WHEN A RIVER BURSTS ITS BANKS
Water damage has many causes, including frost, storms and flooding. Leaking or poorly installed pipes are another source. Even the incorrect operation of a washing machine is enough to flood a room or an entire building. No matter whether the damage is caused by man or nature, a prompt, professional and reliable solution is essential.
Damage you can do without.
The potentially serious consequences of water damage are manifold, and the slower and more elementary the response, the greater the impact. Swelling, corrosion and material degradation are all common effects, with masonry bearing the brunt of the damage as concrete, bricks, cement and plaster come under attack.
The effects of mould and fungal growth or, even w o r s e , d r y ro t , a re e q u a l l y a l a r m i n g . O n c e a fungus attacks timber or lightweight structures, f u r n i s h i n g s o r p a p e r f i l e s , t h e e f fe c t s o n a b u i l d i n g ' s o c c u p a n t s c a n b e ve r y u n p l e a s a n t indeed.
W i t h B E L F O R yo u a re o n t h e s a fe s i d e i n eve r y c a s e . Yo u t a ke advantage of the collective expertise of the world's leading damage restoration company. We are always ready to respond, whenever you need us. With the right people, the right equipment and with services from A to Z. A comforting feeling.
BELFOR offers you comprehensive professional restoration following water damage. Our range of services includes:
BELFOR helps you get back to normal as quickly as possible. We have developed a range of modern procedures with this aim in mind, and are continuously refining, supplementing and cultivating new, improved processes.
Our drying methods:
• Low-temperature condensing dehumidifiers for drying surfaces, rooms and buildings
• Adsorption dryers with high-pressure compressors for floating screed floors
- Drying insulating layers - Drying cavities
- Drying timber beams with tenting, encapsulation (ceilings, walls, floors) - Stabilisation and contamination control
(electronics, machines, furnishings) • Infrared drying (walls, floors, ceilings)
• Vacuum freeze drying (books and documents)
HOW WE DRY OUT YOUR PROPERTY
Dr ying by tenting
Dr ying wooden flooring
Dr ying cavities
Special vacuum dr ying
BELFOR – professional restoration following water damage Initial measures - extracting water and salvaging building contents Damage analysis - measuring and recording moisture levels Locating leaks - non-destructive source detection
Technical drying of buildings - walls and rooms
Technical drying - installation of drying equipment according to the type of damage
Conservation - electronics, machines, furnishings, documents, paper files
Deodorisation - elimination of odour molecules
Disinfecting - elimination of microorganisms, spores, mould etc.
Restoration work - according to the specific damage, assignment of painters and decorators, heating and plumbing specialists and electricians all the way to restoration of floor coverings of all kinds and roofing work.
An incident need not affect an entire building. The places you see in the drawing show the parts of a building that are typically affected by water damage:
Partition walls
Plaster/wood/insulation/panelling Timber joist floor
Sound boarding/insulation/pugging, soffits or lagging Flooring Concrete Floating screed Boards/parquet Textile covering/carpet/insulation Internal walls Brick/concrete/plaster Masonry Concrete Cavity walls
Sand-lime brick insulation Fair-faced masonry
Internal plaster and external rendering
Detecting cause and effect.
I m m e d i a t e f i r s t a i d m e a s u r e s a t t h e s c e n e involve assessing the damage and inspecting all t h e a f fe c t e d ro o m s . E x p e r i e n c e i s c r u c i a l t o eradicating water damage – our experts quickly establish exactly what needs to be done in the event of an incident.
B E L F O R ' s t e c h n i c i a n s exa m i n e t h e w a t e r o r moisture damage and ascertain the routing of p i p e s , d r a i n s a n d d u c t s , a n d i n ve s t i ga t e t h e water meter.
The next step is to make a plan of action. Once the cause of a leak has been dealt with, the restoration and drying options are defined and implemented. BELFOR's experts make sure that h a m m e r s a n d c h i s e l s a r e u s e d o n l y w h e n absolutely essential. After all, the damage may n o t b e a t t r i b u t a b l e t o t h e h e a t i n g o r w a t e r systems, but to faults in the facade, defective grouting, blocked drains etc.
The cause of water damage is not always immediately obvious, and finding the source can sometimes prove very complex. Such cases call fo r p ro fe s s i o n a l l e a k d e t e c t i o n , w h i c h e n t a i l s i n ve s t i ga t i n g t h e problem with modern, non-destructive methods.
T h i s t y p e o f l e a k d e t e c t i o n m a k e s s e n s e i n a v a r i e t y o f circumstances, for example if the source is difficult to identify or the type and extent of damage needs to be established quickly, precisely and without any physical intervention. Leak detection can also be used if the drying procedures already in place are not having the desired effect because of further, concealed faults. It can also serve as an aid to the fitter.
A case for the detectives
When is leak detection recommended and what can it reveal? The list below contains the parts of a building that can be sources of leaks:
Domestic services Cold and hot water pipes Heating pipes
Foul water pipes
Condensation problems/mould Joint and cover plate seals Building shell
Felted flat roof/bitumen roof Masonry/cold bridges
Window frames and weather bars Vapour barriers
Infiltration/groundwater Basement
Blocked drains, soakaways Backflow
Flooding
Garden water lines/irrigation Water main
WITH BELFOR
Flat roof
Planted/floor slabs/gravel Lawned roof gardens Balcony/terrace Concrete/felt/bitumen Insulation
Suspended ceiling
Slats/sheeting/lath and plaster Foundation walls Concrete/insulation/vapour barrier/bitumen Damp-proof membranes Foundation/ground slab Concrete/topping Vapour barrier/bitumen
Help us to help you.
With your assistance we can eliminate water d a m a ge e v e n m o r e q u i c k l y a n d e f f e c t i v e l y . Depending on the type of damage, the following information is especially useful to us:
• When did the damage first occur? What action has already been taken? How has the damage spread?
• A n y p r e - e x i s t i n g c o n d i t i o n s , p a s t w a t e r damage, building condition.
• When were the drains, soakaways and closet unions last cleaned?
• Can you provide construction and installation plans?
People and data.
Exact and reliable measured data is crucial. It indicates the progress and duration of the drying operation. The information provided by measuring is also critical for objective documentation and monitoring throughout the drying procedure. The very best measuring instruments are the tools of our trade. Everything we carry with us is subject t o r e g u l a r i n s p e c t i o n a n d c a l i b r a t i o n . P r o f e s s i o n a l e q u i p m e n t , c a p a b l e ex p e r t s – BELFOR stands for quality in every event.
When BELFOR arrives on site, impeccably trained personnel and the l a t e s t e q u i p m e n t a r e a l w a y s t o h a n d . A s t h e l e a d i n g d a m a ge r e s t o r a t i o n c o m p a n y w o r l d w i d e , w e s o l ve yo u r p ro b l e m s w i t h procedures that are state of the art.
Moisture measurement
We use a variety of measuring instruments to locate leaks. The m o i s t u r e i n f l o o r s , w a l l s a n d c e i l i n g s i s d e t e r m i n e d b y n o n -desctructive methods.
Electro-acoustic pipe and cable detection
We detect the routing of plastic lines electro-acoustically. Special wall scanners are used to establish where holes can be safely drilled. Acoustic leak detection
Seeping water gives rise to sound waves, which can be detected with high-performance microphones, special amplifiers, equalisers and headphones. The different frequencies generated by escaping water enable us to locate the position of the leak.
Thermal imaging
This diagnostic technique uses an infrared camera to show surface temperatures in different colours. Contrasting colours can identify warm water escaping from a faulty heating pipe, for instance, and thus reveal the location of a leak.
Tracer gas method
Highly sensitive gas detectors localise even the most minute leaks in pipes. The tracer gas penetrates aerated concrete, floating screed, asphalt etc. to facilitate reliable leak detection in these materials as well.
Dyeing
We use fluorescent pigments to detect water routes and leaks. Video endoscopy
This method is employed to inspect pipes, drains, cavities and shafts. It also enables us to look underneath baths and shower trays, and b e h i n d r e f r i g e r a t o r s a n d t h e r m a l i n s u l a t i o n . T h e d a m a g e i s documented on the monitor (or by way of a printout).
Correlation leak detection
Two microphone measuring points transmit electro-acoustic signals by radio. The correlator calculates the distance between the leak and t h e m e a s u r i n g p o i n t . T h e l o c a t i o n o f t h e l e a k c a n b e d e p i c t e d
TROUBLESHOOTING PROCEDURES
Moisture measurement
Electro-acoustic pipe and cable detection
Endoscope
Video Endoscope
INT/EN/06-2005 47119 Duisburg Germany Phone: +49 (0) 203 806 8601 Fax: +49 (0) 203 806 8603 E-Mail: info@belfor.com www.belfor.com
BELFOR - Your global partner in disaster recovery.
With 150 locations in more than 25 c o u n t r i e s , B E L F O R i s r e a d y t o respond to any disaster anywhere, at any time.
Our services worldwide:
Emergency Aid | Structure and Property Restoration | Restoration of furnishings and fittings | Machinery Repair and Restoration | Restoration of electronics and electrical equipment | Document and Data Recovery | Mould Remediation |
