How to Keep Your Business Safe From Water Damage

Water damage is a potential issue that you should always pay attention to and prepare against regardless of the nature of your business and the facility in which you operate. It’s true, some businesses are more prone or likely to be at risk of water damage based on what it is the business does, and the type of facility or facilities in which they operate. Likewise, other businesses are less prone or likely for the opposite side of the coin. Either way, water damage can be dangerous, disruptive to your business, and an expensive issue to address. Of course, there are many things to know and consider when bracing to keep your business safe from water damage. There are also a number of more industry-specific terms and recommended methods that are used to do so. Let’s take a look at those – here’s how to keep your business safe from water damage:

Leak Detection

The first and foremost way to protect against water damage is to know what, if anything, needs to be attended to. Enter leak detection. Leaks can be found anywhere in your facility’s structure, roof, windows, pipes, pumps, and even your HVAC system. Bring in the professionals and make sure nothing’s leaking.

Insulation

Insulating exposed pipes is a two-fold way to protect against water damage. First, insulation can protect against direct damage to pipes, which obviously helps prevent water damage. Second, the insulation provides protection from drastic drops in temperature, which puts pipes at risk and is something we’ll discuss in the next point.

Facility Temperature Setting

Depending on your facility’s geographic location, it may be necessary to keep your facility heated at a certain temperature at all times. Pipes and plumbing often freeze during cold nights, and when used the following day before completely thawing, pipes frequently burst, flooding facilities and causing water damage.

Comprehensively Sealing Your Facility

Regardless of the kind of facility or facilities that your business operates within, an important way to protect against water damage is to make sure your facility is comprehensively sealed. Over time, your facility exterior, foundation, and sometimes even its interior, will crack and shift, exposing gaps and holes. One sign that this may be the case is a higher utility bill (energy inefficiency). Sealants, weather stripping, and caulking are some ways to make sure your facility is sealed well enough to keep water out.

Roofing

When we think of water damage, one of the first things that often comes to mind is a leaky roof, which lets itself be known when water droplets fall from the ceiling during storms. If your facility is one story or your workspace is on the top floor just under the roof, a leaky roof may lead to water damage. Worse, it may lead to water damage even if you don’t see or get any water dripping through your ceiling. The solution? Make sure your roofing is inspected and well-maintained.