More than Just Water Damage and Mold Issues for Many Building Owners and Managers in Puerto Rico Dealing with Burst Pipes

A middle school in Wisconsin was forced to temporarily close their doors earlier this month following a frozen water pipe that burst on the third floor of the school building. Although the burst pipe caused significant water damage, what resulted in the school closure was the discovery of damaged asbestos-containing ceiling tiles during the cleanup efforts.

While building owners and managers in Puerto Rico don’t have to worry about pipes freezing, water lines burst or fail for numerous reasons. Also, due to the age of a large percentage of the buildings on the islands, many still contain asbestos and even lead-based paints.

“If a water line in a building fails, it can easily release hundreds of gallons or more of water into the structure in a short period of time,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “The water will gradually make its way to the lowest area it can reach, meaning a burst pipe on a second or third floor can cause water damage to that floor and the floors below, as was the case at the middle school. For many people, the first thing that comes to mind with water damage is the growth of mold if the water and moisture isn’t quickly removed. Unfortunately, many building owners and managers also need to be aware of asbestos and lead exposure risks. This applies to not only the workers handling the repair activities, but also for any building occupants.”

In Puerto Rico and across the Caribbean, Zimmetry Environmental is one of the principal providers of mold, asbestos and lead testing, monitoring and consulting services. Their building science and industrial hygiene experts identify exposure risks and work to eliminate hazards. These services also help to keep companies and institutions in regulatory compliance with local health and safety regulations dealing with regulated materials such as lead and asbestos.

To learn more about Zimmetry Environmental and their indoor environmental quality testing, consulting, compliance and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .

About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals and Fortune 500 companies. The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America. The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs and general environmental services.

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Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

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