Water is the most common tool used to fight fires at your home or business. It’s effective, inexpensive, and typically plentiful. However, in the process of extinguishing a fire, water can cause significant damage of its own.
There are some significant challenges to dealing with water damage after fire damage. Here are some of the reasons you need professional water damage restoration after a major fire.
Structural Hazards
When fire damages your home or business, it can cause structural hazards: weakened walls, damaged ceilings, and fragile floors can all be dangerous to any person working to restore water damage.
Before starting water damage restoration, it’s important to have a professional perform a safety inspection of the structure. It’s also important to remember that water damage can cause its own structural weaknesses, especially if left untreated for a long time. Take note of potential problems that may develop from water damage as well as the initial structural hazards related to fire damage.
Chemical Hazards
Water used to fight a fire has a specific name. It’s called firewater because it isn’t regular water anymore. Instead, it’s infused with numerous dangerous chemicals related to burning materials and the process of quenching the fire. Chemicals stored in the home or business can contaminate the water further. Firewater may also be mixed with other substances used to help fight the fire. These toxic chemicals need to be evaluated and neutralized to prevent contamination of local water systems.
Exposure to firewater can make a person sick. Depending on the nature of contaminants, various exposures could lead to illness. Getting water in the mouth or eyes is almost always dangerous. Sometimes skin contact is enough to lead to toxic exposure. Other times, firewater may give off hazardous fumes as well.
Contaminants from firewater don’t stay in the water. They can be left as residue on any object that contacts the firewater.
It’s important to use appropriate safety equipment when dealing with firewater and its residue. If you don’t know the safety equipment required for this hazard, leave disposal to restoration professionals.
Large Quantities of Water
Another problem related to water damage restoration is the sheer quantity of water used in fighting a fire. The amount of water used to fight a fire can vary, but a commonly cited average is nearly 3000 gallons. It’s hard to imagine how much water this is. It’s enough to fill a 10 by 12 room to a depth of nearly three and a half feet. If you have a 2000 square foot house, 3000 gallons would fill every part of it to a depth of nearly three inches.
When you return to your home after a fire, you probably don’t see three inches of standing water everywhere. Instead, that water went somewhere. Some of it escaped the house, but much of it soaked into walls, furniture, and other contents. Getting all this water out before the house starts to grow mold requires specialized tools and techniques.
Pressurized Infiltration
Finally, water damage from firewater is different because fire hoses are designed to deliver water at high pressures. Typical fire hose pressures range from 150 to 300 psi (pounds per square inch). For comparison, the water pressure in your pipes is typically 40 to 80 psi. This means that fire hoses are driving water into the house at a high pressure, which can cause it to penetrate materials in ways that it wouldn’t otherwise flow. The water can travel up walls and into the ceiling, leading to water damage in unexpected places.
After a fire, it’s important to inspect the building thoroughly to detect all water damage.
Water Damage Restoration in Billings Metropolitan area
If your home or business experienced a major fire that required the intervention of firefighters to extinguish, you may now be dealing with significant water damage as well as fire damage. You need the help of restoration experts to get your home or business back in good condition.
Alpha-Omega Distaster Restoration has been the leading restoration company helping people across Billings Metropolitan area since 2006. We know that fires can happen at any time of day or night, and that’s why we offer 24/7 emergency response services. We arrive quickly and are ready to begin work right away. We can handle every aspect of the water and fire damage restoration process, from initial safety inspections to the last finishing touches. This includes demolition, board-up, and restoration of damaged contents when possible.
Alpha-Omega Damage Restoration Experts uses the most advanced equipment and techniques consistent with the industry’s best practices. We will also work with your insurance company to make your claims process quick and easy. Because we work with insurance every day, we understand their requirements for filing claims. We will thoroughly document the damage and repairs to ensure your claim will never be delayed or diminished by a lack of documentation.
To learn how Alpha-Omega Damage Restoration Experts can help you get your home or business back in shape after a fire, please contact us at 406-628-0178 today. Alpha-Omega Damage Restoration Experts serves customers in Billings Metropolitan area.