Water damage can happen any time of year from unexpected leaks from storms to flooding from excessive rainfall. In fact, water damage is the second most frequently filed insurance claim filed in the United States annually with damages exceeding several billion dollars. For businesses, water damage is costly expense, not only in recovery and repairs, but often in the loss or disruption of your business. Here, let’s explore the ways you can prevent water damage as well as what you do following water damage to your business to minimize the impact of the damage.
The Prevention of Water Damage to Your Business
If your building has gutters, downspouts, and other drainage from your roof or for your foundation, you will want to keep those pathways clear. This means cleaning gutters and other drainage routes to prevent clogging which leads to pooling. Sticks, leaves, trash, and other debris cause blockages and create problems. Next, be certain your downspouts extend out from your building a minimum of 10 feet. The farther you move the water away from your building, the less likely you are to have pooling which can turn into water damage, especially to your foundation.
Another fairly easy way to prevent water damage is to grade the soil around your building. The soil close to your building should pitch away, sloping a minimum of one-quarter of an inch per foot to keep water draining away from the building and not toward it. Finally, if your building tends to leak or is in a flood zone, keep your equipment elevated. This applies not only to all the equipment needed to do your work daily but other equipment that keeps your business going like the water, heater, the furnace, the air conditioning, etc.
In Case of Flooding
When the unthinkable happens and your business experiences leaks or flooding which cause damage, begin by removing the wet furniture and other items effected to a place they can dry safely. Don’t begin the clean-up until all these items are moved, then your clean-up will be easier. Next, remove all the excess water or at least as much is possible using mops, towels, wet/dry vacuums, and any other items that can help you get the excess water out and begin the drying process. Once that is done, wipe down and dry any wood furniture that wasn’t moved to prevent long-term damage like warping and staining.
Now turn your attention back to your wet upholstered furniture that you moved out. Remove the cushions to help the drying process. If you don’t, your furnishings will probably develop mold. Try putting the furniture in a safe sunny spot with the cushions propped in a way to promote drying. Back inside put wooden blocks or aluminum foil underneath the furniture legs of the furniture on the wet carpet. This will prevent the wooden furniture legs from soaking up moisture by creating a barrier. Finally, in warm weather turn on the air conditioning to speed up the process. In cool weather, turning on the heat will help. In both instances, bringing in industrial fans can shorten the drying process considerably.
A Few Final Words
- Do NOT leave wet items in the water damaged area, if you don’t put them in a dry place you won’t be able to save them.
- NEVER try to remove excess water with a regular vacuum. You will only succeed in ruining your vacuum.
- Do NOT plug in any computers or other electronics in the flooded area. The only exception is your wet/dry vacuum.
Call on the professionals at Tidy Team Cleaning Services to handle your water damage emergency. The professional team at Tidy Team Cleaning has all the equipment and supplies needed to get your business back up and running as quickly as possible.