Emergency Response Recommendations and Info
When disaster strikes your home property or business it is devastating and can throw your entire world into a frenzy. It will affect your personal life, your world at work, your financial position and your emotional stability in one way or another. We, as Natures Way, always approach this situation realizing that there are actually two impacts that have to be addressed.
The first is the emotional side of seeing some or all of your belongings affected and wondering if everything will ever be the same again. To us this is the more important side! We understand through experience the trauma that you are dealing with and want to be the company that you look back at feeling that we where there for you. We want to be a trusted friend that you know is working to help you put back the pieces just as fast as possible and the company you will call in the future for cleaning and other services we offer.
The second is the physical reality of the damage to the property. The questions start to flow through your mind if you are the property owner:
- Is everyone onsite safe from harm or are there things that can happen to them?
- Do I need help or can I handle this myself?
- What should I do first, second, third, …?
- What is it going to cost to fix this?
- Who can I trust to help me?
- Who should I call first?
- Will my insurance cover this?
- How long will it be this way, will we ever get back to the way we were?
- If I hire someone will all my personal stuff be safe?
- How do I know if the restoration was done correctly?
- Could I have mold start growing because of this?
The second is the physical reality of the damage to the property. The questions start to flow through your mind if you are the property owner:
- Is everyone onsite safe from harm or are there things that can happen to them?
- Do I need help or can I handle this myself?
- What should I do first, second, third, …?
- What is it going to cost to fix this?
- Who can I trust to help me?
- Who should I call first?
- Will my insurance cover this?
- How long will it be this way, will we ever get back to the way we were?
- If I hire someone will all my personal stuff be safe?
- How do I know if the restoration was done correctly?
- Could I have mold start growing because of this?
Click on the brochure below to enlarge and download now
These are but a few of the things you will consider before it’s all over and hopefully back to normal. Because these events invade every area of our lives, it is important that whomever you choose to help takes this as personal as you do. It is important that the representative managing the restoration continually asks themselves every time a choice has to be made, “What would I do if it was me their shoes?” and “What is in their best interest?”
Safety is Your First Concern! Time is of the Essence!
In the case of any disaster, big or small, there needs to be a plan in place that is well thought out. The first and foremost issue is the safety of everyone on site. There are IMMEDIATE dangers from the possibility of:
- Slipping & Falling
- Amplified Bacterial and/or Viral Levels
- Airborne Spores and Irritants
- Hazardous or even Toxic Residues on Surfaces
- Electrical Shock Hazards
- Sharp or Piercing Objects
This is not an exhaustive list, as there is always the possibility for surprises that no one can foresee. The key is to be aware dangers are there and to keep awareness at all times for the signs. Once we are onsite we will access any and all possible safety issues with protocols to eliminate or at least minimize the risks.
It is important in all cases to begin the clean up and control of the situation as fast as possible! We hand out a brochure to all our customers that discusses some of the issues and gives guidance of what you can safely do yourself and what you should not do. You can view and also download the brochure above if you haven’t already. If you haven’t, DO IT NOW or we would be happy to give you a printed brochure upon request.
If you are thinking of being a do-it-yourself restorer or simply just cleaning things up and hoping for the best, here’s a little food for thought. The following are some of the issues that develop in the minutes, hours, and the days that follow a water intrusion (floods, broken supply lines, backflows, etc.) or fire event that was extinguished with water:
The On-going Effects of Water Damage
Within minutes:
- Water contamination spreads to unaffected areas even through walls
- Moisture sensitive surfaces swell, disfigure and become odorous
- Wood furniture stains carpet and is usually permanent on nylon and wool
- Paper goods are ruined
- Rust stains form on carpet and other surfaces
Within hours:
- Pre-existing moisture related problems such as mold and bacteria are re-activated and begin to grow and multiply
- Moisture wicks up into drywall and it begins to swell
- Cellulosic browning begins to occur on natural fabrics
- Foam cushion begins to disintegrate
- Bacterial odor begins to develop at higher and higher rates
- Wood furniture in contact with water and high humidity can be permanently damaged do to swelling, splitting, and delamination
- Wood floors become cupped and subfloors begin to saturate
- Woven carpet could begin to shrink and/or become distorted
Within days:
- Massive mold and biological growth takes place and mildew odor begins to permeate structure
- Wood floors become buckled, warped and ruined
- Glue-down and double stick installations begin to come loose
- Delamination of tufted carpet becomes worse
- Vinyl floor coverings become permanently discolored and adhesives begin to break down
- Components inside of pianos and other humidity sensitive items begin to swell
- Allergies and asthma symptoms can become aggravated
- Pictures and artwork are affected
Within weeks:
- Structural integrity of interior wall members, sub-floors, ceiling installations can become permanently damaged
- Mold can permanently damage building materials and personal items
- Serious health hazards to occupants of building can develop
Most building contractors will “drag their feet” and are doing so for obvious reasons. The longer it sits, the more damage and required demolition. More demolition, more cost to restore it, more profit to the contractor. Everyone wins except you if your paying for it! Don’t be fooled by companies or individuals that are telling you it is better to just rip it all out and replace it. It some cases removing some or all of the affected materials can be necessary, but not always.
Nature’s Way personal are trained and certified to use the latest technologies and proprietary methods along with the “Science of Drying” to control and return the structure to it proper moisture levels without any unnecessary demolition of the building components. This minimizes or eliminates the reconstruction time, which often takes weeks or even months to complete! Our staff is trained to take into account costs for restoration verses reconstruction, time required in either case, loss of business if a commercial use building, customer requirements and schedules, and other factors.