Flood Water Damage

flood water damage restoration by Chem-Dry of Harrogate, York & LeedsAfter an insurance company has appointed Chem-Dry of Harrogate, York & Leeds to assist in the restoration of a flood damaged building and/or contents, technicians are sent to the property to inspect the affected areas.

Once an assessment has been completed by the technician, an estimate is submitted to the policyholder to arrange to commence or complete necessary work.

In dealing with the incident some or all of the following procedures may be followed, although policy cover may restrict the nature and extent of work to be undertaken. For example, if your policy is buildings only then the technician will not be in a position to remove, clean or restore any items of contents and will only report on the extent of the damage to the buildings.

Initial consideration will be given in two areas for emergency work, including drying and restoration.

Emergency work may involve the following:

  1. Investigation into the extent of damage.
  2. Carrying out bacteria and chloride tests.
  3. Application of a suitable anti-microbial solution to prevent mould and mildew growth and kill waterborne bacteria and viruses in contaminated water.
  4. Extraction of standing water.
  5. Moisture testing to determine the extent of moisture in structural materials, floor coverings and in the air.
  6. Installation of drying equipment such as dehumidifiers and air-movers.
 

Contents

150_waterrestoration2After the emergency work has been completed, the technician will assess content items to determine the possibility of successful restoration. Other specialists such as French polishers, electrical engineers and upholsterers may be required to inspect damaged items. The technician or Loss Adjuster will discuss this with the policyholder.

Once an assessment of the affected items has been completed, an estimate detailing items that can be economically restored will be provided to the policyholder's Insurer or Loss Adjuster for their approval.

Items that are beyond restoration will be identified, listed and with the policyholder's agreement, removed. The Insurer or Loss Adjuster will then require a list of these items to organise replacement or settlement.

 

Buildings

150_waterrestoration1With regards to a damaged building, a drying and monitoring programme will be discussed with the policyholder and the technician will arrange to regularly monitor the reduction of moisture in the buildings structure and air.

Unfortunately it is extremely difficult to determine the exact length of time it will take to dry a property, as this can depend on several factors including the depth of any standing water, the length of time the structure was submerged or wet and the structural material used, some of which create vapour barriers preventing evaporation of moisture. Regular monitoring will provide an on-going record of the progress.

It is essential that the drying equipment installed is used as directed by the technician, as the longer the equipment is allowed to operate the shorter the drying time. Electricity consumed by the equipment can normally be reclaimed from your insurers by making a note of the meter reading prior to the use of the drying equipment.