How To Restore Water-Damaged Documents in 3 Steps

8/15/2022 (Permalink)

Protect your information in these documents from future damage by either digitization or storing physical copies in a secure location.

Restoring Water Damaged Documents

If water damage occurs at your San Antonio, TX, business, you are likely wondering whether or not you can restore wet documents. Fortunately, the answer is often yes. The following outlines the three-step recovery and protection process.

1. Document Drying

When it comes to drying documents, you have a few options. If the documents are only slightly damp, you may be able to let them air dry. Avoid laying them flat to prevent smudging. For more severely damaged documents, a certified restoration service can use more sophisticated techniques. Freeze drying involves freezing the document and then using a high-pressure vacuum to turn the liquid into a vapor. This removes the moisture from the papers without exposing them to liquid again.

2. Document Sanitizing

Wet documents have often been exposed to bacteria and other contaminants through the water they came in contact with. They can be sanitized through a process known as gamma irradiation. This technique exposes the material to Cobalt-60 radiation, which kills the offending microbes without further damaging the documents.

3. Document Digitizing

Unfortunately, not all flooding can be prevented in the future. Despite today’s sophisticated restoration techniques, not all documents are salvageable. This means that your important documents should be protected from future water damage. You could make copies and store the originals off-site in a secure location. However, it is often simpler to digitize the documents. There are scanners and software available that make this process easier, or you can hire professionals to do it for you.  

When a business incurs water damage, many owners worry about wet documents. In many instances, these can be restored and cleaned so they are safe to use. It is also important to protect the information in these documents from future damage by either digitization or storing physical copies in a secure location.