24/7 Emergency
Storm & Flood Damage Recovery in Pawtucket, RI
The opening is closed, the water is extracted, materials floodwater touched come out, and the structure is dried and rebuilt in that order. The opening is closed first, with tarps or board-up, so the building stops taking on water. Floodwater is extracted, and the porous materials it touched come out rather than dry, since it crossed ground outside. The structure is dried and re-read, and the rebuild waits until the readings and the roof both allow it.
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Often needed alongside
- Emergency Water Extraction
Standing water is pumped and extracted around the clock, before it climbs the walls and soaks the subfloor. Same-day response where coverage allows.
- Structural Drying & Dehumidification
Sealed air movers and dehumidifiers bring framing, subfloor and drywall back to a measured dry standard, with daily readings logged from inside the material.
- Sewage & Contaminated Water Cleanup
Sewage and black-water losses are contained, the materials the water touched are removed and disposed of, hard surfaces are disinfected, and the space is dried to a reading.
Frequently asked questions
Why does a disused shaft matter?
Because it is still a hole through the building. Boarding it over at each floor closes the opening but leaves the shaft itself, so water getting into it on any level runs down through the structure to the bottom. It bypasses every floor it passes, which is why the damage turns up in the cellar.
How would anybody know it is there?
A shallow cupboard in the same corner of the kitchen on every floor is the usual sign, or a patched section of wall that lines up between levels. Old plans show them where they exist. Contractors working on these buildings find them when a wall is opened and there is nothing behind it.
What should be done with one that has taken water?
Open it at the lowest level and at the level where water entered, and dry it as a shaft rather than as a wall. It has no ventilation and no air movement, and the framing inside it has probably been wet before. Closing it back up without drying it puts the problem back where it was.
This FAQ belongs to the Pawtucket page; it is repeated here.