How to Best Protect Your Fort Mill or Rock Hill Commercial Building from Water Damage

7/2/2015 (Permalink)

The only way to make sure there is a speedy response is to be prepared ahead of time.

How to Best Protect Your Commercial Building from Water Damage

Every day, thousands of buildings experience Fort Mill or Rock Hill water damage. In some cases, the damage is from storms. In others, it is from run of the mill leaks. In still others, it is from fire being extinguished -- in fact, counter-intuitively, most fires result in more water damage than fire damage. Water is the most common type of damage that Fort Mill and Rock Hill buildings experience. When it is not dealt with promptly and effectively, the problem can rapidly grow from a minor issue to something costing thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. 

Here are a few suggestions for how to best protect your business from water damage and minimize the fall-out when something does happen:

Prepare An Emergency Plan

Given how integral water is to all life and to most industries, it is practically guaranteed that a Fort Mill or Rock Hill commercial building will have to deal with water damage at some point. Thus, one of the best things a business owner can do is prepare for that inevitability ahead of time in order to keep losses to a minimum. Because water damage can grow exponentially if not addressed immediately, time is of the essence. The only way to make sure there is a speedy response is to be prepared ahead of time. 

Your emergency plan should include:

• A map of the building showing where the shut off points are for water, electricity and gas plus a set of instructions on how to shut them down fast.
• A conveniently located toolbox.
• A list of emergency phone numbers, such as the fire department, plumbers, SERVPRO, emergency personnel, and police.

Once you have an emergency plan in place, you should focus on prevention. Inspecting vulnerable areas is a best practice.

Inspect Your Roof Regularly

• Check all rooftop penetrations, both interior and exterior.
• Look for water stains.
• Check all flashing, drains and seals.

Inspect Your Walls Regularly

• Check wall joints around doors and windows.
• Check flashing and sealant integrity.

Inspect Your Windows Regularly

• Check for air seal integrity.
• Test all locks and other mechanical parts.
• Check flashing and joints.
• Look for water stains or mold growth on window sills and interior walls.

Emergency plans and inspections are both prevention measures. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.