Content Restoration

Restoration Processes

We clean items using several different content cleaning and restoration processes, each specific to the material at hand. Here are some items we can clean, among others*:

• Laundry and other dry-cleaning
• Wood furniture
• Upholstered furniture
• Kitchenware
• Plastics such as containers and toys 
• Area rugs and carpets
• Art and antiques
• Business equipment
• Electronics
• Documents

For ordinary household items such as kitchenware and plastics we use a careful, multi-step process that begins with a pre-washing. Next, items are cleaned in an ultrasonic cleansing bath, rinsed with deionized water, and dried.

In regards to fire damage after structural drying, COIT will mostly perform cleaning, decontamination and odor removal.

Delicate or sensitive items receive careful handwashing, while special items like documents, electronics, and business equipment receive designated content restoration treatments. Hard furniture is hand-cleaned and treated. Soft furniture undergoes water extraction, followed by appropriate hand-cleaning methods. Items that have undergone smoke damage may also require decontamination procedures.

*Services may vary. Your Restoration team will conduct an inventory and develop a restoration plan specific to you. 

• Restoration Service Specialists are drug tested and criminal background check is completed 
• Receive COIT internal certifications 
• IICRC Restoration Certification 
• Minimum of 2 years experience 
• Hands on restoration experience
• Specialized tools and equipment
• Complete Industry backed training 
• OSHA Safety Training 

As a business that owns and utilizes specialized equipment itself, COIT knows how vital and expensive such equipment can be. Everything slows to a stop without that critical equipment. From computers to copiers to industry-specific machines, our business equipment restoration process is applicable to almost all kinds of equipment.

The Business Equipment Restoration Process

For smoke-damaged equipment, we will begin by cleaning the outsides of the equipment using a HEPA vacuum and damp wiping. HEPA vacuums utilize high-efficiency filters which can remove even tiny particles of soot, dirt, and other contaminants. Be aware that, if the plastic is discolored, we cannot typically restore it to its original color. 

The inside of the equipment is then cleaned as much as possible using the HEPA vacuum and careful damp wiping. In the case of lingering odors, the equipment is placed in a hydroxyl chamber to remove odors. Hydroxyl is a naturally occurring compound in the Earth’s atmosphere which oxidizes organic molecules to neutralize odors.

Lastly, in the case of computer restoration, we have a computer or copier expert check the safety and functionality of the equipment.

After fire, smoke damage, electronic restoration is vital to getting your life up and running. Our electronic restoration experts can relieve your electronics of stains, particulates, and odors that impede their functionality, getting your home or business back on the road to recovery.

Inventory

We first complete a photo inventory of affected electronics to ensure that they are continuously accounted for at every step of the process.

Pre-Cleaning and Pack-Out

Our technicians perform a quick clean of the exterior of electronics to remove odor and loose contaminants. We then pack them carefully into boxes or custom packing to be transported offsite for cleaning and storage.

Electronic Restoration

Specialists then open up electronic casing to expose and remove sensitive components before pressure cleaning the insides using deionized water. The items are then dried in a chamber at 135 degrees for 12+ hours.  Electronics are then re-assembled and placed in secure storage with video surveillance.

As delicate as they are, documents can be extraordinarily important. There are official documents such as birth certificates, marriage licenses, leases, and insurance documentation. But there are also the emotionally rich archives like letters, cards, drawings, and photos. After a major event like a fire or flood, you deserve a document restoration and preservation service that can recover your papers and mitigate damage as much as possible.

COIT’s document restoration services offer the most effective techniques in document drying and restoration. We first perform an inventory of the documents to ensure that all items are properly tracked and retained through the document restoration process. Documents are then packed and moved to our secure facility 

Document Drying for Water Damage

When water damage happens, wet documents are packed and moved to a secure facility, where they are flash frozen. The flash freezing process stops paper degradation, ink degradation, and mold growth, so that no further damage takes place. Then, documents are transported to a freeze dryer.  This process involves applying intense vacuum pressure to sublimate the ice to vapor (skipping over the damaging liquid phase).

Document Restoration for Smoke Damage

When fire damage happens, smoke-damaged documents are cleaned using a HEPA vacuum and chem sponge. The documents are then spread on drying racks in a hydroxyl room for up to three days to remove smoke odors. Hydroxyl is a safe, effective compound that occurs naturally in Earth’s atmosphere and can remove soot, grease, odors, and other contaminants from objects and air. After deodorization, documents are repacked in new boxes and delivered back to you.