The
Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC)
recommends standards related to guidelines for the formal remediation and use of restoration when professionals clean up after a flood or mold contamination when floodwaters recede from a major flood event. It will also be important to provide a deep cleaning of all HVAC systems at a business after the experience of a flood loss to the commercial property.
Mold, bacteria, and viruses
can be spread from floor to floor, as well as from room to room through the HVAC system of a commercial building if the interior components of an HVAC system become contaminated after a flood. The forced air that goes through the HVAC system and is distributed throughout a building can spread mold spores, diseases and bacteria to a wide area in a building structure.
For this reason, after a flood, professionals should be called in to assess and review the HVAC system for the presence of any contaminants before the system is restated for active use in the building. Additionally, when floodwaters affect the lower levels of a building, the electrical switch panels should also be checked if the floodwaters may have overcome the area of the outlets in a commercial property.
It will be necessary to check that there are no leftover sewage, contaminants, bacteria, or microorganisms in the air handling or return duct systems servicing the building to preserve the health and safety of all people who work at and visit the building on a daily basis.
Additionally, all approved disinfectants that are used to remediate HVAC systems per the IICRC
are those that have been registered and approved as safe to use in HVAC systems by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
If there are highly porous materials in the HVAC system that may have been affected by floodwaters, it may be necessary to replace these materials to prevent contamination from fungus, bacteria or other contaminants related to sewage that my have been present in the flood.
In the event that your commercial property has experienced damage from a flood, just give us a call to come and remediate the commercial property HVAC system. We are here for you 24/7, and can restore your commercial property after flood damage, flooding, water damage, sewage overspills and fire damage loss events. Just give us a call at
Restoration 1 of North Georgia,
and we will come to your commercial property to review your HVAC systems today.
References
www.reses.org