What to Do After a Plumbing Disaster at Your Business
Plumbing disasters can strike your business at any time. Small leaks that aren’t addressed, burst pipes, broken appliances, clogged drains and sewage backups can all result in significant water damage to your commercial space. When this occurs, it can have a significant impact on your business, as every minute your building is unusable equates to lost productivity and profits.
Time is of the essence after a plumbing disaster strikes your business. It’s critical to act fast to prevent additional damage from occurring. At RestorePro, we offer 24/7 emergency response water damage restoration services for businesses in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Our team will arrive shortly after your call ready to begin work. By initiating the water damage restoration process right away, you can minimize the disruption to your business and reduce costly downtime.
While it’s important to work with a professional water damage restoration company after a plumbing disaster, you should also have a plan in place that includes the critical steps you can take while you’re waiting for our team to arrive. The following guide will help you know what to do in these situations.
Contact a Professional Water Damage Restoration Company
As we mentioned, it’s critical to begin the restoration process right away to minimize additional damage to your commercial property. Mold can begin growing within 24-48 hours after water damage. In addition, the longer water damage is left unattended, the greater the likelihood that structural elements of the building such as flooring, drywall and insulation will become damaged and need to be replaced.
By contacting a professional water damage restoration company right away, you can prevent many of these additional problems from developing. RestorePro’s emergency response services ensure that important initial steps will be completed quickly, minimizing additional damage.
Shut Off the Water Supply
Whenever you experience a plumbing emergency, you should shut off the main water supply to the affected area. This will prevent additional flooding from occurring while you wait for our team to arrive.
If you don’t know where your main water valve is located or how to shut it off, you should ask a plumber to help you locate it and show you how to turn it off. Then, train your staff on the locations of all shut-off valves and the process required to shut off the water. If any tools are needed, make sure they are accessible to your team so that they can perform this important task if it’s safe to do so.
Shut Off Electricity in the Flooded Area
Anytime you have standing water from flooding, there’s a risk of electric shock. Turning off the electricity to the area near the plumbing disaster can help prevent electrocution. Always prioritize safety when trying to shut off electricity. Only perform this task if you can do so without the risk of electric shock.
Remove Items from Affected Areas
If it’s safe to do so, remove any items that are currently in standing water to minimize the risk of damage to these items. Keep in mind that appliances, computers and other electronics equipment may provide a risk of electric shock if you haven’t already shut off the electricity in the area. This is why shutting off electricity is a step that should be completed before removing items from the area near the plumbing disaster.
If possible, move any items on the floor to higher ground, even if they aren’t currently coming into contact with water. This will prevent additional damage if the standing water spreads before our water damage restoration team arrives to begin work. Always prioritize safety when trying to move heavy items such as desks, cabinets and other large objects so that your team doesn’t suffer an injury.
Contact Your Insurance Company and Document Damage
In most instances, water damage from a plumbing issue will be covered by your business insurance policy. You’ll need to contact your insurance company in a timely manner to begin the claims process.
Once it’s safe to do so, you should also inspect all affected areas to document damage to equipment, furniture, inventory and structural elements of the building. Take photos of any damage, including water stains and signs of mold growth. This documentation will play an important role in the insurance claims process and help ensure you receive the maximum benefits to which you’re entitled.
Creating an Emergency Response Plan Can Help Your Team Know What to Do
Plumbing disasters can be stressful events, and it can be difficult to remember everything you need to do in that moment. It can be helpful to create an emergency response plan that will provide your team with step-by-step instructions for how to handle these issues.
Your emergency response plan should include:
- Steps to take in the event of a plumbing emergency
- Safety protocols that must be followed
- Procedures for notifying others on the team
- Emergency contacts for plumbers, insurance providers and restoration services
Post copies of your emergency response plan around the building and share digital versions with your team so it can be accessed if the hard copies become damaged by the flooding. In addition, train your team on how to implement the emergency response plan so everyone knows their role if an emergency develops.
RestorePro Can Help After a Plumbing Emergency
If your business has experienced water damage due to a plumbing emergency, RestorePro can help. As the leading water damage restoration company in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, we can ensure the entire process is handled properly, from initial damage assessment through all repairs and reconstruction.
We offer 24/7 emergency response services, and our certified technicians will arrive shortly after receiving your call to begin work. This prompt response time is critical to minimize any downtime at your business.
At RestorePro, we understand the serious consequences water damage can have for your business. That’s why we’ve created our Priority Response Emergency Program (PREP) specifically designed to protect your business. When you sign up for PREP, your business will receive the highest level of preparedness and protection so that you can minimize the disruption to your business caused by a disaster. Some of the key services provided through our PREP include:
- Prioritization of Restoration Services – In the event of a widespread disaster, your business will be given top priority, ensuring our team is able to address your needs right away.
- Claim Prevention Assessment – Prior to filing your insurance claim, our team will inspect the damage to your business to identify potential issues in their earliest stages and take prompt action to prevent additional damage.
- Comprehensive Loss Information and Reporting – You’ll receive detailed, regular updates from our team to ensure you have a clear understanding of the situation throughout every stage of the process, allowing you to make informed decisions quickly.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment. RestorePro provides commercial water damage restoration services in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
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