Water Damage Tips for Commercial Properties

6/13/2017 (Permalink)

Water damage can affect your commercial property in Metro Detroit at any time. Regardless of whether the damage occurs from a broken pipe or a weather related even, every hour spent cleaning up is an hour lost in revenue and productivity. Proper extraction and drying equipment and techniques is crucial to help minimize the possibility of additional damage and potential microbial growth after the water damage has occurred. Drying out the affected areas quickly and efficiently requires specialized methods and equipment that can only be provided by trained professionals, like the crews at SERVPRO of Oak Park/Ferndale.

Safety should always be your primary focus. Make sure that the affected areas are marked so the tenants and visitors are aware. Here are some safety tips for Metro Detroit Commercial property owners who are faced with water damage.

Safety Tips for Commercial Water Damage Cleanup

• Turn off electricity
• Do NOT use home or shop vacuums to remove water, to avoid the risk of electric shock.
• Do NOT turn on heating or air conditioning units if the situation is sewage-related. This may spread contamination.
• Wash your hands following contact with damaged items.

Steps You Can Take Before The Professionals from SERVPRO Arrive

• If at all possible, stop the water at its source.
• Remove loose items from floors.
• Wipe excess water from wood furniture to avoid any damage.
• Remove colored rugs and other items that may stain floor coverings.
• Take out wet upholstery and cushions.
• Pin up any draperies or furniture skirts to keep them as dry as possible and to prevent staining.
• Position plastic blocks or aluminum foil between furniture legs and wet carpeting.
• Turn air conditioning on and open windows for maximum drying in summer.
• Move art and other decor to a dry place.

Create you SERVPRO Emergency READY Profile

SERVPRO offers what we call an Emergency READY Profile to any of our business owning customers. The SERVPRO Emergency READY Profile is a startup approach that provides the critical information that is needed to begin mitigation and recovery services. It is designed to serve as a quick reference of building and contact information. By working with SERVPRO’s Emergency READY Profile, your business will receive the benefit of other 40 years of experience in reducing the impact of any natural or man-made disaster. SERVPRO is a leader in water and fire damage response and can help you to quickly get your property back in working order.

The Advantages of The SERVPRO Emergency READY Profile

• A NO COST assessment of your facility – This means that there is no need to allocate funds, giving you a great value at no cost.
• A concise Profile Document that contains only the critical information needed in the event of an emergency – It will only take a little time to complete and will not take you away from current projects, but it will save you a lot of time if ever needed.
• A guide to help you get back into your building following a disaster. – This can help you minimize the amount of time your business is inactive by having an immediate plan of action.
• Establish your local SERVPRO Franchise Professional as your disaster mitigation and restoration provider. - you have a provider that is recognized as an industry leader and close by.
• Identification for the line of command for authorizing work to begin. – This saves time so we can begin the work of mitigating the damage which can save you time and money.
• Provides facility details such as shut-off valve locations, priority areas and priority contact information. – Having a quick reference of what to do, how to do it and who to call provides solutions in advance of an emergency so that during the emergency you are “Ready for whatever happens.”