This past Martin Luther King Day Long Island was feeling some relief from frigid temperatures that remained below freezing along with gusty winds for an extended period of time. As the pipes thawed at Great Hollow Middle School in Smithtown disaster occurred. RENU’s restoration team was called in for an emergency water damage situation. Upon arrival the damage had not yet been contained and water was actively flooding areas of the building. The situation was made worse because it likely started over the weekend and the building was closed for the holiday. The buildup of pressure from thawing pipes ultimately caused the burst, flooding multiple areas in the building.
A pipe burst from AC units on the roof and caused steady leakage into the gymnasium. The hallway water fountain pipe froze and cracked completely saturating the floor leading to ceiling damage and requiring an entire rip out and replacement of the sheet rock.
A large area of damage was located in a second-floor classroom where a sink pipe froze and cracked resulting in floor damage to three surrounding classrooms. This destruction was considerable. Water flowed out and down through the storage room ceiling beneath the classroom where two inches of water flooded the area. This build up seeped into the hallway and down to the elevator pit filling that space with another inch of water. RENU’s team set up water extractors in all these areas and utilized the pump truck to drain out the flooded areas.
The library was not left unscathed. Small leaks from the unit ventilators cause damage throughout the library destroying books and shelves. The damage here was not as evident as the others and it wasn’t until a second pipe burst that RENU could pinpoint the source of damage.
All contents were pulled out to properly remove water. Dehumidifiers and fans were set up on site drying up the affected areas for 3 days. An AHERA report was provided by a professional hygienist who was called on site to test materials in the affected areas for asbestos and lead. Plumbers were brought in to fix the broken pipes and electricians made sure all affected areas were safe.
Amidst this unfortunate situation, RENU restoration crew’s efforts made certain that school would not close. The affected area was fully contained and restricted from faculty, students, and staff. The building was made safe for the students to return the next day with access to all areas besides the gym and library. A new gym floor and library carpet were installed and opened back up for use within weeks. New ceilings were put up and classroom floors are set to be installed over spring break in April.
Easily report a loss through our app and get immediate assistance from our 24/7 response team.
RENU provides emergency response for flood, fire, smoke, and mold damage. Whenever a disaster strikes, RENU is ready to respond 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to accommodate occupied buildings and minimize disruption. Call us or report a loss through our RENU App and our immediate response team can expedite the remediation and reconstruction of a damaged facility.
