[The Great One]

Hi All

I visited a basement flat for a client who had a small area in the lounge flooded, in front of the patio doors.

It had brought in mud and muddy water.

They told me it had dried and could I clean the carpet.

Sure, no problem.

I did the job and it looked and smelt good.

Got a call today that it still smelt.

I have then advised them that they may need a flood specialist as it has probably leaked underneath the carpet.

Can I go and look?

Sure, no problem.

On inspection It is a concrete floor with the carpet (polyprop) glued to the concrete, the concrete is still wet/ damp.

I have spayed a deodourizer all over the area as a temp measure.

What would be your thoughts on this one?

I have recommended thtey get said CD or rainbow in or a local flood guy, and that they may need to peel back the carpet, wash down concrete, and then either replace entire carpet or then re clean and re glue original carpet back down.

Regards

Martin

[gwrightson]

why do you not suggest   them claiming on their insurance ?  the capet needs to be up and concrete dried completly, the hard work is getting the backing up

geoff

[Billy Russell]

hello martin,

don't quote me on this one but i've been trying to deal with a lot of flooding in my area lately! and i've been talking to a chap thats helped me out fantasticly!and i don't think i would of been able to sort it out if he had not been so helpful!But he told me that any water coming in from the outside to inside is known as black water flooding and things like carpets and furniture that it has touched needs to be thrown out but he may be refering to the floods that i've been trying to deal with where there's been upto 2ft of water! so i hope there's some pros on here that can correct me if i'm wrong! and i do apologise if i am!

All the Best


Will

Can everyone please note that i've had a hard couple of weeks so i've had around 8 or 9 cans of strongbow so i apologise for my spelling and grammer!

[martin19842]

hi there

remove and dispose of carpet, dry out floor. sanitise with an anti microborial solution.

regards

martin

[murky]

Will is right.

If it comes in from outside it is 'black' water and the carpet has to go.

Tell the customer to contact his Ins Co and they will send someone over, thats if hes Insured!

Alot arent!

Murky.

[Neil Williams]

If not insured. Carpet up and dehumidify the room till everything 100% dried out.  Re paint walls after using some defunguside and fit new carpet.

[Len Gribble]

Martin

It’s nice to see you are not OUT of your depth.

Never believe a customer! I would have gone for the two-prong approach (cheap) that would ring bells (beeped)

Contact the nation flood school for further info, so many equations 


Len

[Billy Russell]

hello len

i agree with everything you say except ring the flood school! i've been asked to clear up some flood water today and this was a bit more than i've ever done so i was unsure of where to go and what to do so i thought i would speak to the flood school! I openly admit i'm not trained in this field but i've picked up things here and there! I thought i would speak to technical and get some advice and then book on the next available course! But i was spoken to as if i was an idiot and i was also felt as if i was wasting there time! i have never in my life been spoken to so rudely and ignorantly! and as the man said they turned over 3.5million last year so they can afford to be arrogant! i was disgusted! yet when i sent for course info earlier in the year they were nice enough then! And the worst thing even after i was spoken to like this i still asked to be put through to someone to book a course and i was told no go to are website and book it there! As if i was stupid and should of known that! yet there info told me i could ring and book! Yes i know it's been extremely busy in this line of work latetly across the country! but i still don't think i deserved to be spoken to the way i was!

Sorry len i had to get that off my chest!


And i'm sorry to all the nice and helpful people at the flood school who i know are there as i've spoken to friends who have dealt with the flood school on many ocassions and they've been fantastic!

Don't i just pick um

All the best


Will

[martin19842]

hi there

thats not good,

ive got a meeting on monday with a loss adjuster to discuss remedial work to a job we are on,

and also got my first work direct from the loss adjuster today, absolutely over the moon.

regards

martin

[Len Gribble]

Will

What can I say except that I’m gob smacked!

Len

[gwrightson]

Neil,
out of intertest , What would you class as 100% dry? 
in other words what moiture percentage  readings would you class as 100%dry?
as all materials contain a certain %  and that all depends on the reletive humidity

materials have the ability to give and to take humidity.
the force behind this is the difference between the p ressure of the air and the material.

I Think

Geoff

[Billy Russell]

Len


Your not the only one! I'm an honest and trustworthy person and i treat people how they treat me and there are a few companies on here who have purchased items off me and asked me advice on certain things and i've always been polite and helpful because i think that is how people should be treated! i've never been arrogant! and i would like to think that those companies would vouch for that! I will always be up front and admit if i can't do a job or i think i'm out of my depth! And to be honest there are a hell of a lot of helpful people on this forum who have helped me out a great deal! there are 3 companies who i found to be the most helpful when i've needed a bit of advice over the phone and they are kevin stevens from hydramaster, linda( i think) and peter from prochem and last but not least Dave Holland from double dutch! ( if you read this dave theres no need to bother about the de-mids i've just got access to 100, but thank you anyway)


Sorry again i'm still annoyed from that conversation


Billy

[Len Gribble]

Geoff

Only got a two pronger lick hand and apply if it dose not beep check battery (rechargeable are best) but I bet there are more sophisticated systems out there, think wood is about 10%.

Billy

Sorry that you are still aggrieved, perhaps the person has an inflated ego and boy have I met some of them, then I sideline them and get to the nitty gritty as you say forum has it usage methinks networking.

Len

[The Great One]

Hi

Thanks for all your input gents.

It was for an LA.

I cleaned the carpet, but told them they really needed a Flood expert in.

Their solution..

They sent round a carpet fitter?

Anyway, I put down a strong anti microbial all over the area and that has taken care of the smell.

I know the water has probably dried underneath, I have advised them. It is now in their court.

Thnaks again

Regards

Martin

[John Kelly]

Geoff, you don't need to dry to "100% dry" you only dry to prevent microbial growth taking place (fungal growth) This can take place when materials are over 75% equilibrium relative humidity. That is in equilibrium with their surroundings at less than 75%. The only way you can measure this properly is with a hygrometer. This has a probe which measures relative humidity. You drill into the material and insert a sleeve, then 24 hours later you can take the cap off the sleeve and insert the probe to take a reading.
Using a 2 pin moisture meter is totally unreliable as pressure used and contaminants in the material such as carbon can affect the readings.
One big problem is diagnosing pre-existing dampness problems. Its no good trying to dry a property if it was already in a damp state. I'm afraid all this only comes with training and experience although there is a lot of useful info on the net.

[gwrightson]

John, I can take in exactly what you are saying, and quite obviously alot more to it than a case of popping a drier and a dehumid in.

I managed to obtain a meter form a damp proofing company that costs quite alot of money, as the simple 2 pronged B&Q efffoerts are a waste of time.
Now not been an expert   but having a few jobs to do . I tried to gain as much info as possible from the web etc, monitoring of  of the drying procces , actions taken etc. this although maybe not the correct procedure  seemed to be adequte for the insurance comp.
and from some, " I say some " stories I have heard a far better service than the franchises.

I think i might look into flood school in the future,just so I can be a little more educated.

Geoff

[Flood School]

hello len

i agree with everything you say except ring the flood school! i've been asked to clear up some flood water today and this was a bit more than i've ever done so i was unsure of where to go and what to do so i thought i would speak to the flood school! I openly admit i'm not trained in this field but i've picked up things here and there! I thought i would speak to technical and get some advice and then book on the next available course! But i was spoken to as if i was an idiot and i was also felt as if i was wasting there time! i have never in my life been spoken to so rudely and ignorantly! and as the man said they turned over 3.5million last year so they can afford to be arrogant! i was disgusted! yet when i sent for course info earlier in the year they were nice enough then! And the worst thing even after i was spoken to like this i still asked to be put through to someone to book a course and i was told no go to are website and book it there! As if i was stupid and should of known that! yet there info told me i could ring and book! Yes i know it's been extremely busy in this line of work latetly across the country! but i still don't think i deserved to be spoken to the way i was!

Sorry len i had to get that off my chest!


And i'm sorry to all the nice and helpful people at the flood school who i know are there as i've spoken to friends who have dealt with the flood school on many ocassions and they've been fantastic!

Don't i just pick um

All the best


Will

I’ve just been alerted to this thread.


Will, please accept my apologies for your experience when telephoning the National Flood School. An internal investigation has commenced and we will deal with this matter appropriately. If you would like to pursue a training course please call 01252 821185 and ask for Gemma Hallam who will be expecting your call. 

 
I appreciate your reasons for posting this thread, I just wished you had made this complaint direct to the management of the Flood School so we had the opportunity to pursue this matter internally and put things right!

 
We will do our best to manage your expectations if you contact us again and I look forward to welcoming you on a course in the future.

 
Chris J Netherton

Operations Director
The National Flood School

[Ian Gourlay]

Chris,

While we have you attention.

With all the flooding that has happened recentley woulld the average Carpet Cleaner be able to obtain a share of that work from Insurance Companies if they held the appropriate certificate.

Would they get a return on the investment in training and equipment subject to aproaching insurance companies or is it still Homserve , Rainbow etc or could an independant get regular work in this field.

[Billy Russell]

Chris,
         Thank you for your apologie! But i'm afraid i cannot accept it! I did ring Gemma after reading your post but to be honest i was not amused! It seemed to me as if she was trying to stop herself laughing as if this is just a joke!!!! I do not find any of this a joke! that i assure you of! I had genuine customers/friends who are absolutly devastated that there propertie's are being ruined! And the big companies could not help for weeks! and i admit i do not have an indepth knowledge of flood restoration but i do know that the longer it's left theres more chance of secondary damage happening and i couldn't comprehend how fast bacteria would multiply!

As for complaining to the Management first! this is the approach i would normally use but as far as i knew i was talking to management! the person on the end of the phone told me he was the Author of PAS64 and he was the technical director Chris Netherton! He seemed more intrested in his own triumphs than actually helping anyone! I was going to talk to yourself about it after speaking to Gemma but i don't feel like being made a mockery of! i have not got time for people like this!!!

your sincerely

Will

[Ian Gourlay]

Will

I do not want to delete your post but we do not want this to develop into a public spat.

In an ideal world it would be best if you spoke to Chris Direct.