Saying commercial property owners should worry about water damage is an understatement. Floods, in particular, are among the most common and costly natural disasters in the world. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, the United States accrued $148 billion in damages to residential and commercial properties across 20 climate and weather disasters in 2021.
Even more frightening is what these statistics don’t include, such as non-disaster, water-related events like burst pipes or non-flooding-related heavy rain.
For commercial property owners, there are additional risks beyond water damage alone. Water damage puts a business on hold, causing further loss of revenue, and any untreated or lingering damage like mold can become a hazard for employees, guests, and residents. That’s why it’s imperative that water damage be addressed as swiftly and safely as possible. In the event water or flood damage happens to you, Cotton recommends taking several prudent steps to ensure minimum business disruption.
Ensure all employees and residents are safe
People always come first. Make sure everyone associated with the property is safe and out of danger. If possible, this can be done by checking on the property itself or communicating electronically through email or texting. If people are trapped on-site, help from first responders may become necessary. Attempting a solo rescue may only put yourself in danger as well.
Contact your insurance provider
If you have flood insurance, contact your provider right away to start the process of filing a claim. Depending on the extent of the damage in the area, it may take an adjuster a longer time than usual to assess your property. As long as the property is safe to enter, begin the process of documenting the damage through pictures, videos and receipts, which will be useful further in the process.
Call 24/7 professional water extraction and clean-up experts
Don’t attempt to clean your facility or property by yourself or rely on basic residential cleaning services. You need a proven team to address water damage, one that specializes in both business and commercial clean-up services and water damage restoration. These experts will have the agility to reach your property quickly, the expertise to thoroughly inspect the damage, and have the training and equipment needed to do the job properly.
Utilize moisture mapping technology to detect moisture levels
When it comes to water damage, not all problem areas are visible. Moisture detection mapping experts will outline the entire property to uncover affected and unaffected areas in walls or floors, using specialized technology like infrared sensors and moisture levels. Commercial moisture detection services like these are an essential part of understanding the extent of current damage and identifying areas to prevent future damage.
Deploy expert drying and dehumidification for properties
Naturally, any water damage is only resolved when it’s fully dried and returned to pre-event condition. After all water is extracted—usually with help from industrial-grade vacuums, pumps, and fans—expert drying services will commence drying and dehumidification.
Attempting to clean and dry your properties on your own can be risky without the proper equipment and take much more time without a commercial water extraction and clean-up crew at your side, meaning lingering water can cause deteriorating damage even as you work to resolve it.
Prevent long-term water and mold damage at your commercial property
Since waiting for moisture to evaporate can be a lengthy, time-consuming process, many flood damage restoration experts will use methods that speed up commercial property flood damage restoration, including industrial air movers designed for hard-to-dry areas like carpets and thorough sanitization procedures. Thorough dehumidification is a critical part of the process, as removing excess moisture from the air using commercial-grade equipment regulates and controls an environment that impairs mold growth, limiting unhealthy and unwelcome long-term side effects such as airborne allergens and musty smells. Selective demolition and reconstruction will likely be needed for complete mold remediation, including applying antimicrobials to water-damaged areas that will inhibit and prevent future mold growth in walls, HVAC systems, carpets, and beyond.
Overall, commercial flood damage restoration services are the only true way to mitigate those potential dangers.
Salvage your business or commercial property with expert clean-up services
Long-term damage isn’t limited to your structural property. You should also consider all the physical hardware and documents that carry immense value, and if not protected or restored, could be lost forever. In most cases, professional flood damage restoration comes with document restoration and contents drying capabilities that can salvage them, ranging from paper restoration to electronic content recovery. The types of damaged documents and contents that can be restored include:
- Archives
- Books and magazines
- Contracts
- Electronics
- Fine art
- Invoices/receipts
- Licenses and certificates
- Machinery
- Media
- Microfiche and microfilms
- Office equipment
- Photos (including negatives)
- Tax documents
- Vital records and data files
- X-rays
So long as these documents are handled properly and quickly, the likelihood that they can be restored is high. Methods and tools needed to restore them range from deodorization and microbial disinfection to more advanced processes like gamma irradiation, vacuum freeze-drying technology, and ultrasonic separation.
As a commercial property owner, the hardest part is deciding which items are most important to save. Itemizing the critical assets will make it easier to prioritize and scope necessary work with your damage restoration partner, including serving as valuable documentation for insurance purposes.
Important tip: If you discover mold growth on important documents and contents, you should separate them to avoid contaminating other materials. If the mold growth is too extensive, isolate the area completely and let a professional crew manage it.
Harness Cotton’s water extraction capabilities and restore your business to its original state
When you need immediate water damage mitigation, extraction, and restoration, you can trust our expert water damage clean-up professionals. Available 24/7 for immediate commercial water extraction and other flood damage services around the country, our seasoned crews are ready to evaluate, clean, and restore your commercial properties to their pre-disaster condition, helping minimize disruption, mitigate health risks, and prepare and prevent future disasters with detailed response plans.
Contact Cotton for all your water extraction, removal, and restoration needs
Call 877-900-0493 or contact our customer service team.