West Tampa Building Services After Catastrophic Events

3/8/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Can Board-up, Clean-up, Build-up, and then Open-up Your West Tampa Business After a Disaster

Rely on SERVPRO to Provide Cleanup, Damage Mitigation, and Restoration After Significant Loss from Water or Fire Events

After a fire or flood, West Tampa businesses can require an extensive number of services to help reopen their doors for customers. Depending on the type of business, some of them can be very specific while other services are generic to almost any type of structure or disaster.

For businesses in West Tampa, SERVPRO building services include immediate damage mitigation and the tasks needed to clear a structure so the actual restoration can begin. Regardless if the damage came from a fire or a storm, we often have to start with the roof.
 
We can use tarps, plastic sheeting, or plywood paneling to temporarily cover the roof to prevent secondary damage to both the roof and everything underneath. We want to prevent water from getting inside which can not only ruin office furniture and personal property but also stop it from soaking the insulation under the roof. Too much moisture compacts both rolled and blown-in insulation, which reduces its ability to either cool or heat the structure as needed.
 
With the interior of the building secured, a SERVPRO team leader or project manager begins the task of inspecting the structural property to determine what may require disposal. In nearly every case, this involves removing drywall. While the panels are excellent material for interior walls, they quickly absorb water from floods and storms, which makes them very fragile. Drywall also absorbs smoke odors which are difficult to remove. In both situations, it is usually cheaper to replace the panels than waste time and labor attempting to restore them. We work with you and your insurance adjuster for the final determination concerning non-salvageable elements.
 
After we remove the drywall panels and the dust they produce, our technicians service the business' heating and air or HVAC system. We carefully inspect not only the unit outside the building but the air ducts as well. If there is any contamination from a fire, turning the system on can blow the smoke and soot particles throughout the entire building. If a storm forced water into the ducts, the pooled water could serve as a starting point for a mold infestation. The sequence of this part of the service is dependent upon priorities for overall mitigation and cleanup.
 
To prevent both, we cover the vents and use air movers to force warm air through the ducts and out of the building. These devices clean out the ducts of smoke and soot particles and dry up excess moisture. If we find an active mold growth, technicians use a fogger machine to force an anti-microbial agent throughout the ducts which kill the mold spores on contact.
 
Starting the process to restore and reopen your business can be intimidating. SERVPRO of West Tampa has helped our fellow business owners repair roofs, hang new walls, and more for many years. If you have more questions about our building services or want to schedule an inspection or need emergency help, call us at (813) 855-0888. We are here to assist.

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