FEATURE HISTORICAL CLEANING The challenge for heritage property owners after floods, fires or other disasters is in deciding on the method of restoring their building, whether it is made from granite, brick, cob, timber or wattle & daub. The complications arise from there being such a vast range of materials and construction methods. This means that there will always be unique problems associated with each building when affected by extreme conditions. For example; granite walls allow little moisture to permeate whereas cob and timber soaks up water in a flooding incident 18 FEBRUARY 2016 CLEANING HYGIENE TODAY management professionals will carry out to return a heritage building to its former glory. It will also give you an understanding of how professional technical knowledge about drying and restoration techniques will help a property owner reduce the amount of an insurance claim and get their building, whether a home or a commercial premise, back into full operation faster. ASSESSING THE DAMAGE In nearly every case, when floodwater enters a structure, it causes damage to some extent and will need attention. The amount of cleaning and repair usually depends on the severity of the causal event, the depth of water within the building and the length of time it has been soaking in for. Shallow flooding on stone floors can usually be dealt with very easily but complications occur when the owner is not fully aware of what lies beneath it. In some cases, moisture can become trapped in small voids under or between the stones. In other situations, problems manifest themselves where there is a cellar or crypt below ground floor level. If the owner is unaware of the construction method and how it should be dealt with, it is always best to seek expert advice. The problems really escalate if the water rises above the level of the floor and seeps into panelling and other wall-finishes. Moreover, the damage becomes worse the longer it takes to begin remedial drying. The cost implications can also be adversely affected if the wrong remedy is chosen for a structure and its materials. A key mistake in a heritage building would be to attempt to dry it out too fast – leading to warped, twisted and split timbers. Stone can also suffer from too much heat. Restoring an historic building causes challenges, not only because of the The challenges do not just apply to the external structure. A stone-built house may have a great deal of heritage oak panelling as a finish to internal walls. Water damage can cause timber to deform or split if restoration is not handled properly. There are health implications too as any moisture trapped in voids behind the panels can lead to rot, mould, fungal growth and even insect infestations. It is important that anyone planning to restore a heritage building knows how far they can go without bringing in experts. For example, it is possible to strip away wall finishes in a modern house without too much problem. However, the same actions are not possible when dealing with a historic building with a listed status. The aim of this article is to focus on a series of points covering issues to be aware of when a heritage structure suffers from damage and the actions that damage
CHT February 2016
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