How To Salvage Water Damaged Documents

9/18/2018 (Permalink)

Damage ceiling from a failed water pipe in a Cleveland, TN home

Even in the current age of digital records, it is likely that you still house some important paper files at your business in Cleveland, TN. When flooding occurs, what becomes of the wet documents?

What Types of Records Can Be Saved?

Depending on the severity of the flooding it is possible for a wide range of paper documents to be saved. Although not all papers may be salvageable, you increase the likelihood of restorable contents when you take immediate action. The following items may benefit from the document drying process:

• Paper documents including personnel files, contracts or manuscripts
• Commercial property blueprints or facility maps
• Photographs, archival microfiche or film
• Collections of magazines or books

What Document Drying Methods Are Used?

Restoration specialists use a multitude of professional cleaning and drying techniques to recover wet documents:

• For storm water and sewage exposure, documents need to be disinfected and sanitized. Items are sterilized using gamma irradiation.
• Some papers respond best to air drying or a dehumidifying environment.
• Vacuum freeze drying is an advanced technological process used for antique papers or irreplaceable books. First the documents are frozen, then the air pressure is reduced causing remaining moisture to evaporate. Large quantities of items can be dried simultaneously.
• Vacuum thermal drying is a quicker process than freeze drying, but it also may distort some materials. This less expensive method is best for common papers where the state of the dried product is not as critical.
• While not a drying method, the process of digitizing documents is useful. Rather than restoration to a physical item, the documents are available as computer files that can be stored and backed up for future use.

When flooding strikes your commercial property in Cleveland, TN, wet documents are not necessarily lost forever. A variety of professional methods are available to save your important business files, photographs or book collections.