Whether it’s from a small pipe leak or heavy floods, water damage can cause huge damage to your business. It’s, therefore, crucial to take appropriate mitigation measures to prevent these waters from causing further damage. Some common causes of water damage include leaking boilers, roof leakages, burst pipes, and overflowing septic systems or toilets.
In cases where the causes of water damage are natural, you want to ensure that the losses incurred are minimized. This could mean evacuating occupants out of the premises as soon as possible and calling in a disaster recovery or water damage restoration company to fix the mess. Below, we have covered some tips to help business owners minimize water damage within their premises.
1. Conduct a Water Damage Risk Evaluation
More often, water damage can be prevented, and if not, the extent of damage can be minimized. Having a risk assessment plan can save your business a lot. Here, you want to work with a competent risk assessment engineer who will thoroughly examine your property and assess any potential risks. The risk engineer will also guide you in what protection systems you should get. For instance, having a leak detector, moisture detectors, and dehumidifiers can minimize the cases of water damage within your premises.
You will also need to ensure that all water appliances are in good condition. Seal all the gaps and cracks in your building to prevent cold air from getting inside, as this can quickly increase the chances of pipes bursting during winter. Your roof, gutters, and drainage should also be cleared to prevent water damage to the exterior walls.
2. Know Where the Shut-off Valves are Located
One of the leading causes of water damage in winter is frozen pipes that burst due to sudden contraction and expansion. To prevent such problems, you want to shut off the water valve as soon as the outside temperatures fall to the extreme lows. You should also ensure that the personnel within your business are aware of this and can respond appropriately to avoid potential disasters.
3. Get Flood Control Kits
Responding to emergencies always means being prepared for anything at any time. Having a flood or spill control kit at hand allows for quick response during floods. These kits come with different equipment designed to contain floodwater as you seek further assistance.
Common equipment includes long discharge hoses, large volume vacuums, heavy-duty absorbent sweepers, and rubber mops. You can also use sandbags to divert water and debris away from your building if your business is located in coastal areas prone to hurricanes. Additionally, you can install flood gates inside the facility if you are located in a flood zone. Flood gates will prevent water from entering the facility by protecting any potential entry point.
4. Have the Right Insurance
This is perhaps a less preventive way of dealing with floods but a necessary step to protecting anything of value within the premises. Having the right water damage policy could mean the difference between shutting down the business entirely due to massive losses and staging a comeback after the insurance money covers most of the damages.
When choosing an insurance cover, always seek expert help from a knowledgeable third party. This will help you avoid falling for some influencers and unrealistic con artists. If, for instance, your business location is at a higher risk of flooding, consider having a flood insurance policy. You can also go for business income insurance to ensure you have the cash to meet the day-to-day business obligations when the business isn’t operating due to water damage.
Stay Ahead of Water Damage Issues
Water damage can be a huge nuisance as it destabilizes your business operations – cutting revenue and even causing losses. Luckily, you can stay ahead of business water damage problems by investing in the proper equipment/inventory, hiring an expert professional for guidance, and choosing the right insurance cover.
