A ‘black belt’ in water damage restoration.

When the River Irvine in Kilmarnock burst its banks, it meant that properties in the surrounding areas were exposed to significant water damage and contamination. This put them at risk of extremeproperty damage and sanitary issues. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) stated that the river had reached its highest level in 57 years.

Problem

One of the local businesses affected was Kilmarnock Judo Club. Although the property runs adjacent to the river, the water had never been high enough to cause an issue in its 43-year history at the location.

The river water that had contaminants present had seeped into the building, causing extensive black water damage to the floor, joists, flooring and wall cavities, as well as the plaster work. As brick is a porous material, the water had migrated into the interior of the building and damaged the interior walls also. The judo club has members ranging from children to adults, so they needed to ensure that this was dealt with effectively so as to not face any future issues derived from mould. The client needed to call upon a specialist water damage team.

Solution

The client enlisted the help of Polygon; who with over 60 years’ experience in managing flood and water damage restoration projects, were able to conduct a thorough survey of the building and use their expertise to determine the next actions. The aim was to sanitise and dry out the property and return it to its pre-incident state. This meant rectifying any moisture issues as quickly as possible, enabling a swift handover to the builders, to allow the building to be reinstated as soon as possible.

Polygon’s construction drying services were required on site and in-depth hygrometer sleeves were used to measure relative humidity within the brickwork. With this level of damage some level of strip out was required, although it’s always Polygon’s aim to keep this to a minimum.

Once the contaminated flooring and wall plaster had been stripped back, the moisture levels in the timber joists and brickworks needed to be brought back to an acceptable level prior to the walls being re-plastered.

Polygon’s team were then able to formulate a drying regime. This led to the installation of dehumidifiers and air circulation fans that enabled the wet air to be replaced with dry air. The thorough drying of the building was paramount to avoid any secondary damage to the flooring or walls. If the new floor was fitted too early, it would begin to take on excess moisture, bringing a risk that it would swell and become damaged. Also, if the stripped-out walls were plastered before they had reached 75% relative humidity or less, secondary damage could occur. The moisture conditions were monitored over a three-week period to ensure that all the affected areas were brought back to pre-incident moisture levels before any finishing work was conducted.

Benefits

• Specialists: Water damage can have serious consequences without an immediate, targeted response. Polygon offers a variety of highly effective measures to handle the problem, whether it is an issue derived from a small leak or following a major flood.
• Solutions: The job starts with damage assessment and evaluation. During the drying process that follows, Polygon identifies all of the restoration measures required to get life back to normal. Only the latest energy-efficient technology and equipment is used and with their local presence and staff, they are close by to help you.