Restoration companies build flood houses as a realistic training tool for water damage restoration crews as well as insurance professionals. These houses are purposely flooded to recreate authentic water damage and mold scenarios with wet carpet, flooded wood floors, water damaged sheetrock, drenched furniture as well as other typical flood damage situations. The crews are then trained in the latest restoration and remediation techniques in an increasingly evolving and forward thinking industry. In essence, flood house training is the most effective hands on method to educate restoration professionals. The alternative would be to train new techs on the job, where every team member, ideally, should hit the ground running rather than slow the work down.

Flood House Training – Restoration Industry

The restoration industry is constantly evolving, with innovative ideas and newer, more effective disaster recovery methods, equipment and eco-safe cleaning supplies. Flood house training is a good way of keeping abreast of all these cutting edge techniques and tools and testing them out before applying them to actual restoration jobs. These industry improvements touch all aspects of business activity, such as water extraction and drying, flood cleanup, mold remediation, property reconstruction, basement waterproofing, and content restoration.

Dalworth Restoration Flood House Training Facility

Flood House Training – Professionals Attending

Dalworth Restoration has two flood houses in its Dallas Fort Worth facility, designed specifically for water damage remediation training purposes. The company conducts hands on training sessions, combined with classroom instruction, not only for in-house staff, but also for contractors and other restoration companies, as well as insurance industry personnel. New technicians and insurance industry experts gain valuable insight into hands on flood cleanup and mold remediation work, while experienced water damage professionals get further training in new restoration methods.

Flood House Training – Dalworth Restoration Classes

A sample training day begins with over a thousand gallons of water pumped into a flood house, effectively soaking the tile, carpet and wood flooring as well as furniture and household appliances. Technicians are instructed on how to properly set up a drying chamber by learning the formulas necessary for dehumidification and equipment placement. They use classroom taught techniques to extract water as well as clean and dry the affected areas using dehumidifiers, fans and other necessary equipment. Flood house training takes three days to complete, as various materials dry at different rates.

Dalworth Restoration uses both its flood houses for remediation training. The first flood house is a fully functional 900 square feet, two bedroom, one bathroom house. It has a kitchen, utility room and a hall and is fully furnished. The company uses this house to train staff on structural drying. Flooring includes tile, vinyl, carpet with pad and glue down carpet. These are used to train crews on different extraction methods for the variety of flooring surfaces. Although this house was purposely flooded and restored well over 50 times, kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanity, as well as all baseboards and framing around doors throughout the home have never needed to be replaced and maintained their integrity through all the flooding scenarios. This is due to the professional water extraction and drying techniques Dalworth Restoration employs.

The second flood house is smaller than the first. It is 700 square feet, with an open floor plan. This house is used for drying out wood flooring and providing instruction on proper and effective use of equipment.

Flood House Training – Practical and Cost Effective

Because there are so many weather and accident related residential and commercial water damage and flood emergencies, there is quite a need for restoration services. Therefore, flood house training is an important practical tool for doing quality, professional work. Flood houses are designed to be repeatedly flooded and restored, providing a cost effective training tool, which helps avoid expensive on the job mistakes.

Flood House Technician Training

Water Damage Restoration Dallas Fort Worth Flood House Technician Training

Although Dalworth Restoration’s business model concentrated on residential and commercial fire, smoke and water damage restoration since 1976, the company created their reconstruction and remodeling department in 1989. Initially, the reconstruction division handled mostly post fire and water damage mitigation scenarios. However, little by little, construction projects began to trickle in, mainly due to word of mouth advertizing from satisfied clients. With all the positive feedback and growing demand generated, the finish out and remodeling department doubled its size within the past five years to include several more project managers as well as project coordinators.

Reconstruction and Remodeling Jobs

Past reconstruction projects included fire damaged, mold damaged, water damaged, storm damaged, smoke damaged and vandalized properties. Reconstruction teams also routinely handle kitchen and bathroom remodels, tenant finish out as well as basement finish out projects. Due to the successful completion of numerous remodeling and rebuilding jobs, the company developed emergency response programs with churches and schools throughout the Dallas Fort Worth area. These public and private entities depend on Dalworth Restoration’s help in disaster events.

Reconstruction and rebuild solutions include:

• Demolition
• Debris removal
• Reframing and stud placement
• Rebricking and wall rebuild
• Sheetrock tape and bed
• Electrical work
• Cabinetry building or refinishing
• Vanity replacement
• Flooring replacement
• Gutter and flashing installation
• Roof installation

Dalworth Restoration Working with Clients

Every project begins with a clear idea of client objectives, along with an analysis of goal feasibility, scope and financial planning. Dalworth Restoration works closely with clients on timelines and plans of action in both new construction and reconstruction projects. Dalworth Restoration offers free consultations and estimates for all construction, remodeling and finish out jobs. Crews are on call 24/7 for emergency situations, making response time and reliability a natural part of the excellent customer service the company is known for.

Recent Reconstruction Projects:

Pitney Bowes – Complete Demolition and Debris Removal Project

Piney Bowes is a world leader in mail management and document solutions. Following a fire in their Grand Prairie facility, the extensive demolition and debris cleanup work took seven weeks and several reconstruction crews to complete.

Summit – Tenant Finish Out Project

Summit is a local Dallas Fort Worth printing company that creates marketing material for clients. The growth and expansion of operations necessitated the conversion of some warehouse space into office as well as production space. New construction, electrical wiring, fire sprinkler system, new air conditioning system, and new flooring was accomplished on a very short schedule and was implemented thoughtfully and carefully, with no negative impact to Summit’s business activities.

Price – Home Remodeling and Reconstruction Project

This project was a reconstruction of an existing 3200 square foot home due to fire and water damage. The house caught fire on account of an electrical mishap and was further damaged when firefighters extinguished the fire with massive quantities of water. The fire, which began in the upstairs bedroom, quickly spread to other areas in the house, namely the hallway and bonus room. These rooms were completely totaled as a result of the fire and had to be finished out. Reconstruction work involved reframing, putting up sheetrock, painting, tiling, and installing a new shower and vanity. Additionally, crews reframed part of the roof and installed new gutters. Since there was extensive damage to the staircase, Dalworth Restoration also had to replace it along with the handrail.

The exterior of the residence was damaged as well. Reconstruction crews had to remove fire damaged bricks and replace them with stone, since the existing brick was discontinued. Fortunately, Dalworth Restoration’s design team came up with a stone replacement the homeowners loved. The colors and patterns were matched beautifully for new flooring as well, which included tile, wood and carpet. The interior was then painted with a specially requested custom application, adding glitter to the paint. In the dining room and formal living area, the paint was rolled over the wall along with faux finishing. The customers were pleased with the work and their experience with Ken, their project manager.

Dallas Reconstruction and Remodeling Professionals – Dalworth Restoration

Water Damage Restoration Dallas Fort Worth Dallas Reconstruction and Remodeling Professionals – Dalworth Restoration

Dalworth Restoration has been thoroughly drying and restoring fire, smoke and water damaged documents, books and multimedia due to natural disasters and unintentional accidents. Fire and water are destructive elements that are very damaging to hard copy as well as electronic media documents. Fire gives rise to smoke odors and oily soot, while water and moisture promote mold growth. These elements must be removed promptly and completely prior to cleanup for best restoration results, otherwise, lingering smoke odors and mold will become a recurring problem.

Water Damaged Documents Restoration – Prompt Action

Wet books, flooded photographs and water damaged documents are particularly prone to mold and warping. If the damage involves black water, contamination complicates the restoration process. Therefore, quick action is most important for optimal salvaging results.

Water Damaged Documents Restoration – Methods

Specialized cleaning, cryogenic drying and vacuum freeze-drying are methods used for water damaged documents restoration. They are very effective and safe for hard copy material as well data on magnetic media. As water is gradually removed, books and documents revert to their natural shapes, minimizing warping significantly.

Water Damaged Documents Restoration – Specialized Cleaning

Specialized cleaning refers to various cleaning methods applied to water damaged documents to safely help in the remediation process. They include the pre-treating or removal of dirt and debris before restoration techniques are applied.

Water Damaged Documents Restoration – Vacuum Freeze Drying

The freeze drying method is used to preserve fragile items from further damage as well as protect them during transport to the restoration site. The process begins with completely freezing the items and decreasing pressure so that the frozen water in the documents or books transitions from solid to gas, bypassing the liquid phase. This process is very effective in preserving and restoring water damaged documents, books and other media.

Water Damaged Documents Restoration – Cryogenic Drying

Cryogenic drying is similar to vacuum freeze-drying, with some variation. There may be slightly more moisture in this restoration method, with a short liquid state potentially involved, unlike the vacuum freeze-drying method that is literally dry. The benefit has to do with a better preservation of shape and less warping of books and documents. This method can also be applied to water damaged leather. Although this method is more costly, it can be justified when dealing with restoring rare books or valuable documents.

Water Damaged Documents Restoration – Dalworth Restoration

Dalworth Restoration always implements the most up to date, tried and tested innovations in the cleaning and restoration industry. The company uses specialized cleaning, followed by vacuum freeze-drying to salvage water damaged documents, books and media. The process is very effective and has saved personal and business data for clients. As with any water damage restoration, timely response and quick action are crucial for best results.

Water Damaged Documents, Books and Multimedia Restoration

Water Damage Restoration Dallas Fort Worth Water Damaged Documents, Books and Multimedia Restoration

A Dalworth Restoration team was able to extract all the water from the chapel. In addition, the reconstruction crew provided a backup generator for the sump pump to resume operation. Assessing the damage to chapel walls and flooring, reconstruction personnel began immediate demolition of destroyed infrastructure and damaged building material. Two feet of sheetrock were carefully cut out in all affected areas and all dirt and mud were cleaned out from interior walls. However, in planning the demolition and reconstruction and cutting out the sheetrock, Dalworth Restoration professionals kept in mind that drywall replacement should only result in using one layer of paneling instead of two, to keep costs down.

Throughout the reconstruction process, Dalworth Restoration crews laid paper on the floor in all affected areas so that the church would have uninterrupted Sunday services and no one would be inconvenienced. In fact, the job site did not look like a messy and unsafe construction site. Rather, Dalworth went to great lengths to make sure no church members or staff were inconvenienced or exposed to unsafe, unsanitary or dirty environment.

Dalworth Restoration Reconstruction Project

Water Damage Restoration Dallas Fort Worth Dalworth Restoration Reconstruction Project

Since Summit was expanding and needed more work space for their daily operations, Dalworth Restoration was asked to build out 2000 square feet of Summit’s warehouse, functionally expanding the production and office areas. As a result, three additional offices were created, with all new construction using steel stud framing. The suspended ceiling was constructed for both aesthetics and to house the HVAC air return. A fire sprinkler system, which conforms to safety standards, was added to cover the additional finish out. New air conditioning and ducts were installed to efficiently cool off the renovated facility. All flooring was done with seamless two step apoxy for durability, strength and ease of use.

This project was quite substantial as all the demolition and construction work had to be completed in a very tight time frame. However, Dalworth Restoration crews rose to the challenge and completed the project on time. All the framing, drywall and paint, as well as additional window and door installations, were completed by Dalworth Restoration professionals and not outsourced to third party contractors. Not only did they accomplished the tear down and buildup in the short amount of time allocated, but they also mastered the additional electrical wiring to the building that was necessary to accommodate the increased power requirements of the newly added printing machines. In fact, a powerful roof-mounted cooling unit was hooked to the new printers due to the amount of heat they generated (7,000 BTUs at rest, 47,000 BTUs while running). Moreover, Dalworth Restoration provided temporary power for the servers and phones while electrical work was in progress.

The Summit finish out construction project was successful due to several factors. It was achieved within the time line specified by the client and all work was done professionally and according to safety specifications. Additionally, Summit did not experience any downtime due to the work performed by Dalworth Restoration crews. In fact, this project was meticulously planned, to eliminate potential interruptions to business processes. Most importantly, both Summit and the property management company were pleased with the finish out results.

Construction and Finish Out Project

Water Damage Restoration Dallas Fort Worth Summit Construction and Finish Out Project

Post disaster information for Dallas Fort Worth can be viewed on the American Red Cross site.

The Red Cross and Salvation Army have been working hard since Tuesday’s destructive tornados to coordinate shelters, food and other aid to victims of the storm. Many local volunteers and ordinary citizens have come together in the aftermath of the disaster to help those that were injured or lost their homes. People donated furniture, money, food, blankets, and materials for rebuilding damaged property. The help and support our communities showed in the face of adversity were overwhelmingly generous, kind and supportive.

The following post disaster information is relevant after tornados, hail and floods due to rain, high winds, and other destructive storms.
Safety

• Keep children away from storm damaged area until it has been cleaned up
• Do not return to a damaged building until authorities deem it safe
• When entering the building, use caution as structure can be unstable
• Be aware of shattered glass, debris and spilled liquids
• If electricity is on, do not enter rooms with standing water
• If you smell gas, open a window, exit the building, turn off the gas valve outside the home and call the gas company from your cell or from a neighbor’s house
• Use battery powered radio for information
• Avoid downed power lines
• Do not expose open wounds to flood water due to potential contamination
• Seek medical attention for injuries
• Discard food, water and medications that came in contact with flood water

Property Damage

• When safe to enter damaged property, wrap shattered windows and cover holes in roof with water resistant, durable tarp or plywood boards to avoid further water damage to roof, walls, ceiling and flooring
• When possible, move wet furniture and possessions to dry area to avoid further content damage and to protect furniture and possessions
• Contact local water damage restoration company to assess damages and give recommendations for repair, as structures and content exposed to water will deteriorate rapidly

Insurance

• Read your insurance policy to see what it covers in storm disaster situations and what the deductibles are for damages
• • 1. Homeowners insurance policies usually cover tornado damage repair, including roof, wall, content and vehicle damage
  • 2. Insurance policies typically cover wind and hail damage, although deductibles may be higher than for tornado damage
  • 3. Floods are usually not covered by homeowners policies, but are covered by FEMA flood insurance
• Take photos of damaged property
• Make detailed list of damaged possessions

Post Disaster Information

Water Damage Restoration Dallas Fort Worth Post Disaster Information

Tornado Damage Repair

Tornado damage repair is already underway just a day after series of tornados tore through the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex. The storm ripped through several counties on April 3, 2012 and caused tremendous property damage. Millions of people from all over the world were glued to their screens as they followed the unfolding events, mesmerized by Mother Nature’s power. Luckily, no fatalities were reported.

The multiple tornados continued their onslaught for hours. As strong winds toppled power lines, shattered windows, tore off rooftops, tossed semitrailers, flattened houses and uprooted trees, heavy rains and hail continued the onslaught, hammering homes, schools, and other structures. Hundreds of flights were interrupted and more than 100 airplanes at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport sustained hail damage. The series of tornados left mayhem and destruction in their wake in many neighborhoods throughout the metroplex. Tornado damage repair costs have not been assessed yet, but are expected to be steep.

Water extraction and flood cleanup services are necessary in residences, schools and commercial enterprises where tornados caused structural damage to roofs, walls and foundations. Flooding due to rain damaged not only buildings, but also content, such as furniture and personal possessions. People who were directly touched by the tornados, were dumfounded, unable to comprehend the extent of the damage, yet grateful to be alive. City officials are hard at work assessing damages and mobilizing help to affected residents.

Dalworth Restoration has organized trained disaster recovery crews to assist in both residential and commercial water damage restoration and rebuilding efforts. The company’s tornado damage repair and flood cleanup teams were on alert as soon as news broke about the disaster. Water damage restoration equipment, including water extraction units, drying fans, dehumidifiers, descants, and generators were mounted on trucks, ready to be used in the tornado damage repair efforts throughout Dallas Fort Worth.

Dallas Tornado Damage Repair

Water Damage Restoration Dallas Fort Worth Dallas Tornado Damage Repair

Furniture restoration following fire, smoke and water damage begins with damage assessment. A content restoration professional could give you factual advice so you can determine the magnitude of the damage and the cost of repair versus the cost of replacement. Based on the advice, property owners can have reasonable expectations about their furniture repair and refinishing outcome. When furniture has been exposed to water damage for an extended period of time, it may not be salvageable due to potential deterioration and mold. Moreover, if furniture came in contact with dirty or contaminated water, it may be impossible to suitably clean and restore. However, each situation is different and a restoration professional can help determine what items can be saved. When family heirlooms are fire or water damaged, the restoration-versus-replacement decision making process can be complex, as it will be necessary to factor in the sentimental value of the items. Antiques may be expensive to restore, but they are also difficult to replace.

Furniture Restoration

Furniture Restoration – Cleaning and Drying

Both solid wood and fabric furniture restoration start with careful cleaning and drying. The initial cleaning is to remove any dirt and has to be done gently so no further damage takes place. The drying part can be a long process because some wood furniture takes up to a few months to slowly dry. In fact, when wood furniture dries too fast or at high temperatures, it may be distorted permanently by cracking or splitting. Wet wood can be damaged quite easily, so slow and even drying works best.

Furniture Restoration – Salvaging Wood Belongings

Although wood tends to swell when wet, it will gradually shrink as it dries. Wood furniture drying time may take weeks or even months, so repair should not be rushed into until items are completely free of moisture and dampness. Salvaging solid wood furniture is quite feasible if attended to by a skilled contents restoration professional in a timely fashion. Taking the furniture apart to separate components, inspect the extent of the damage and let the wood dry is standard procedure. If wood furniture has been exposed to mud or debris from flooding, it can be hosed gently to remove the dirt. Special content restoration facilities have ventilated areas designed for slow and even furniture drying, without direct heat to prevent warping or cracking. Qualified technicians check on the furniture regularly to make sure that air moves evenly throughout all parts of the disassembled item. They check on the status of the furniture and take care of issues as they arise. For example, in cases where the wood has bent, special equipment is used to straighten it. If mildew develops while furniture is still wet, it is gently spot removed.

Furniture Restoration – Salvaging Wood Veneer Items

Depending on the extent of the damage, wood veneer furniture may be possible to salvage with quick and timely action. However, the compressed wood, or fiberboard, veneer furniture is made out of is prone to swelling and coming apart when wet. As a result, the laminates and vinyl exteriors become unglued and should be repaired by professionals only.

Furniture Restoration – Restoring Fabric and Upholstery

Fabric is restored either by dry cleaning or steam cleaning methods, depending on the material involved. After the cleaning process is complete, furniture is then ozonated to remove smoke odors, mold and other pathogens. Ozonation is an effective method of treating upholstered furniture and other content after fire and water damage occurs.

Furniture Restoration Companies

Content restoration companies go to great lengths to restore property and possessions. The content restoration industry has proven itself very useful in cleaning and salvaging belongings after fire and water damage situations in residential, commercial and industrial applications. As the industry evolves, more emphasis is being placed on research into safe and effective technological advances to restore belongings. What was impossible to salvage just a few years ago is very doable today, with newer and safer procedures in place.

Furniture Restoration after Fire, Smoke or Water Damage

Water Damage Restoration Dallas Fort Worth Furniture Restoration after Fire, Smoke or Water Damage

Carrollton Water Damage

Dalworth Restoration has successfully completed a large Carrollton water damage restoration job at Daikin AC in March of this year. Daikin is a major player in residential, commercial and industrial air conditioning solutions with offices throughout the United States. Their Carrollton office experienced flooding that covered the lobby as well as 80% of the building with half an inch of mud and water.

On Saturday night, March 17th, the source of the flooding was discovered as an eruption of water stemming from a damaged pipe. Although water flow was cut off when the fire department was notified of the situation, several suites in the building were affected by the water damage. Carpeted flooring, furniture and equipment were soaked, damaged by the invading water. Fortunately, the flooding was contained by early detection and quick thinking as the damage could have been much more severe.

The building manager contacted Dalworth Restoration for flood cleanup services and crews arrived within thirty minutes of the call to begin working on water extraction, removal and drying. The main concern for all involved was the potential damage to the server room that contained the bulk of the IT equipment and the data that keeps Daikin business operating smoothly. As Dalworth Restoration technicians were hard at work making sure that business operations were minimally affected by the flood, it was concluded that some parts of the office were worse off than others and some employees would have to be moved temporarily. Because the damage to the building and the contents was extensive, Dalworth Restoration mobilized several crews and multiple commercial capacity generators, dehumidifiers, vacuums and fans to the site. Water damage cleanup was in full swing.

Ten Dalworth Restoration professionals were working in the flooded building throughout the crisis at all times, rotating their shifts so the building could be ready for Monday morning operations. By Sunday afternoon, all the water was extracted and the drying and cleaning process began in earnest. Monday was a regular workday even though some employees were working in temporary workspaces. Throughout the process, Dalworth Restoration personnel worked diligently, committed to ensure as little interruption to Daikin as possible. Although restoration work was still in progress, just thirty six hours post flood, Daikin was fully operational.

Carrollton Water Damage Restoration

Water Damage Restoration Dallas Fort Worth Carrollton Water Damage Restoration

At our Dallas contents restoration facility, recovering valuables is a process, where specific methods and techniques are employed for salvaging and cleaning fire, smoke, soot, mold and water damaged household property. Damaged belongings are costly to replace; however, contents restoration can be accomplished at a fraction of the expense, with amazing results. When items are restored rather than replaced, there is much less waste as content salvaging is often an environmentally friendly, safe and gentle process. Practicality aside, although the savings from contents restoration are quite impressive, memories are often tied to household contents, and those cannot be casually replaced, sometimes at any cost.

Dallas Contents Restoration – Smooth Process

At Dalworth Restoration, we understand that property restoration and cleaning following fire and water damage events is extremely stressful. We do our best to make the process as smooth and painless as possible, always keeping our customers in mind and working quickly and efficiently to salvage as many valuables as possible. Moreover, in addition to salvaging contents, we have put time and effort over the years in perfecting and systematizing our methods of operation for optimal workflow. We have merged productive and efficient operations with innovative techniques in the contents restoration industry to come up with exceptional results.

Dallas Contents Restoration – Workflow

Our contents restoration process is well organized and methodical and allows for a fluid and systematic progression of workflow. The process begins with our trained contents restoration personnel gathering, sorting and tagging post fire or water damaged salvageable items, pre-cleaning them and gently packing them for safe transport to our state of the art Dallas contents restoration facility. There, the items are carefully unpacked, cleaned and restored. Valuables are then repacked for either transporting back to our customers or for storage in our climate controlled Dallas contents restoration facility until necessary property restoration work is complete and items can be safely transported back to the homeowners.

Dallas Contents Restoration – Process Systematization

We invested considerable time and thought in streamlining operations in our Dallas contents restoration facility. The overall output of Dalworth Restoration’s cleaning and salvaging organization was assessed by content restoration industry experts, who meticulously analyzed all the viable components of our operation. Facility and work area layout, machinery performance and output, sequence of operations, and technician training and skill were all evaluated and optimized.

Dallas Contents Restoration – Personnel Training

As cutting edge technologic advances in contents restoration come into the market, Dalworth Restoration is quick to analyze their potential benefits and adapt them into our daily operations. That includes training of personnel in these new methods and procedures with series of instruction and hands on intensive practice. Moreover, our professional restorers are required to regularly attend various industry-certified training classes. In fact, our personnel is not only trained in advanced ultrasonic cleaning and electronics restoration techniques, but is also certified in them.

Dallas Contents Restoration – Skilled Professionals

Skilled and proficient personnel are vital to increased productivity. For operations to progress smoothly and efficiently, every aspect of the workflow must be analyzed by trained professionals to determine the proper course of action. Decisions to determine the processing of contents depend on the particular valuable’s condition and classification. For example, a severely fire damaged figurine will be restored differently than a water damaged electronics equipment or a soot covered financial document. At Dalworth Restoration, we are always looking to improve and update the technological aspects of operations, but now, as always, our skilled professionals are still our best assets.

Dallas Contents Restoration and Cleaning

Water Damage Restoration Dallas Fort Worth Dallas Contents Restoration and Cleaning