Water Damage Prevention for Your Downtown Chicago Commercial Building

8/3/2021 (Permalink)

Be Prepared for water damage in Downtown Chicago with SERVPRO's ERP Emergency READY Profile Plan

Water Damage Restoration for Your Commercial Building

Every building carries some risk of water damage at any time. Several water, fire, and storm damages are reported daily, and water is the most common type of disaster that can wreak havoc on a building.

The causes of water damage can range from minor to major, from small leaks in the roof to widespread damage from major storms. It is crucial to protect the roofs of the building and the walls and windows of the structure to minimize the chance of water damage in Downtown Chicago. If you use the following checklist, you can stand the best chance of protecting your business from water damage that can cost a great deal of money and energy.

Leaking Roofs

• Regularly, make sure to examine all rooftop penetrations on the interior and exterior.
• Examine the seals surrounding HVAC systems so that you can be sure that they are intact and not be responsible for water damage in the building.
• Keep updated regarding the flashings that surround skylights, vents, and other parts of the rooftop that could play a role in water damage.
• Look for water stains regularly.
• If you have a flat roof, make sure to examine the roof drains monthly.

Water Damage to Walls

• Look at any wall penetrations in the building and verify proper flashing and integrity of the sealant.
• Examine the wall joints located at plumbing penetrations, electrical penetrations, doors, and windows.

Leaking Windows

• Examine flashings on the exterior of the building and window joints for continuous seal integrity.
• If you have windows involved in a drainable wall system, examine any flashing openings to ensure that they are not clogged. Look at weep holes as well.
• Examine windows from the interior of the building, and verify air seal and glass integrity.
• Test out mechanical elements regularly, including cranks and locks.
• Examine the areas of the walls around the windows on the interior of the building for water damage.

The Importance of a Rapid Response to Water Damage

Even a commercial building that is carefully operated has some risk of water damage in Downtown Chicago. For this reason, your business must have a prepared emergency response plan for such situations. These plans can play a crucial role in ensuring that the building rapidly recovers from water damage from a flooded basement, a severe leak in the roof, or soaked carpet in the office. The speed of response to one of these events is often the most important key to recovering business quickly after a disaster.

What should be included in a water emergency response plan is:

• A rapid shutdown of water supply lines.
• The safe shutdown of gas and electric supply lines.
• Easy access to equipment.
• Contact information for water extraction companies, HVAC and plumbing specialists, police, fire, and emergency personnel.
• Participate in SERVPRO's ERP Emergency READY Profile Plan

If you encounter any water damage emergency at your Downtown Chicago facility, call SERVPRO of West Loop / Bucktown / Greektown. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for your emergency at (773) 434-9100.