When a sprinkler system is activated in a commercial setting, the water damage can be extensive. The system exists to extinguish a fire, contain it, or slow its spread until emergency fire responders arrive on the scene.
Fire Sprinkler Facts
- Unintentional sprinkler activations in 2014 numbered 33,600. Overheating from heating units, skylights, or commercial cooking equipment can cause an unintentional activation of a fire sprinkler head. Freezing temperatures, manufacturing defects and mechanical damage, corrosion, or deliberate sabotage are also common causes of unintended activation of fire sprinklers.
- A sprinkler head can disperse from 8 to 24 gallons of water per minute, easily causing more damage than the fire that was extinguished.
- Every minute a sprinkler head issues water it costs $1,000 to clean up the damage.
- A fire sprinkler system can extinguish a small fire before people realize a fire has occurred.
- Often only one or two sprinkler heads can extinguish a fire.
What steps should be taken to deal with water damage after the fire sprinklers have activated and extinguished the fire?
Fire sprinklers are capable of extinguishing a fire in its infancy. Dealing with fire and smoke damage may be minimal when compared to the water damage.
Fire and smoke damage cleanup should never be a DIY project in a commercial or residential setting. Safety and health hazards can be very serious. Putting employees at risk to clean an environment that is toxic to skin, eyes, and lungs could affect insurance coverage and lead to litigation.
In the case of a small commercial operation, such as a storefront, small production unit, or an office, the process is much the same as dealing with a residential water damage incident. A damage readiness plan or a business continuation strategy with guidelines and procedures to walk management through the process as quickly and as seamlessly as possible is highly advisable. The goal is to be up and running as soon and as safely as possible with no lost-time accidents or injury lawsuits.
Often in a well-ordered commercial environment, the activation of a fire protection system will signal a response from the fire department. Once the fire is extinguished and the sprinklers are turned off, it is time for the water, fire, and smoke damage restoration team to leap into action. These steps walk business owners through the process.
Step #1: Contact a property damage restoration team. The benefit of having a commercial readiness plan will be realized when the crew rolls into the parking lot, possibly within thirty minutes of the call. Once management realizes restoration professionals are needed, the call should be made. Delays are costly.
Step #2: A technician from the emergency services company will inspect the site, assess the damage, and provide an estimate of costs. Upon approval, the work will begin immediately, if it is not already in process. Cultivating a professional relationship with a company that can provide a full menu of restoration, cleaning, and maintenance services makes sense, especially during emergencies and disasters.
Step #3: Removal of water and moisture from the environment.begins.High-powered pumps and wet vacuums will be deployed to remove standing water. A sprinkler can spray up to 24 gallons per minute and hundreds of gallons in just twenty minutes. Next, water is extracted from carpets, rugs, pillows, upholstery, and other absorbent materials. The environment must be dried with industrial fans explicitly designed for the task. Simply removing water and moisture is not enough. Commercial dehumidifiers dry the air and remaining moisture to prevent the growth of mold and mildew, which can start to grow in only a few hours.
Step #4: Surfaces must be cleaned, sanitized, and deodorized, especially if dense smoke and soot are involved. This part of the process requires meticulous attention to detail.
Step #5: Restoration and repair where needed come next. Since the fire sprinkler system almost immediately extinguishes most fires, water damage restoration is the greatest challenge facing the highly-trained and certified experts.
Why Choose Paul Davis Emergency Services of Norman and SW Oklahoma City?
As a provider of complete property damage emergency services and restoration for fifty years, Paul Davis Emergency Services is uniquely qualified to provide the best service to residential and commercial customers.
For more information about water damage restoration in Norman, OK, visit the Paul Davis Emergency Services of Norman and SW Oklahoma City website at southwest-oklahoma-city.pauldavis.com. Contact the office by phone at (405) 802-5405.
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