Case StudyHarry’s Home Water Damage/Microbial Remediation

Extreme long term water damage, with dwell time, evolves into microbial conflagration, century home.

Homeowner proclaims it a misnomer that the insurance company is an evil entity.

Harry lived alone in his century home in a western Cleveland suburb. Typical of homes built during this time, the residence featured a central boiler and radiator steam

heat..

During the winter, Harry suffered an injury requiring hospitalization. During this time, the area experienced a spate of severe cold weather. As fate would have it,

the boiler failed.

The radiators and water pipes froze and broke. As the home was unoccupied, the conditions went undiscovered. It was later ascertained that the water ran and the home

froze and thawed and froze again,… for nine weeks.

This scenario created atypical conditions. Upon Integrated Restoration’s arrival at the scene, they were brought into a, albeit cold, rain forest environment. Interior surfaces

of the residence were at dew point. Rain was falling within the home.

The loss had progressed from a major water damage to a full blown microbial remediation project. Ceilings fell. Floor lifted. Surfaces were

covered with a conflagration of well established microbial growth.

Windows, doors, cabinets, and floors all succumbed to the moisture and microbial damage.

Out of necessity, Harry interviewed his prospective contractors, off site, at the health care facility where he was residing. Integrated Restoration provided Harry a digital presentation illustrating the conditions at his home. Integrated Restoration also provided a detailed order of events that presented solutions to the challenges the loss presented.

Although shocked by the images, Harry was pleased with the presentation and the proposed solutions. Integrated Restoration was hired and put to task.The initial challenge posed by this project was providing heat necessary to effect a structural dry out and perform the microbial remediation. Integrated Restoration proposed installing a forced hot air furnace to immediately initiate the dry out. This temporary furnace would then remain as the home’s permanent heat source. All parties agreed. The restoration commenced.

The aggressive microbial growth dictated that substantial demolition take place. This included

removal of contaminated building materials, HEPA sanding, HEPA vacuuming and treating surfaces with an EPA registered broad spectrum disinfectant / sanitizer /

cleaner.

Upon achieving microbial remediation and structural dry out, to ensure a pristine indoor environment, an EPA

registered anti fungicidal coating was applied to surfaces. The demolition, however, exposed serious framing issues

that required attention.

At times, a project’s challenges, present opportunities. Installation of microlams addressed framing issues. The

design alteration opened up the first floor. Harry was presented the proposals. He signed off. As he was non-

ambulatory, Harry was given weekly digital image updates.

Insulation and quality windows addressed prior heat loss concerns.

Installation of drywall clarified the look of the new first floor layout.

The before and after of the side entry landing illustrates the transformation ongoing within.

The bath up demanded a new spatial layout and updating.

The opened dining room became an extension of the newly remodelled kitchen.

Oxidized Mortised locksets on painted flat panel doors were replaced with decorative brass swags on stained raised panel doors to provide

a rich, beautiful look throughout the newly refurbished home.

After selection signoffs, design build changes, windows, doors, painting, cabinetry, flooring and trim, the completed

project was a dramatic upgrade over the original home. Harry had overseen all of this from a hospital room with weekly progress photos. When he came out to visually

survey the final project, Harry was pleased with his choices. Harry shed tears of joy with how well his home turned out

and how well he had been treated.

At the onset of this project, one of the first sign offs by Harry was a release authorizing the disposal of his

contents. This was necessary to facilitate the repairs. Tables, chairs, furnishings, clothing and bags and bags

of personal contents were removed from the home and placed in dumpsters.

As protocol, Integrated Restoration took detailed photos and a video documenting the contents on site. The insurance carrier was informed of the documentation. The carrier hired an independent vendor who came to Integrated

Restoration’s offices and evaluated the contents that had been disposed of. At the end of the loss, to Harry’s great surprise, the carrier notified the insured that there was a

contents settlement due him. In his absence, his contractor, his insurance company, and even his city had looked out for

him.

When all was said and done this Integrated Restoration project involved a major residential

structural dry out, full scale microbial remediation, design build, framing, doors, windows, flooring,

drywall, paint, staining, cabinetry, trim, electrical, plumbing and HVAC.

Harry Expressed his thanks to the city officials who reported the loss, the adjuster who assisted him, the contents management

company, and Integrated Restoration who provided such a positive experience in a

difficult disaster scenario.