Water Main Floods Power Plant Offices in North Jacksonville

2/8/2019 (Permalink)

Some 30,000 square feet of water had flooded the office space and workshop of this North Jacksonville power plant.

When a water main in the ceiling busted and flooded the office space and a workshop of a North Jacksonville power plant, SERVPRO of Fernandina Beach/Yulee/North Jacksonville was called in to help. Unfortunately the incident happened shortly after closing hours and flooded overnight--so before we were called in, some 30,000 square feet of water had flooded the space. SERVPRO of Fernandina Beach/Yulee/North Jacksonville arrived immediately to the scene and extracted the water and began the drying and cleanup process.

Cleaning a flooded company property following water damage is a daunting task. Not only do you have to restore the property itself, but all the affected items such as office furniture and electronics as well. 

Following are some of the considerations following a commercial water damage situation.

Types of Water Damage

Understanding the different types of water damage can help expedite the process and ensure the appropriate cleanup measures are taken. The three main types of water damage are clean water, gray water, and black water, ranging from least to most dangerous respectively.

1. Clean water is the least harmful of the three and is usually caused by a broken pipe, outside leak, or water overflowing from an appliance.
2. Grey water is basically contaminated clean water and requires a few safety precautions to protect against any bacteria that may exist. 
3. Black water is the most hazardous type of water damage and requires specific safety measures to protect clean-up crews. Water damage from black water is usually best handled by a professional cleaning service as the contaminants can range from bacterial disease, chemicals, and toxic materials. 

Cleaning Office Items

After determining the cause and severity of the damage, you can better chart a course of action for replacing the items in the flooded company building. The majority of office items fall into three main categories: furniture, paperwork, and electronics. 

1. Cleaning and replacing furniture. Any affected fabric furniture items may need dry cleaning following water damage. Wood items can usually be restored with sanding and refinishing, depending on the extent of the damage. 
2. Restoring paper items. Paperwork can take a significant effort to dry and restore. Drying documents, binders, or books using dehumidifying or vacuum freeze-drying processes can help restore these items. 
3. Handling electronics. Many electronic items also benefit from air drying and dehumidifying. It is typically important to handle these items carefully and quickly to help prevent corrosion or any further damage. 

Getting your commercial property back in order doesn’t have to be a total loss. If you are affected by a flooded commercial property in the  Jacksonville/Fernandina Beach area, make sure to consult a professional clean-up crew as soon as possible to help ensure proper and thorough cleanup. Call SERVPRO Fernandina Beach/Yulee at 904.729-2401.