The current quest to reduce carbon footprint, reduce heat loss, increase insulation and reduce ventilation (air leaks) has resulted in the continuing increase in Tight Building Syndrome. This is where the inhabitants suffer ill health and a variety of maladies including flu like symptoms, depression and in some cases major disease such as cancer or tumours. The average family of four produce 20liters of moisture a day from cooking, washing, breathing and without adequate ventilation the moisture is absorbed into the chalk and paper construction material known as plasterboard.

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The flood events of 2007 which affected thousands of homes and business’s and their recovery and return to normality were a catastrophe for the UK. The incompetence and inconsistencies seen in the recovery and restoration process were so bad that the government employed Lord Pitt to review the situation and provide a route to possible improvement. Pitt  must be seen as a one eyed man in the land of the blind because within a very short time he had identified many of the historic inconsistencies which plague the flood restoration industry.

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The articles on water damage claims written in the Winter 2007 of “Subrogator” raised some interesting shortfalls regarding the potential of successful subrogation. This response outlines some issues. The successful and economic remediation of a water damage building revolves around many factors other than the contractor’s competence and compliance to the IICRC S500 & S520 standards and guidelines. My initial point follows audits and inspections of Miami, New Orleans following Katrina, Thailand following the Tsunami, & extensive wide area flooding in Carlisle in 2005 (UK).

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In June  2008 Sir Michael Pitt  published his damming report into the insurance and restoration industry response to flooding and its failures of 2007. In the section on recovery he points to the fact that insurers and contractors have no uniform approach to recovery or restoration. Most importantly he makes particular comment on the health and safety issues regarding habitability post flood event.

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Water damage is often believed to be a static effect of primary damage where the visual effects of contact and adsorption are a measure of damage. The reality is that water damage is dynamic, continuingly expanding it’s effects and is capable of developing far reaching secondary damage in minutes or days after the initial effects.The management of flood or water damaged buildings often falls to the facility manager who may or may not decide to claim on insurance. Insurers will invariably appoint an “independent” loss adjuster to assess, manage or control the claim.

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