On the Job: Church Bell Restoration
In this edition of On the Job we take you (literally) inside a church bell.
Lando Baptist Church in Richburg, SC, was heavily damaged by a fire that officials believe was caused by a lightning strike. During the fire, the church steeple and roof collapsed into the sanctuary, destroying the entire first floor and causing extensive water and mold damage down into the basement. The steeple bell suffered major fire damage and corrosion.
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Church Bell Interior Before |
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Church Bell Interior After |
BluSky Charlotte restoration technician Jose Miron completed the bell restoration project, the first project of its kind for our Charlotte branch.
Jose first applied a corrosion inhibitor to neutralize and prevent further damage to the bell, and then meticulously utilized grinding tools to remove all existing corrosion. Small pockets of corrosion in the bell’s crevasses required a tool similar to a dental pick for complete removal.
He then heated and straightened the bell clapper, which was damaged when the steeple collapsed, and followed the same process to remove soot and corrosion. The final step involved several applications of gun oil to fully restore the bell.
Prior to restoring the bell, Jose also completed 2,000 square feet of mold remediation in the church basement and managed all packing, storage, and cleaning of the building’s contents that were damaged by smoke, soot, and water.
BluSky’s large loss-structure division is currently completing the building repairs on this project, so the beautifully restored bell will soon have a new home.
In the before & after photos (left, top to bottom): soot- and corrosion-covered bell exterior before; bell interior before; bell exterior after restoration; straightened and repaired bell clapper; bell interior after restoration.