Disaster restoration
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Disaster restoration refers to the process of repairing and restoring property damaged by natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, wildfires, or earthquakes. It typically involves various services such as structural repairs and water damage restoration, fire damage restoration, mold remediation, and content restoration.
Water damage restoration begins with a preliminary inspection of the building to determine the safety of the structure, severity of the damage, and source of the water. Any standing water must then be pumped out of the structure so that the affected areas can be properly dried. Due to the threat of mold, items and surfaces have to be thoroughly sanitized, after which repairs can take place.[1] The process of disinfection is especially important here as all items involved can be affected. Therefore, proper protective equipment that covers your entire body is strongly recommended throughout the whole process. Other possible threats include household utilities like electricity and gas that can pose a serious threat in a flooded structure.[2]
Fire Damage Restoration
Before entering any building exposed to fire damage, it is recommended to consult local officials such as the fire department or building inspectors to determine if it is safe. Fire damage in buildings is often accompanied by extensive water damage that occurs from the extinguishing process.[3] Aside from those relevant to water damage, smoke and soot are the primary concerns with fire damage restoration. These both pose a serious health risk so full body protective equipment is advised when working around it.[4] Assuming they are salvageable, any items damaged in a fire or exposed to the aftermath need to be thoroughly cleaned to avoid health hazards and further contamination with other objects.[3] Removing smoke odor can prove to be challenging and will often involve the use of chemicals such as detergents, bleach, and TSP.[4]
