Water. Nothing is more essential. Yet nothing can be more destructive.
We look at two of the ways that happens:
Disaster recovery consultants Tom Aloi and Sandy Heiss discuss the unseen danger lurking behind what first meets the eye: mold. They note some of the ways mold carries out its nasty work, but more importantly they review how the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can help.
Damages from salt water inundation can be even worse. Since salt reacts chemically with many surfaces, the damages go beyond structural to involve electrical and mechanical systems intrinsic not only to the operations of an organization, but to its safety and security. Chemical engineer Sal DePrisco details specific damages that can take place and presents a strategy for addressing them. (Page 7)
Water can be a devastating force, especially in a natural disaster. Whether it enters a structure due to overland flooding or ocean storm surge, water infiltration can have ravaging effects on the structure, infrastructure and contents of a building. Following catastrophes like major floods and hurricanes, the initial devastation is obvious — from deposits of mud, silt and water-borne debris, to conspicuous waterlines and structural damage.
But often the less-noticeable damage presents a special challenge: mold and mildew (early-stage mold) begin to take hold within 24 to 48 hours. 1 After a disaster, power outages often lead to delays in the pumping and drying activities necessary to eradicate mold and mildew, and prevent regrowth. Humidity and heat become unwitting accomplices, with warmer temperatures —occurring...