The HVAC System In My Little Rock Home Office Leaked – Can Important Documents Be Saved?

8/17/2020 (Permalink)

Let SERVPRO handle the good and bad with your home office water damage.

Advanced Technology Allows SERVPRO Technicians in Little Rock to Restore Specialty Items

Little Rock is home to a multitude of home offices. These office spaces have file cabinets, bookshelves, and desks holding all types of necessary documents and papers. At any given time you could walk in and discover a water leak has caused problems. Everything on your desk looks like a soggy mess where the HVAC leak dripped onto it. 

 Is There a Method for Restoring Paperwork?

 Whether it is your work at home office or one you use for the family business, the paperwork involved is equally essential. If water damage in your Little Rock residence has affected books and paperwork, you need to act swiftly when it comes to calling in professional help. When these types of objects become wet, they deteriorate rapidly. Our technicians work with you in determining what you want to be saved and what has suffered irreparable damage. 

What are the Restoration Methods?

One of the key things to grasp is that water-damaged books and documents are not entirely restored to preloss condition. But there are situations where they can get cleaned so the information is not lost and they are usable. For office paperwork, this can be invaluable when it comes to sensitive information. Books that are costly or have an emotional value may be salvageable even though physical evidence of water damage is present. SERVPRO staff uses five methods for document drying:

•   Air Drying
•   Dehumidification
•   Freezer Drying
•   Vacuum freeze-drying
•   Vacuum thermal drying

 How Do You Determine What Can Be Restored?

Many factors determine the correct drying method for the documents in question. The monetary value, the extent of the damage, and how long it was exposed to the moisture are some of the concerns. The type of water has an impact as well. Damage from clean water is going to be easier to mitigate than from black water. The process of sublimation is often involved. Sublimation is when a solid gets directly turned into vapor without going through the liquid state. Some methods cost more than others, and this can be a factor in determining whether or not the document is worth saving. Document restoration is not something that happens immediately; it takes time and patience. 

What is the Restoration Process?

SERVPRO’s experts create an inventory of everything getting removed from when the pack-out begins. Paper items do not get restored on-site. The customer needs to be available when the inventory is performed to determine what is most critical to dry. Others steps involved include:

•   Storing the wet books and documents in a freezer facility. This stops the damage from getting worse.
•   Determining what drying process works best for each item.
•   Gamma irradiation technology for sterilizing materials exposed to contaminants.
•   Digitizing your documents, so a digital copy is available.
•   Securing your items in our facility managed by HIPPA Master-certified technicians, under 24/7 surveillance.
•   Deodorizing and rejacketing if necessary.
•   Keeping a log of where we place each item in case access is needed by the client.

What About Electronics?

In any home today, you can find a plethora of electronic devices. If your computer or similar device has been water damaged, do not attempt to turn it on to see if it has been affected. SERVPRO is concerned first and foremost about safety. Our team makes sure no safety hazards exist. All electric devices should be unplugged. If the item contains backup batters, fuses or trip breakers they need disconnected or removed. 

A qualified electronics restoration vendor should be brought in to determine if the item is in working condition. In the meantime, our crews remove the item from the affected area, if possible, to keep further damage from occurring. If the item is not movable, we use plastic coverings and temperature control to provide protection.

Can You Repair My HVAC System?

We understand any type of water intrusion can throw you off balance. If your HVAC system is the problem, we can clean and inspect it visually. The technicians scope out the problem and trace water migration to find any source of hidden moisture. We inspect the ductwork and can clean it of debris with our equipment. For significant repairs, a professional tradesman should be called in.

Water Damage Pros

Documents are not the only thing affected if your HVAC system has leaked. Carpets, furniture, walls, and ceilings are often impacted too. Our Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) certified technicians can access the damage and provide cleanup, repair, and restoration services to leave your office, “Like it never even happened.” We may not be able to make your books, photos, and documents look like they previously did, but we can give you back your office.

There is no need to hire several companies to do one cleanup job. Our experienced crew can meet your water restoration needs. Give SERVPRO of Northwest Little Rock a call at (501) 803-9700 for professional water damage service.