Rapid Response
Restoration Vital Records Rescued
Agents and Adjusters Nationwide Catastrophe
( CAT ) Response
Cost Effective Restoration
COOK COUNTY SAVES MORE THAN QUARTER
MILLION DOLLARS
Rapid response from Midwest
Freeze-Dry, Ltd. saved the Cook County Clerk's office more than a quarter of
a million dollars in disaster recovery. A serious water main break in Chicago’s
downtown area caused the Chicago River to flood into an active records and
documents storage area of the Cook County Clerk’s office. The flood occurred over
a holiday weekend and caused rampant water damage to books, documents and
many other vital statistical records. The
county clerk is responsible for birth, death, adoption and other essential
documents and records. Although some of the water damaged records and water
damaged documents could be replaced by the State, the cost for reproduction was
$1.00 page. Most of the bound volumes contained 500 pages or more. The water damaged books left
the Cook County Clerk's office facing a charge of $500.00 per book volume plus the
cost of binding, bringing the potential replacement cost of the records,
documents and leather books to exceed $260,000. Time was critical.
Midwest Freeze Dry, Ltd.
developed a new cost effective method for restoration of these
vital documents and books using vacuum
freeze-drying. Our scientifically developed low cost restoration method involved the use
of inert dry gases to extract water away from these documents and books. This
vacuum freeze drying and plasma fumigation restoration process conserved the historical documents and books, which were
damaged by water. The savings realized by
the county through vacuum freeze drying the water damaged documents, water
damaged records and leather books was 98% over the cost of reproduction or,
$10.00. per volume. This saved the Cook County Clerks office over
$256,000.00.
This is one example of how
Midwest Freeze Dry, Ltd. can craft solutions specifically tailored to fit
the individual needs of each new project. Our cost-effective conservation and
restoration methods for documents and books utilizing
specialized drying including, vacuum freeze drying,
freeze-drying, thermal drying, cryogenic drying and plasma fumigation can answer
your disaster response needs.
Whether you require conservation or restoration of water or fire damaged documents or books damaged by water
from a flood, water from a fire, water from a storm, ground water, water from a
hurricane, water from seepage, water from sprinkler system or not by water at
all, chances are we have or can develop a cost effective solution to suit the needs of your project.
HISTORIC LINCOLN COURT DOCUMENTS RESTORATION
Cost-Effective Restoration
Midwest Freeze Dry Ltd., has
completed many restoration projects that have proven to be both challenging and
complex. A recent such restoration project tapped into all of our knowledge of documents and books
and what is required for their restoration and conservation.
Our restoration and conservation work has
included the rescue of documents and leather books that date back to 1837, a time
in history before Abraham Lincoln was president. In fact, we have completed work on the restoration
and conservation of documents and books which were filed by Abraham Lincoln himself when he practiced law in the
state of Illinois. It was imperative that these important documents and books were carefully restored to a stable condition, as they are a significant part of our national history. These vital documents and books ware not burned in a fire or damaged by water but, were laden with a unique type of soot as a result of a
fire that occurred very close to them.
Initially, the our concept was to carefully brush or vacuum the fine soot off the documents and books.
However, in the testing phase, when experimenting with a small sample of soot
damaged documents and books, it was found that this method would not work. In fact,
the brushing caused the damage to become worse. We contacted Skip Palenik, an
expert microscopist and microchemist to analyze this peculiar soot on the documents and books.
Through examination, we found that the soot not only contained hydrocarbons, but also, a reactive metal salt.
The indication was that when water from the air reacted with the salt, an acid
was formed. If the soot damaged materials not been properly treated, over time, the documents and books would
have been eaten away.
At Midwest Freeze Dry Ltd., we have developed a new cost effective method for restoration of these vital documents and books.
Our scientifically developed, cost-effective restoration method involves the use of inert dry gases to keep water, which is found in air, away from these documents and books until the aggressive soot can be carefully removed. This new
plasma fumigation restoration
process saved the historical documents and books which were damaged indirectly by a fire.
At Midwest Freeze Dry Ltd., our specialty is tailoring cost-effective documents and books restoration methods to fit the individual needs of each new project. Whether restoration of water or fire damaged documents or books damaged by water from a flood, water from a fire, water from a storm, ground water, water from a
hurricane, water from seepage, water from sprinkler system or not by water at all, chances are we have or can develop a cost-effective restoration method to suit the needs of your project.
