Millions of people across the United States work and live in multi-tenant buildings. These include office buildings, high-rises, strip centers, shopping malls, apartments, condominiums, and numerous other types of property.
Tragically, each year, many of these buildings suffer various forms of fire damage. The National Fire Protection Association reports that as recently as 2020, there were 490,500 structure fires just that year. Most of these fires are put out before the property is completely lost, leaving behind billions of dollars in damage and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) challenges. For example, even with a relatively small fire, smoke can impact other units in most buildings as it travels through shared walls, ceilings, attics, hallways, elevator shafts, and other open spaces. Smoke leaves behind odors and residues which can cause corrosion, etching, and discoloration within the property.
Fire suppression efforts can also cause water damage to building materials, furnishings, and belongings. Water used to put out a fire in a multilevel building will make its way down to the lowest level it can reach, typically resulting in water damage on multiple floors. While water will often leave behind obvious signs of damage, even water and moisture behind walls and ceilings, without obvious signs of its presence, can cause problems and quickly lead to the growth of mold in just a few days. Airborne mold spores can spread in a manner similar to that of smoke, impacting multiple units and affecting the IEQ of the building.
“It's not just smoke residues, odors, water damage, and mold that can become a problem after a fire in a multi-tenant building,” said Frank Selamie, President of CTSI. “In many instances, these buildings still have lead-based paints and asbestos-containing materials. If disturbed during cleanup or repair activities without the proper safety precautions in place, any workers and building occupants could be at risk.”
Helping building owners, managers, and tenants following a fire are the building science and IEQ professionals at CTSI. With offices in New York and Florida serving the nation, their experts provide post-fire inspections and environmental testing to identify smoke and water damage, odors, mold, lead-based paints, asbestos-containing materials, and other potential hazards.
To learn more about this or other building science services, please visit www.ctsiweb.com, email contactus@ctsiweb.com, or call (212) 971-7016.
About CTSI
Established in 1992, Consulting & Testing Services, Inc. (CTSI) was founded on one strong commitment: to provide efficient and expert services to clients based on professionalism, innovation, and cost-effective expert solutions. This commitment has been furthered with CTSI's reputation in fostering client relationships in all sectors of the Environmental, Health, Safety, and Construction industries. CTSI prides itself in utilizing a high quality service based on its diverse team of staff and professionals' concise recommendations and solutions to the most pressing dilemmas. The company operates offices in New York and Florida that service clients across the United States.
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