SERVPRO Is the Answer to Oakland Commercial Property Fire Loss Cleanup and Build-Back

7/27/2019 (Permalink)

The Oakland Fire Department Puts Out the Fire--Then SERVPRO Gets the Business Restored and Re-Opened

Commercial Fire Damage Restoration For Oakland Businesses

Commercial fires have been in the Oakland news quite a bit in the last few years. The pictures and stories always center around property loss and how it affects local employment. Despite the sensational portrayal in these stories, most fires do not result in the total loss of the structure and restoration is nearly always an option.

Restoration of Oakland commercial fire damage requires accomplishing multiple tasks simultaneously to help the owner reopen to customers quickly. As an example of what SERVPRO provides, we’ll use fire in a furniture showroom with offices overhead.

In this situation, the fire began in the first floor breakroom after a toaster oven shorted out and caught fire. Fortunately, this was at the end of the day, so there were few people inside and quickly evacuated. Unfortunately, the fire quickly consumed the breakroom and spread smoke through most of the showroom. The smoke also traveled swiftly up the nearby stairwell and into most of the offices there. The physical destruction was limited to the breakroom.

In this instance, SERVPRO technicians spend their efforts on demolition and reconstruction of the breakroom and cleaning smoke residues from the rest of the facility and the property inside. Team members quickly tear out the affected walls, cabinets, and ceilings, dispose of it and the ruined appliances and furniture. Specialists clean the remaining structure, and then our builders (General Contractor License #: 937457) replace the wall framing, drywall, and ceiling panels. This all takes time, planning with the building owner and the insurance carrier.

Meanwhile, technicians start cleaning. They can remove most of the residues using sponges and a mild cleaning agent from surfaces and much of the furniture in the showroom and offices upstairs. For thicker residues closer to the fire, they may use brushes and stronger cleaners to break up the residue layers for easier removal.

For upholstered furniture, technicians use the same cleaners and more powerful agitation devices to break up the residues and either water or a cleaner to force them out of the item. For the lingering odors, team members can use a counteragent to neutralize them or an ozone generator to create a gas that breaks down the molecular structure completely.

For SERVPRO of San Leandro, the goal is always to help businesses here and in surrounding communities like Hayward, Alameda, and Danville get back on their feet as quickly as possible. If your business is dealing with fire damage, call us at (510) 352-2480 today to schedule a service call and start restoration procedures.

The Oakland FD