How Bad Habits Can Lead to Water Damage in Idaho Falls Restaurants

2/8/2017 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is Plan B When Your Idaho Falls Business Suffers Water Damage

Idaho Falls Damage Is a Common Occurance in Water Backups

It is easy to forget that restaurants can be quite dangerous places. Every day, they deal with heat, water, and smoke. While steps can be taken to minimize the risk of accidents and emergencies, businesses can still be taken by surprise.

Clogged drains are a common cause of water damage in Idaho Falls restaurants. Usually, problems develop because employees have been following bad habits. For instance, repeatedly pouring cooking oil or food remnants down a kitchen drain can quickly lead to blockages. Grease traps shuld always be the means of disposing of liquids and oils. Where there is a blockage, there is a danger of flooding.

Fortunately, the experts at SERVPRO have lots of experience dealing with flooded businesses. Even in the worst circumstances, they can bring your restaurant back to life.

The Immediate Aftermath
The faster you call in the restoration experts, the quicker they can reverse the damage done by flooding. Kitchens are designed to be waterproof and dirt resistant. It makes them easy to dry out and repair. However, water pump extractors and dehumidifiers are still needed to deal with excess moisture, and for rapid removal to limit secondary damages.

The first step is removing standing water. Overflowing drains can produce a surprising amount of liquid, so the water in your kitchen may be ankle deep or even higher. The SERVPRO technicians use portable water extractors (often motorized) to remove standing liquids quickly. They are agile, flexible, and multiple extractors can be used to empty large kitchens.

Responding to Grey Water
The water from a blocked drain may contain elements which can harm you. Usually, it is made up of a combination of clear and gray water. Grey liquids are those which contain food, cleaning chemicals, or detergents. While they are not typically toxic, you should take care when handling them. Always sanitize your hands by washing with soap and hot water after contacting this type of standing water.

Grey water often requires cleaning as well as thorough drying. So, the SERVPRO team may need to remove some damaged materials. Carpeting is the most common. Tiles can be easily lifted and taken to specialist drying chambers for restoration. Traditional carpets can be a little trickier, but we can lift them a few inches from the ground and use fans to direct clean, dry air throughout the subflooring. Generally, these above problems are in the dining area, not the kitchen.

A Little Spring Cleaning
Most commercial kitchens do not take long to dry. Most have water resistant flooring already and, if water has intruded into the restaurant carpets, dehumidifiers and air movers can be set up to remove all evidence of moisture. Temperature control is important for this, so we may require you to vacate the space for a while. Large kitchens are often split into multiple drying chambers because it is easier to control conditions in smaller areas. We know the importance of your establishment to you and your customers; we can work through the night to try to keep your doors open for service.

If your commercial kitchen has experienced flooding recently, due to blocked drains or faulty appliances, get in touch with the experts. SERVPRO of Idaho Falls is on hand to help businesses in this region carry out effective water damage repairs. Call us 24/7 at (208) 523-5465.