What To Do if You Experience Commercial Water Damage

2/8/2023 (Permalink)

Water damage is an unfortunate part of doing business, but it's something that all commercial property owners must deal with at some point. From the small drip under your sink to a major flood from a burst pipe, water damage can spell disaster for your business. If you're lucky enough to recognize the signs of commercial water damage before it becomes too serious, here are some steps you can take:

Shut off the water. 

First, it is important to identify the source of water damage. It is crucial to identify this in order to prevent future damage. The sooner you can identify the source, the better.

In the event that your business suffers commercial water damage, you’ll need to shut off the water. This can be done by either shutting off the water at the source or shutting off the entire water supply. If you’re unable to locate the main water valve, call a plumber.

Contact your insurance provider to file a claim.

If you are in this situation, the first thing you should do is contact your insurance provider. If you have a business interruption policy and/or flood policy on file, those will need to be filed as well.

Document damaged property.

It's important to document and record the water damage as soon as possible. This will help you speed up the claims process, get a fair amount for your claim, and avoid any disputes with your insurance company.

The claims process is a series of questions that you’ll have to answer, and it will be easier if you have all your paperwork together. It is important that you document every piece of damaged property and inventory in writing, with as much detail as possible. A professional commercial water damage company will take photos or videos of the affected area.

If something gets destroyed in your business after a disaster like Hurricane Florence, try to remember all the details about what happened: when was it lost? Where was it stored? What can replace this item now? Do you have any backups for it?

Call a restoration professional.

If you find yourself in this situation, the best thing to do is call an expert. Restoration professionals have the experience and tools to assess the damage, get it repaired, and help with insurance claims. They can also assist with cleanup, sanitization, and reconstruction.

Preserve your business's personal property.

It's important to preserve your business's personal property as soon as you can. This may be difficult or impossible depending on the extent of the damage, but if it's at all possible, try to do so. If you don't have the resources to protect your belongings, take pictures of them instead! This will allow you to document what was damaged and help determine what needs replacing when insurance comes into play.

Act quickly.

Once you’ve determined that there is water damage, it’s important to act quickly. By shutting off the water main and calling a professional restoration company, you can stop further damage from occurring.

Some steps to take:

• Call your insurance provider immediately—they will know what needs to be done in order for them to cover your expenses.
• Call a restoration professional who can assess the extent of the damage and give recommendations on how best to proceed.
• Document everything that is damaged or otherwise affected by this event (photos are helpful).
• Preserve personal property as much as possible by removing furniture or other items from the area where water has pooled so they don't get ruined too!

The final takeaway is that it’s important to act quickly and get a professional on the job as soon as possible. If your business suffers from a water damage event, don't hesitate and give our SERVPRO of Arnold/North Jefferson County team a call today!

How Do Fire Sprinklers Work During a Fire?

10/13/2022 (Permalink)

How Do Fire Sprinklers Work?

Fire sprinklers are a common sight in businesses around the world. They're often seen as an essential part of keeping business operations safe from fire, but how do they work? In this article, we'll explore that question and explain why these systems are so effective in keeping commercial fires contained and controlled.

How Does a Fire Start?

A fire is a chemical reaction between oxygen and something that burns. There are two types of fires: flame and smoldering. Flame fires are fast, hot, and dangerous, while smoldering fires burn slowly and cool; they can cause just as much damage over time as the hotter variety.

A fire can start when a flammable liquid ignites, such as gasoline or oil. The heat generated by this process causes the liquid to expand rapidly, which creates pressure in the container—so much pressure that it eventually bursts open at its weakest point, like a balloon popping with too many holes punched in it by someone's fingers during playtime at school!

How Does a Fire Sprinkler Work?

Fire sprinkler systems are designed to detect, suppress, and prevent fires from spreading.

When a fire sprinkler system is activated by heat, pressure, or smoke, the water stored in the pipes is released at high velocity onto the flames. The force of the water hitting the flames is enough to cool them down and stop their spread. This action also effectively extinguishes the fire by cooling it below its flash point (the temperature at which something will ignite).

Why Do These Systems Work?

Fire suppression systems are designed to be activated when a fire breaks out. In fact, some systems will be designed to automatically activate in the event of an emergency. There are two main ways that these systems work:

• Water Pressure

The most common way is through water pressure. This can be achieved through several different methods, but the basic idea is that gallons upon gallons of water will be released into the area where there's smoke or heat. The pressure from this great amount of water will help dampen down the flames and prevent them from spreading further until firefighters arrive on scene.

• Heat Sensors and Sprinklers

Another method for activating sprinkler systems is by using heat sensors placed throughout your home or building; when there's enough heat in one area (usually around 130°F), it'll trigger an automatic response from all sprinklers within range—this could mean just one or hundreds of individual units!

Fire Sprinklers Are Very Useful In Keeping Commercial Fires In Check

Fire sprinklers are an essential part of any commercial building. They're designed to extinguish fires quickly and efficiently before they spread to other parts of the building and cause more damage.

Fire sprinklers also prevent serious damage to property; if a fire is contained by sprinklers, then it can be extinguished without having to fight through smoke or embers. This makes them much safer for firefighters compared with non-sprinkler systems which would have been engulfed in flames already by the time help arrives at your location. In many cases, even after putting out a fire completely, you may find yourself with water damage from broken pipes or cracked walls due to extreme heat exposure during active fires—but this doesn't happen when you have fire protection systems installed properly!

They’re easy to install and don’t require any special training, so any building can install them. The best part of all is that sprinkler systems don’t cost very much money—in fact, they can save you money in the long run when compared with other methods of fire protection. If you want to protect your business from fire damage, consider installing sprinklers today!

3 Actions You Can Take To Lower a Business Interruption Insurance Claim

7/7/2022 (Permalink)

Three Steps to Reduce a Business Interruption Insurance Claim

Protecting your Parkdale, MO, business from disasters such as flooding includes choosing a business interruption plan that suits both the size of your company and the needs of your employees. While this type of insurance can help you stay afloat during difficult times, there are a few actions you can take to reduce the overall cost of a business interruption claim. 

1. Learn How To Navigate Claims Ahead of Time
A flood at your business may come from a variety of sources, from a broken pipe to a damaged water appliance, and knowing how to react can help reduce the turnaround time when you file a claim. Review your policy at least annually and remain aware of the steps required to file a claim, as well as what your individual rider covers. 

2. File a Claim Quickly 
Filing a business interruption claim quickly after a flood that causes large water damage can reduce the amount of time it takes for the insurance company to process it. Some claims may take up to 72 hours before they are fully processed, so providing your local agent with all the necessary information, including photos, can help streamline a claim and help you get back to normal operations more quickly. 

3. Reduce Flooding Damage 
There are a few ways you can potentially reduce the amount of your business interruption claim before a water restoration and cleanup service arrives. This includes stopping the spread of water to other large areas, if possible, and using ceiling and floor fans to lower the humidity levels in the building. This can slow the growth of damaging mold that could harm building materials and raise the cost of a business interruption claim. 
When serious flooding affects the normal operation of your Parkdale, MO, company, business interruption insurance can help prevent the impact of lost sales and employment gaps for your workers. When you understand how to use this insurance to your best advantage, it may provide you with better peace of mind as a business owner. 

How To Use Enzymes To Maintain Your Property's Old Pipes

6/26/2022 (Permalink)

The materials used to construct older pipes can easily cause clogs. Polybutylene, in particular, often corrodes and cracks over time. This corrosion may then prevent water from flowing through the pipes properly.
Clogs are not just a minor annoyance, either. The blockage could cause a water leak or even a complete pipe burst that may necessitate water damage repair services. If you own an older property as part of your Kimmswick, MO, business, you should perform regular maintenance on the pipes to prevent clogs and corrosion.

Use Enzymes To Limit Clogs in Your Rental Property

The best way to keep water flowing smoothly through your pipes is to utilize enzyme treatments in each sink. Enzymes are powdered bacteria that feed on scum and soap in the drain. Follow the steps below once a month to keep your old or polybutylene pipes clear.

1. Warm the Drain
Enzymes do best in warm temperatures. Before pouring them down the drain, turn on the water, and make sure it is hot.

2. Apply the Enzymes
If you bought dry enzymes, you must mix them with water before using them. Next, pour the solution into each sink before you leave for the night.

3. Flush With Hot Water
When you return to the property the next morning, flush the sinks with hot water. This should push any remaining gunk down the drain.

Flush Enzymes Down the Main Line
Enzymes can also limit clogs in the main line of your commercial property. Simply take a cup of enzyme treatment and flush it down a toilet that connects to this pipe. Do this four days in a row, and repeat the process once each season.
If you cannot afford to replace the old polybutylene pipes in your commercial building, you can still limit the potential for water damage by keeping the pipes free of clogs. Use regular enzyme treatments to continually maintain the pipes.

4 Things You Should Know About Business Interruption Insurance

5/24/2022 (Permalink)

Business Interruption Insurance

Accidents happen. Fortunately, a fire at your commercial property in Imperial, MO, doesn't have to grind daily operations to a halt. If your company is covered by business interruption insurance, you can rest easy that many of your expenses will be taken care of. Here's a quick primer on this useful type of coverage.

1. It Covers a Variety of Expenses
A fire can affect more than just your drywall. Fire damage restoration requires skilled professionals, and the work of resuming "business as usual" takes time.
Nobody tells your operating costs that, though. If you're forced to shut things down after a fire, interruption insurance can cover various expenses, such as:

• Revenue lost while closed
  
• Rent, lease or mortgage payments
  
• Employee payroll
  
• Taxes
  
• Moving costs if you're forced to temporarily relocate during fire cleaning and recovery
  
• Training costs for new equipment and machines if your existing gear was damaged or lost
  
  

2. Income Coverage Doesn't Kick In Immediately After a Business Fire
Most business interruption insurance policies have a mandatory waiting period before coverage accounts for lost income. This window is typically 48 to 72 hours long, but speak to your insurance agent to get the details specific to your policy.

3. It Doesn't Cover Every Expense
While interruption insurance can cover an array of vital operating costs, there are a handful of scenarios that such a policy does not cover. These include:

• Utilities
  
• Items that are broken
  
• Income that's not documented in your records
  
• Flood damage
  
• Shutdown due to communicable diseases
  
• Earthquake damage
  
  

4. Its Cost Depends on Several Factors
Once you decide to purchase interruption insurance, your policy's cost will be determined not only by how much coverage you want but also by your industry, how many people you employ and your location, more specifically how high your risk of natural disaster is.
Business interruption insurance is a simple way to protect your investment in the unlikely event that fire threatens to shut down your work. Talk with your insurance agent to find a policy that meets your commercial property's needs.