How Are Flood-Related Microbial Growths and Odors Dealt with at Commercial Sites?

5/19/2020 (Permalink)

No matter the size or scope of the water loss event, SERVPRO can handle the restoration project.

Commercial Flood Damage Remediation Companies in Mount Vernon Use High-Tech Gear to Eliminate Microorganisms and Neutralize Unpleasant Odors

When your commercial site in Mount Vernon floods, the immediate resulting physical damage is readily apparent, but that's not all of your concern. Airborne moisture brought into your building by raging floodwaters promotes microbial growths that could cause unpleasant odors, structural deterioration, and adverse health effects. Not effectively handling microbes can cause harmful effects that could appear days, weeks, months or even years after the initial flooding. Poorly trained and less experienced remediation services are often unable to deal with these microorganisms properly. Luckily, though, there are reputable companies like SERVPRO that know how to do the job properly and have the right equipment.

What are the Potential Consequences of Failing to Eliminate Flood-Related Microbes from Your Commercial Structure?

Numerous problems could develop if flood-borne microorganisms are allowed to remain in your building. So, you need the help of a knowledgeable Mount Vernon commercial flood damage restoration service. With that said, here a few of the issues that might arise from a flood-related microbial infestation:

• Persistent strong, musty odors that are hard to mask or eliminate
• Black, green, pink, or white stains on ceilings, walls, and flooring resulting from mold and mildew growths
• Dry rot that weakens and destroys wooden structural elements
• Adverse health effects impacting you and your employees 

While this is not a complete list of all the ways flood-borne microbes could affect your Mount Vernon business, it does give business owners good reasons for taking these microscopic organisms seriously.

When Dealing with Bacterial and Fungal Infestations, What Equipment Does Companies Like SERVPRO Use?

Successfully resolving or mitigating the effects of bacterial and fungal infestations takes special remediation gear. Some of the tools SERVPRO uses to sanitize and deodorize your business are:

• Advanced air scrubbers that remove airborne microbes/odor particles and those on surfaces around your facility
• Thermal foggers that create a fog of neutralizing disinfectants, fungicides, or deodorants inside rooms of your building
• Ultra-low volume (ULV) foggers, which atomize liquid disinfectants, fungicides, or deodorants and inject them into cavities and hard-to-reach places
• A host of EPA and OSHA-approved deodorants, fungicides, and disinfectants 

Using this arsenal of anti-microbial weapons, our technicians in Mount Vernon can often successfully eliminate most microbes on surfaces throughout your business, those in your HVAC system, and those in other difficult-to-access areas.

How Does SERVPRO's Anti-Microbial Equipment Work?

SERVPRO's state-of-the-art microbe-eliminating gear is remarkable. Our air scrubbers draw contaminated air into their series of HEPA filters, remove particles and odor-causing molecules, and blow out the clean, filtered air. First, the pre-filters remove larger particles, and a carbon filter attracts and captures odor-causing molecules. Finally, the primary filter takes even the smallest remaining impurities out of the outgoing air. Thermal foggers are also essential pieces of equipment. These instruments heat up and vaporize large volumes of solvents, making it easier for them to bond with and neutralize odor-causing particles. ULV foggers atomize deodorants and anti-microbial agents, creating a fine mist that can access hard to reach places.   

Where Have We Successfully Used Our High-Tech Hardware in Mount Vernon?

SERVPRO technicians have effectively used their advanced equipment to resolve issues at a wide range of governmental, public, commercial, and industrial sites. Some of the locations we have operated at are:

• Municipal offices and facilities
• Universities
• Small office buildings
• Large office towers
• Small retail outlets
• Massive retail stores
• Motels, hotels, and resorts
• Restaurants of all sizes
• Industrial and manufacturing plants

So, whatever kind of business you operate in the Mount Vernon area, help is available if you ever experience flood damage and related microbial issues.

As a business owner, you constantly concerned with protecting your investments and continuing operations. Unfortunately, unpredictable disasters can occur at almost any time. When these events do happen, they can cause significant financial losses and potential business closure. Floods are a particularly troubling threat for businesses around Mount Vernon, because the city, located near bays, lakes, and the Skagit River, is more prone to flooding than other areas. Intense storms with torrential rains and the associated snowmelt from neighboring mountains often cause floods in the spring. When this happens, your first instinct is to have the floodwaters removed, but you should also be mindful of unseen microbes and the long-term damage they can cause.      

If and when your business experiences flooding, remember that there is practical help available. There are local flood damage mitigation and restoration companies with the skills and tools to help you. If your commercial property is ever affected by flooding, contact SERVPRO of Skagit County at (360) 873-8744 for assistance.