If you suffer commercial water damage in South Jersey, cleaning up and repairing the damage is of paramount importance.
Water damage can occur to any number of reasons; it can be caused by a burst pipe, a faulty roof, floods, hurricanes or leaking machinery. Regardless of how it happened the first order of priority after solving the source problem is to dry the building out as quickly as possible otherwise within as little as 24 hours you will be faced with mold problems.
If the water damage happened in a finished commercial space such as a doctor’s office, school or even a place of worship there is a good chance the walls are drywall. If drywall is subjected to water it will soak water up like a sponge, the only solution is to tear it out and replace it. Get the drywall down and out of the building quickly and then set to drying the space with dehumidifiers, fans and plenty of cross ventilation. Don’t even think of reusing drywall that has been wet, although it may have dried out, mold spores may have developed which will spread rapidly.
Furniture and carpeting that have been inundated by water can often be fixed with a water extraction vacuum cleaner. This vacuum will not make the surfaces completely dry but dry enough that a humidifier can finish the job. The job of drying furniture and carpets can be accelerated if you can move it outside into the fresh air and sunshine. If the space filled with water to the point that the ceiling tiles were under water they will have to be discarded for the same reason that dry wall must be thrown out.
Often commercial water damage in South Jersey area will have an effect on wood and wood furniture. If this happens the furniture can often be salvaged if it is dried quickly, using a heat source is a good idea as it can also stop the wood from warping. Once the wood is perfectly dry rub it with a good coat of lemon oil to bring the original finish back. If the damage is significant it may require the skill of a professional furniture restorer to repair the damage.
When books and papers are soaked as a result of commercial water damage in South Jersey they are usually considered a write off as wet paper is a magnet for mold growth.
If the damage is beyond what you can cope with then there are professional companies that have the skills and equipment to clean up the mess and to check for mold.
