverage?
A. Typically, there’s a 30-day waiting period from date of purchase before your policy goes into effect.
Q. Does my flood policy cover mold?
A. Damage from mold and/or mildew resulting from the after-effects of a flood is covered, but each case is evaluated on an individual basis. Mold/mildew conditions that existed prior to a flooding event are not covered, and after a flood, the policyholder is responsible for taking reasonable and appropriate mitigation actions to eliminate mold and mildew.
Q. How much flood coverage can I get?
A. Commercial flood insurance provides up to $500,000 of coverage for your building and up to $500,000 for its contents.
Q. What if I need more coverage?
A. You can purchase what’s called excess insurance coverage to rebuild properties valued above National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) limits. Excess coverage includes protection against business interruption.
Your commercial property’s appearance speaks volumes to your clients. So when the need arises for professional cleaning or emergency restoration services, SERVPRO Franchise Professionals have the training and expertise to help make it “Like it never even happened.”
We are available 24 hours a day to get your business back up and running. Our expertise includes restoration services for fire and water damage, including electronics restoration and document drying. We are also your business’s best resource for mold remediation. Learn more about our commercial restoration services:
Whether your need is removing an odor problem or deep cleaning flooring or carpets, you can depend on a SERVPRO Franchise Professional to get the job done right the first time. They’ll respond promptly and make your workspace look its very best. Learn more about our Commercial Cleaning Service.
A fire can cause severe damage to business equipment, materials, and structures. As a business owner, focusing on fire risk assessment, fire prevention, and staff education can help reduce your chance of fire and smoke damage. Here are three tips to help.
Assess the risk of fire hazards : The National Fire Protection Association offers handbooks and other publications on the fire safety code in place for businesses. If your local government offers it, a visit from a fire marshal is a great step for your fire prevention plan. If a marshal visit isn't available, ask for workplace fire risk assessment guidance from your building's property manager.
Have fire protection equipment : If you have an automatic sprinkler system in place, this will provide primary fire protection for your business.
Standard fire safety practices call for smoke detectors and fire extinguishers on every floor. Your best bet is multipurpose extinguishers, which will douse most small fires with ease, without shorting out your electronics.
Protect your people : Your employees are your most important business asset. These tips can help prevent them from being injured in a fire.
Fire Plans: Make sure your employees know what to do if there's a fire, including calling 911 immediately. Conduct a fire drill at least once a year to keep employees aware of your workplace fire safety protocol.
Evacuation Plan: In larger buildings, post a fire evacuation plan in several spots around the workplace. Never include elevators in an evacuation plan; always use the stairs.
First Aid: In case of fire injuries, your employees should be familiar with the location of the first-aid kit, which should be kept where possible hazards can occur most-such as in the kitchen.
Storms and inclement weather can bring wind damage, heavy rain, and flooding that can devastate any business in a matter of minutes. There’s never a convenient time for flooding or water damage to strike, and storms don’t just strike during regular business hours; that’s why SERVPRO Franchise Professionals offer 24 hour emergency service 365 days per year.
Every hour spent cleaning up is an hour of lost revenue and productivity. So when an emergency situation arises in your business, give our Professionals a call and they’ll be there fast with the help you need.
The SERVPRO Disaster Recovery Team can provide help whether it’s a tornado, hurricane, blizzard or flood. The SERVPRO System has a network of strategically positioned storm teams on standby should a disaster strike near you. Available 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, SERVPRO Franchise Professionals are prepared for the unpredictable. Learn more about the Disaster Recovery Team.
24/7 Emergency Service
Water damage restoration is a long and involved process. Contact SERVPRO for certified technicians who are ready to help you.
