There's a Leak in this Old Building

4/8/2022 (Permalink)

Have you ever walked into an old schoolhouse or a 20-year-old office building and viewed water stains on the wall or ceiling tile? The slow, continuous leak over years may have seemed minor at the time but has now evolved into a costly, full-fledged commercial water loss. In an article, published in Risk & Insurance, The Hartford states that “75 percent of all commercial property water damages losses are caused by an accidental discharge of plumbing, HVAC systems, and appliances.” Dealing with a commercial water loss also exposes the insured to additional costs such as loss of revenue if operations are interrupted, the cost to relocate tenants and or employees, and the cost to rebuild. The risk for water damage in commercials buildings increases due to the design, volume of appliances that utilize water, the related piping systems, or the type of business utilizing the structure. For example, water flows down from a leak on the top floor of a high rise damaging multiple floors or units underneath. However, the risks for water losses can be mitigated and repair costs lowered by incorporating a water mitigation response plan through the use of technology. SERVPRO of South Durham provides a free tool, called an ERP (Emergency Ready Plan), that provides an immediate plan of action of knowing what to do, what to expect, and who to call in advance. This minimizes crucial time by providing information in a central location that can be accessed remotely from anywhere by any individual who is granted access. This allows for a quick response, thus reducing secondary damage, business interruption, and confusion by staff that essentially requires the crucial time needed to address the loss and begin the mitigation process. It is important for commercial property management, superintendents, and facility managers to proactively incorporate an emergency mitigation response plan through technology to reduce the risk of a large water loss. The longer time it takes to locate the source of a water loss and start mitigation means the longer it will take to dry the affected materials and the more money it will cost. If you want to be prepared for your next commercial loss using the free ERP tool in the South Durham area, please reach out to tony.lucas@SERVPROsouthdurham to schedule your appointment!

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