Secondary Damage

3/22/2021 (Permalink)

While water is essential for our survival, it doesn’t suit well in some situations when it comes into contact with materials at work in your office building suddenly in quantities or consistently over long periods of time. An immediate burst of flooding can cause terrible damage, but undetected water over many months or years can introduce secondary damage and other problems such as black mold. It’s important to understand the issues that can arise when gradual water damage occurs.

So, how does flooding start? You can do all you can to try to prepare and guard your business against disasters, but they’re not always possible to predict or prevent. Floods are among one of the most devastating emergencies you could face at work and one of the biggest causes of secondary water damage. Here’s are a few ways how they can start:

• Sewer backup
• Leaky or broken pipes
• Weak roof or missing roof shingles
• Poor drainage
• Water that finds its way into your building’s foundation

What It Could Leave Behind

When water gets on the floor, onto furniture, or on the drywall, you may still have some damage even after you clean it up. This is known as secondary damage. From this, you may find fungal growth and other bacteria in parts of your building. It usually requires a trained professional mold remediation specialist to remove. 

What Happens If You Do Find Mold

If you spot mold, there’s a good chance it is black mold. This is not something you should try to clean up yourself, and you definitely do not want to ignore it. A professional crew will use specialized chemicals and processes to get rid of the mold and sanitize the affected area so you feel comfortable resuming your work duties in the building.

What You Should Watch For To Stay Proactive

Parts of your building with high humidity, such as laundry facilities, bathrooms with showers, or exercise rooms, may be susceptible to mold growth before or after a flood. Checking your plumbing systems regularly is recommended as well.