Real people, real decisions

By Velvet Cates-Capell Manager, Marketing and Public Relations – Canstar Restorations

Choose to work with an EFMA member

You are in a very unique position! As a professional who manages the myriad of maintenance needs in a B.C. school facility, you enjoy support and resource sharing from a wealth of industry colleagues and vendor associates through the Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C.

Arrange a pre-loss site visit with an EFMA member restoration company

As a restoration contractor, we are committed to providing product and industry education as we build our working relationship with EFMA members. Our job is to be “fully prepared” to respond to your restoration emergencies and to support you through partnership and education. We are committed to providing you with the most current, cost-effective solutions our industry offers. Although each water-loss situation is unique, with many variables to factor into the plan of action, a pre-loss meeting will prove invaluable. Planning ahead can result in the first call being made sooner, the restoration company arriving on site quicker with the correct amount of equipment, and money being saved. Planning ahead allows proactive solutions to be explored as a team with facility staff ahead of the disaster, thus saving time during the emergency response and the subsequent restoration.

One of the most complex challenges: hardwood gym floors

Let’s look at one of the most complex challenges: water damage, restoration and repairs to hardwood gymnasium floors.

In a fresh-water event, the facility’s maintenance staff will most likely call the restoration company immediately, then start the restoration process by stopping the source of the leak, moving some items from the affected area and perhaps even extracting some initial water. Each of these steps helps minimize the damage.

Once the restoration company arrives, extraction and stabilization of the building begins while the initial assessment is done. During the initial assessment, the certified water-loss technician determines the source of the damage, then assesses the extent of water intrusion, the extent of water migration, and the potential for hidden moisture pock-

ets. While mapping the water damage, the technician will use thermal imaging and moisture metering equipment as diagnostic tools.

It is critical for the technician to determine the type of wood(s) that are affected, as each type of wood reacts differently when in contact with moisture. It is equally important to identify the substrate materials. Over-drying can cause buckling and loss of integrity to the wood. A certified structural drying technician will be able to identify the right drying protocol for each type of wood to ensure the proper moisture content is present when dry standard is reached.

Choose to work with an EFMA member certified in structural drying

The technician will also assess the surrounding environment of the building and determine which special conditions are present that will affect the drying process. The building’s air handling system will be taken into consideration along with the ambient temperature readings. The technician will identify the types of building materials that have been affected, such as walls or ceilings that are double dry-walled, laminated wall coverings, semi-gloss or enamel paint, insulation, and cabinetry or lockers.

Armed with specialized training in structural drying, the water damage technician determines the most effective drying methods, the direction from which to dry and the equipment to choose based on the findings from the visual assessment and the readings from the moisture metering and mapping tools. Specialty drying systems such as the Injectidry are designed to work alongside floor mat drying systems and dehumidification equipment in order to remove large amounts of moisture. These drying systems inject warm, dry air and extract the moist air, as well as extract potentially contaminated air. Moisture metering throughout the drying process is used to ensure first-rate progress of both the drying portion of the job and the subsequent restoration and reconstruction.

Maintaining a high level of safety and security throughout the restoration process is mandatory. Getting the building back to business and resuming regular student activity as quickly as possible is our top priority.

Canstar Restorations, DKC Tel. (24/7 emergency): 1-866-578-3138 www.canstarrestorations.com Proud supporting member of the EFMA B.C. b

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