Flood & Water Damage
The uncontrolled escape of water or ingress through flooding can cause serious long term structural damage and affect occupant health
Water is the single most important component of all life forms and will trigger dormant spores and amplify bacterial growth.
Floodwater must be assumed to be contaminated with industrial chemicals , farm fertilisers, sewage or general pathogens from soil and sewers and can be found to contain up to 120 viral and 1500 bacterial infections.
When a building gets wet, the water will usually travel in liquid form both vertically, up and down and sideways. Where temperature or air movement creates drying through evaporation, the water will travel in all directions to cooler and dryer areas, following the laws of physics.
When drying is initiated the contamination and water vapour (humidity) will become airborne and travel to previously unaffected areas and pose a health threat or cause uneccessary secondary damage.
Health Hazards of Flooding
- Asthma.
- Flu like symptoms
- Lethargy and depression.
- Heart disease, excema, hepatitis, various cancers possible although low risk
- Multiple chemical sensitivity
We identify the true level of damage
Although visual inspection is important damage can be hidden and emerge later. Any contractor should measure for all possible hazards or contamination and scope of damage but not all do and we provide your assurance that restoration will be or has been undertaken professionally.
We investigate or inspect
- General scope of works for latent or future damage potential
- Structural components for moisture content
- Presence of both live and dead mould (dead mould is more allergenic)
- Presence or levels of bacteria
- Presence of chemical contamination
- Potential health hazards
- Asbestos contamination from uncontrolled removal of materials such as “Artex”