Industrial water damage assessment prevents full replacement of a seven-metre switchboard
An independent industrial water damage assessment by BELFOR Technology showed that only one-third of a nearly seven-metre-wide electrical switchboard had been affected. Instead of replacing the complete installation, only the damaged sections were renewed. This saved tens of thousands of euros and avoided the potential months-long wait for an entirely new switchboard.
Full replacement would have increased costs and delayed completion
The water damage occurred during the construction of a distribution centre for a Dutch supermarket chain. A burst pipe flooded the electrical room, where an eleven-section switchboard was installed. Each section was approximately 60 centimetres wide.
The switchboard manufacturer inspected the installation first. Its recommendation was straightforward: remove the entire switchboard and install a new one.
For a distribution centre that had not yet been handed over, this would have created two major consequences. The replacement costs would have been substantial, while manufacturing and delivering a new switchboard could have taken several months. That delay could also have affected the wider construction and commissioning schedule.
The loss adjuster requested an independent technical assessment
The insurer’s loss adjuster wanted to establish whether complete replacement was technically necessary. He therefore asked Martin Kool from BELFOR Technology to provide a second opinion.
The assessment took two days. Rather than simply determining whether water had entered the switchboard, Martin examined each of its eleven sections separately. The objective was to establish which sections could be demonstrably classified as unaffected and which had actually sustained damage.
This distinction was critical. If the presence of water anywhere in the switchboard had been used as the sole criterion, the entire installation would have been replaced. By assessing and excluding damage section by section, the replacement scope could be based on technical evidence.
Section-by-section testing reduced the replacement scope to one-third
The resulting report concluded that approximately one-third of the switchboard had been affected. The manufacturer reviewed the findings and accepted the conclusions. Only the damaged sections were subsequently replaced.
The unaffected sections remained in place, preventing the unnecessary disposal and replacement of functional equipment. The two-day technical assessment saved tens of thousands of euros. Just as importantly, it reduced the risk of a lengthy delay at a critical stage of the distribution centre’s construction.
Evidence-based decisions control industrial loss costs
This case demonstrates the value of an independent damage assessment when technical installations, machinery or electronic systems are exposed to water. A precise inspection can distinguish between equipment that is genuinely damaged and components that remain safe and functional.
For industrial companies, this supports faster recovery and limits disruption. For insurers and loss adjusters, it provides a documented basis for controlling the scope of the claim. For all parties, it replaces assumptions with verifiable technical findings. BELFOR Technology is available 24/7 to assess damage to technical installations, machinery and electronics and to support an immediate, proportionate response.
