A roof leak, a burst pipe, or another source of water in a business can cause significant structural damage. Water can also damage or destroy equipment and inventory and cause mold, which can create a health hazard and can leave a building temporarily unusable. Since commercial property water damage can be so costly, it’s in your company’s best interest to take action to avoid a problem.
How to Prevent Water-Related Damage
Often, a leak occurs because a minor problem goes undetected and gradually becomes worse. With routine inspections of the roof and plumbing fixtures, your company will be able to identify problems and have repairs made before issues become serious. Depending on the size of your business, you may want to assign the task of inspecting the roof, gutters, and plumbing fixtures to a small number of individuals, or it may make more financial sense for your company to sign a contract with an outside service provider.
When water goes somewhere it shouldn’t, there is often widescale damage to valuable property, such as computers and servers. One easy way to limit the amount of potential damage is to keep sensitive electronic equipment elevated so that if the room it’s in floods, the equipment will be less likely to get damaged or destroyed.
In areas that get cold in the winter, frozen pipes are a common source of commercial water damage. When pipes freeze, they can burst and flood a building. Insulating pipes and walls can prevent frozen and burst pipes.
Ways to Quickly Detect a Leak
If a water-related issue arises, addressing it quickly can mitigate the damage. A problem can only be addressed if someone is aware of it. If a leak occurs when the building is closed at night or on a weekend, there may not be anyone around to see what is happening.
That’s why a leak detection system is so critical. It can detect the presence of water where it shouldn’t be and notify a monitoring company or one or more individuals who work for your business. Then someone will be able to take appropriate action, such as shutting off the water in the building.
Make Sure Your Company Has the Right Insurance Coverage
Water can cause major damage to a company’s building, equipment, and inventory. If you run a business, you should review your insurance coverage to make sure you will be able to get your operations back up and running quickly if a water leak occurs.
Petruzelo Insurance can discuss your company’s needs and help you find appropriate business insurance coverage. We can compare rates from several leading insurers and help you find a policy with affordable premiums. Contact us today to learn more.