‘Boarding up’ is a term for the essential process of temporarily securing a building after its windows, doors, or other openings have been damaged or compromised. It’s a critical emergency boarding process that acts as the first line of defence after an incident like a burglary, storm, accident, or fire. But what is boarding up Guildford and what does the process actually involve when performed by professionals?
In essence, boarding up involves covering damaged or vulnerable openings with strong, durable timber boards to prevent unauthorised access, protect from the elements, and ensure safety. It’s a rapid response solution designed to mitigate further loss and provide immediate security until permanent repairs can be made. Understanding how does boarding up work is key to appreciating its importance.
The Crucial Goals of Professional Boarding Up
The primary purpose of boarding up is to restore security and weather protection to a property as quickly and effectively as possible. The main goals are multi-faceted and vital for property owners:
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To Prevent Unauthorised Access: A securely boarded opening is a powerful physical and visual deterrent to intruders, vandals, or squatters. It immediately removes the easy entry point created by damage, safeguarding your property and its contents. This is especially critical after a burglary or vandalism.
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To Protect from the Elements: A broken window or door leaves your interior exposed to rain, wind, and cold. Boarding up stops these elements from entering the property, preventing further internal damage such as water ingress, damp, mould, and deterioration of furnishings or structural elements. This is vital after storm damage or flood damage.
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To Ensure Public Safety: A damaged building, particularly one with broken glass or unstable structures, can pose a significant hazard to occupants, passers-by, and emergency services. Boarding up makes a damaged building safe by preventing accidents and restricting access to dangerous areas. This is often a requirement after fire damage or significant accident damage.
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To Satisfy Insurance Requirements: Most property insurance policies require the policyholder to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent further loss after an incident. Professional boarding up demonstrates that you have fulfilled this obligation, which is crucial for a successful insurance claim.
The Professional Boarding Up Process: Step-by-Step Explained
While the concept of boarding up might sound simple, professional execution is a skilled job that requires specific techniques, quality materials, and adherence to safety standards to be truly effective and to avoid causing further damage. Here’s how does boarding up work when performed by our expert team:
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Rapid Assessment and Safety First: Upon arrival at your Guildford property, our technician first conducts a thorough assessment of the damage. This includes identifying all compromised openings, measuring them precisely, and evaluating the structural integrity of the surrounding area. Safety is paramount; we ensure the area is safe for both our team and any occupants before proceeding.
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Material Selection and Preparation: We use high-quality, durable timber boards, typically OSB (Oriented Strand Board) or exterior-grade plywood. The thickness and type of board are chosen based on the level of security required – for instance, a vacant property might require thicker, more robust boarding than a temporary fix for a residential window. The boards are then cut precisely on-site to fit the exact dimensions of the opening, ensuring there are no gaps.
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Secure, Non-Damaging Fixing: This is the most critical step and where our professional expertise truly shines. Crucially, we do not drill into or screw directly into your existing window or door frames. This prevents further damage to your uPVC, timber, or metal frames, which would be costly to repair. Instead, we employ specialist techniques:
- For windows, we typically cut the board to fit snugly into the recess of the window pane. It is then braced and secured from the inside, using the window reveal itself for pressure and support. This creates an incredibly strong barrier without leaving a single screw hole in your frame.
- For doors, we often create an internal frame that the boarding is securely fixed to, again avoiding damage to the existing door frame.
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Weather Sealing and Reinforcement: Once the boards are securely in place, we can add a weatherproof seal around the edges to ensure the boarded-up area is watertight and airtight. This prevents drafts and, more importantly, stops water from seeping in, which could lead to damp, mould, and costly secondary damage. For higher security needs, additional internal bracing can be added.
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Site Clean-up: After the boarding is complete, our team will clear away any debris, broken glass, or materials, leaving the site as tidy and safe as possible.
Why Use a Professional Boarding Up Service in Guildford?
While a DIY approach might seem tempting in an emergency, using a professional boarding up company in Guildford ensures the job is done quickly, safely, and correctly. An amateur job can lead to several problems:
- Inadequate Security: Boards that are not properly fitted or secured can be easily removed, leaving your property vulnerable.
- Further Property Damage: Incorrect installation can cause irreparable damage to your window and door frames, leading to higher repair costs in the long run.
- Insurance Complications: An improperly secured property may not meet your insurer’s requirements, potentially invalidating your claim for subsequent losses.
- Safety Risks: Working with broken glass and at height (especially for roof boarding) carries significant risks that professionals are trained to manage.
Our service guarantees a fast response and a secure, professional finish that gives you complete peace of mind. We are experts in window boarding, door boarding, shopfront boarding, and more, for all types of residential and commercial properties.
If you need to know more about our emergency boarding process or require our services, call our 24/7 team now. We are here to explain everything and secure your property.
