FIRE AND SMOKE DAMAGE RESTORATION:
Fires are quite destructive on a number of levels:
First there is the destruction caused by the fire itself. All burned/charred material will need to be removed and disposed of.
Second is the damage caused by the soot and smoke which are byproducts of the fire. Because of the oily, corrosive nature of smoke residues this requires specialty cleaning products and procedures.
Third is the damage caused by the extinguishing agent used to put out the fire. The dry chemical from a fire extinguisher can be corrosive and presents its own unique clean up problems. Water, which is often used in very large quantities by the fire department, often does even more damage to the structure and contents than the fire did if the fire was put out quickly. Rapid thorough drying will minimize the damage to the structure and contents.
Fourth is the damage caused by mold when the wet structure and/or contents are not dried quickly. Visible mold growth can begin to appear in as little as 24 to 48 hours. If mold is given time to grow then it needs to be removed under HEPA filtered negative air pressure containment which is far more expensive than simply removing materials that are only wet.
Fifth is the residual smoke odor which can last for years unless all the odor sources are removed or neutralized. Odor control is a specialty field. When performed properly the smoke odor is permanently eliminated. When not done properly the odor will remain for years. BCS has the expertise to completely eliminate the smoke odor.
The most important thing that the property owner can do once the fire is put out is to act quickly to get restoration started as soon as possible. Waiting a week to start can add thousands of dollars to the cost of restoration. Contact BCS as soon as possible to evaluate the situation and present you with a complete proposal to resolve each of the above issues.
WATER DAMAGE RESTORATION:
The most important actions when performing water damage restoration is to stop the migration of the water and to dry out the wet materials quickly. The longer materials remain wet the greater the damage that will occur. Particle board swells, plywood delaminates, wood floors warp, metals rust. Mold growth can become an added problem within two to three days. In the long term wood will rot.
Regardless of the source of the water intrusion (a leaking water pipe, a roof leak, groundwater intrusion into the house or crawlspace, etc.) rapid drying is important to minimize the damage. Some wet materials are obvious to the eye. Others are not. BCS uses moisture meters to map out the wet areas. It is obvious that water flows downward. What is not so obvious is that it can also travel horizontally or vertically through wicking action in carpet pad, drywall, or other porous materials. This wicking action is seldom visible to the eye. Once BCS has mapped out the wet areas we will remove or dry wet materials using high capacity dehumidifiers and high volume air movers. A combination of removal and drying is normally the most efficient and cost effective, depending on the materials involved and the degree of wetness.
INDUSTRIAL CLEANING:
Cleaning in industrial environments presents a number of unique challenges. Many times the cleaning is performed using powerful degreasers and pressure washers, often while working on scissor lifts or boom lifts in order to reach high walls, I-beams, duct work, etc. Floor machines are used to clean the concrete floors and remove the water from the pressure washing operation. In areas where pressure washing is not safe or practical, then hand washing or hand vacuuming with HEPA filtered vacuums is required. Cleaning is normally scheduled for periods when operations are shut down to avoid disruption of production. If the factory is in operation 24/7 then BCS coordinates closely with the company’s production manager to minimize any disruption of their operations..
DUST/FUME CONTAINMENT:
This BCS service is most often provided to contractors or home owners when they are performing remodeling. 6 mil plastic is used to contain the remodel area from the remainder of the home or business. BCS will then place the containment under HEPA filtered negative air pressure to prevent construction dust, chemical odors, paint fumes, etc. from migrating to surrounding areas. This minimizes the disruption/discomfort to the homeowner or business personnel. In many cases it is also less expensive than having to perform post construction cleaning of the surrounding areas.
SPECIALTY CLEANING:
This includes such things as: cleaning the air in a dust laden environment using high volume HEPA filtered air movers; removing fine particulates using HEPA filtered vacuums; cleaning high areas requiring the use of ladders or scaffolding; etc. If you have a specialty cleaning need give BCS a call and we will let you know if it is within our broad field of expertise.