It’s late at night, you’ve closed up the shop and headed home with no worries in your mind. You arrive the next morning and notice water pooling up by your front door. Oh, no! A pipe burst somewhere and it’s been leaking water all night. All of your booths, floors, walls, and appliances have been compromised by water. This is what’s known as water damage and it can quickly turn into a catastrophic event unless it’s taken care of right away.
Why Is Cleanup Important?
Sure, you could let the water sit and just dry your business out over a period of time, but this isn’t the best way to go about it. The reason is because as the water seeps into cracks, crevices, and fabrics, it’s going to become a breeding ground for mold and other nastiness. Not only does mold ruin just about anything it touches, but it can lead to some pretty severe illnesses due to poor indoor air quality.
Initial Cleanup
The initial cleanup may be mentally and physically exhausting. After you put a call in to your insurance company and tell them your plans, you’re going to want to start the next phase.
First-Disconnect the power and unplug any electronics and remove them along with your furniture, and and anything else that can be moved. The electrical items are the most important and you should make sure that the power is turned off that leads to that specific area to avoid electrocution. If your bistro has carpet, you may be able to save it if you get it clean and disinfected.
Second-You need to get rid of the water. The longer it sits, the more stagnant it will become and it increases the chances for mold development. It only takes up to 24 hours for it to start forming and getting into the air. You can get rid of the water with towels, wet/dry vac, and anything else that will help to soak it up. Fans and dehumidifiers are very helpful for drying out the area.
Third-Disinfect the area after it has dried out. You need to get the wood beams, insulation, drywall, and anything else the water touched, especially if the water is unsanitary.
Call The Pro’s
Sometimes, people just can’t deal with the loss and can’t even begin to fathom what happened, making the cleanup even more difficult. If you need help, your best bet is to get in contact with a commercial restoration company. They’ll come in, asses the issue, and get to work repairing the damage that has been done to your precious bistro.
These professionals have years of experience with this type of issue and they offer a quick response to any size disaster, they are highly trained, have certifications that you can rely on, and they work around the clock, all year long.
How It’s Done
Once you call the restoration company, they will do a number of duties to ensure your operation can get up and running again as soon as possible. They will assess the situation and will identify the source of the problem. They will then cover any exposed areas, making sure there’s no further damage done to the area(s) during the process. Then, they’ll remove any materials that are too heavily damaged to be restored. They will then begin the necessary repairs to get the structure functional once more. After they do that, they will finish the cleaning process and ensure that you and your employees are in an aesthetically-pleasing work area as well as comfortable.
Conclusion
The loss of a business is tough for anyone. It can happen for a variety of reasons, but don’t let water damage be one of them. It can usually be easily managed if you call the professionals in a quick amount of time. They understand your needs and that your business is important to you, which is why they work so hard to get you back up and running.