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Commercial fire damage restoration is necessary following a building fire and the sooner it’s done, the more effective it is. However, there are many steps involved in full-scale, commercial fire damage restoration and it certainly isn’t an overnight process.
The length of time it takes for full restoration will depend on a number of factors, including:
Professional, commercial fire damage restoration involves a thorough inspection of the property, waste disposal, soot and smoke clean-up, odour removal and water damage restoration. It also involves the more aesthetic elements too, such as re-painting and decorating restored surfaces.
For a smaller commercial fire, the priority will be to remove soot and odours. You can learn more about effective soot and smoke damage removal in our previous article.
Medium-sized and large fires will require a more thorough restoration process. Soot and odours will need to be removed, but there will also be more extensive damage to walls, floors and furniture. For particularly large fires, restoration could take several weeks to months, considering the time involved in repairing, rebuilding and redecorating the premises.
What happens within the initial 48 hours of a commercial fire? This is where speed is key, as the effects of fire damage will only worsen with time. Within the first 48 hours, corrosion, etching and discolouration will not have started, so metal can be cleaned. Ventilation is also key to help remove odours.
Once approximately a week has passed since your fire, temperatures will drop significantly and the condensed moisture reacts with soot. Even if the fire was confined to one area of your building, soot particles will have had time to travel throughout the building, reaching rooms otherwise unaffected by the fire. The acidic soot will cause corrosion, etching and discolouration throughout your building.
By this point, odours will be harder to remove and they’ll have started to permeate porous materials in your building, including furniture.
Water damage is another issue to think about when it comes to commercial fire damage restoration timescales and is often a result of putting out the fire. There are certain steps of the restoration process that cannot be carried out while surfaces or materials are still wet, such as removing soot from walls with dry sponges. Getting a professional to remove water and completely dry out the building is necessary after larger scale fires.
Extensive, untreated water damage can also lead to the growth of mould throughout your property. This will also need to be treated before the aesthetic details of the restoration process are carried out.
When it comes to commercial fire damage restoration, it’s not a case of cutting corners. There are many dangers to be aware of following a fire, including the structural integrity of the building, the spread of soot and smoke, the growth of mould, water damage to plasterboard and the serious health impacts of smoke and soot.
This is why it’s important to get a commercial fire damage restoration company with a lot of experience to help out. By doing so, you ensure the health and safety of those working in your commercial building and eliminate the risk of structural failure and other secondary issues, like mould growth.
At CPL t/a Rainbow Restoration, we use state-of-the-art equipment to deliver the most effective commercial fire damage restoration services. You can read our case study on how we dealt with the aftermath of a fire at a commercial premises caused by a vehicle in a workshop here.
Did you know, we operate 24/7, 365 days a year. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team on freephone 0800 030 4360.