How to Deal With Commercial Water Damage to Your Business | SERVPRO® of Carbondale/Marion

8/11/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Carbondale/Marion is your local commercial water restoration company. We will always be here to help clean up and get you back in business.

When commercial water damage affects your building, the impact on business can be severe.

Many sources of flooding come from internal sources. Burst pipes or a badly leaking roof can shut you down or ruin interiors and destroy inventory. Damage might also come from a bathroom flooded with sewage backup. Or it could even be an entire floor of offices soaked by a broken sprinkler system.

However, water damage can also affect businesses through natural causes. In Marion, we see a higher annual rainfall than most other places in the United States. 

Knowing what to do before disaster strikes make recovering quickly and returning to business easier. Regardless of what source left the water behind, these helpful tips can guide you through handling the problem quickly and as stress-free as possible.

Know Your Building’s Layout

Familiarize yourself with different water cutoff points throughout your property, and ensure you know how to turn off the fire sprinkler system. Locate the main water cutoff valve, and be ready to shut off the entire building’s supply when necessary.

Several people should know this information, including members of the leadership team. This can help you reduce the amount of water that gets inside your business by cutting it off at the source.

Know the Types of Water Involved

When water damage happens, the type of water involved will determine how dangerous the situation is. Knowing what you’re dealing with makes a big difference in the safety of everyone in the building:

White water: This type of water most commonly results from plumbing problems. It’s not considered contaminated and is safe to handle yourself in small amounts.

Gray water: Sink drains and toilet tank overflows produce this type of flooding. The water is contaminated but not considered dangerous.

Black water: Sewage backups and storm flooding are common sources of highly contaminated black water. Always call in a professional to deal with this type of toxic water damage.

Take Action Quickly

Always attempt to identify and shut down the water source as soon as possible. Try to get fresh air circulating by opening windows and doors to expedite the drying and evaporation process. Then alert everyone in the building and outline the affected areas so that no one comes into contact with the water.

After taking these steps, be sure to thoroughly document any visible damage. This will help you speed through the insurance claim process and will be useful when deciding what parts of your building need the most reinforcement.

Remember to Be Patient

The visible water damage in your building is only part of the overall problem. Soaked wall studs, moldy framing and buckled flooring materials are only a few signs of hidden water damage. Any of these indicators should be red flags of potential damage.

If your business experiences water damage, call SERVPRO of Carbondale/Marion for a quick response and a shoulder to lean on. Our restoration professionals have extensive training and will work with industry-leading equipment that can dry your building out and get you back into action fast.

The cleanup and drying process can take up to a week, depending on the extent of the moisture, so be patient as our restoration team works through the cleanup and sanitation before beginning repairs. We’ll have your business back to preloss condition before you know it.

When disaster strikes your commercial property, we’ll be there to help clean up and get you back in business quickly. Call SERVPRO of Carbondale/Marion today at (618) 998-8828.