Tips For Preventing Water Damage Cleanup At Your Quincy Business
Your business started with a novel idea- a little twist on an existing business. Over the years, small moves and adjustments have helped you take advantage of changes in the marketplace. Some of the most important choices you make as an owner are to protect the business you already built. For example, not only should your building have a fire sprinkler system, you need to have it regularly maintained to prevent leaks.
Water Damage Cleanup In Quincy
The threat of costly damage to your facilities, inventory and raw materials is real. Water damage is a common catalyst for an insurance claim in the commercial realm. Take an aggressive stance and focus on prevention during maintenance on the facility.
Insulate Exposed Pipes
Quincy winters are legendary. When freezing winds cause temperatures to drop, especially at night, exposed pipes risk freezing. Plummeting temperatures freeze water inside a poorly insulated pipe. The resulting pressure bursts the pipe and water will flow, uncontrolled. Frozen pipes are the most common reason for commercial water damage claims. Even one pipe can lead to costly flooding of inventory or even structural damage to the building itself.
Keep Heat at Sufficient Levels
Don’t rob Peter to pay Paul. To prevent pipes from freezing, keep your business’s thermostat at a proper temperature. Even on weekends or when the building is vacant, it should still be set above 50*. Put the thermostats on battery backup power– and replace batteries regularly.
Maintain Gutters, Downspouts, Roof, And Drainage
Protect the contents of the building by protecting the exterior. Leaves, branches and other debris in gutters and downspouts can back up water. It then gets into both the exterior and interior walls of a building. Snow and ice accumulation on your business’s roof can create dangerous “ice dams.” Work within the roof’s load-bearing capacity; have a plan to remove excess snow and ice beyond the roof’s weight limits.
Monitor the parking lot during a heavy rain; does the property have sufficient drainage away from the facility. Check the local ordinances for rules on impervious cover; rework areas on the property that flood.
Find The Shut-off Valve BEFORE YOU NEED IT
The moment a pipe breaks, your team needs to act quickly. And in a panic, they need to know the location of the main shut-off valve for your building’s water supply. Shutting off the main valve will temporarily cut the flow of water to the building, preventing further flooding until you are able to fix the cause.
Plug The Leaks
In commercial buildings, windows that are not properly sealed can allow moisture to seep in. This moisture can trigger mold build-up and damaged building materials.
Seal any cracks, holes, or other gaps in your building’s exterior and foundation. Ensure that cold air, rain and snow doesn’t penetrate your building. Plus, this caulking, weather stripping, and other sealants make your building more energy efficient.
Shift Some Risk With Proper Insurance
Carry adequate insurance in the event that you do experience water damage. When it comes to small business insurance, let your agent help you imagine “worst case scenarios” and then buy insurance to cover it.
For example, many commercial property insurance policies will cover the cost of pipe breakage but will exclude damage from flooding, groundwater, and backed-up sewer lines. Your insurer can add a rider to your policy to extend coverage to excluded hazards. Talk with your agent about policy additions like increased cost of construction, umbrella coverage, and line-of-sight coverage. A comprehensive plan can shift your risk and protect your company from devastating losses.
Get Professional Help
If your facility has suffered from water damage, act quickly to get your business up and running again. Clean Restoration is your dedicated partner for water damage cleanup and restoration. Use the online form for general questions to schedule a service. Or, call for an immediate response.
