What You Need To Know Before Cleaning Up Water Damage

10/26/2019 (Permalink)

Commercial flooded basement in Arcadia,OK

Water is an essential resource, but it can be destructive when it flows where it doesn’t belong. When water damages your business, it is important to determine the source of the problem. This discussion of three common sources may help you decide how to proceed with your structural and content cleaning.

Facility-Related Water

When damage is caused by a water source within your building, it may have originated from one of these sources:

• Your refrigerator or water heater leaks.
  
• A pipe carrying clean water bursts in your building.
  
• A dishwasher or specialized piece of equipment leaks water that may be contaminated with chemicals, soil or food.
  
• A toilet overflows or a sewer backs up, releasing sewage into your structure.
  
  

If the water potentially contains toxic chemicals or sewage, it is considered to be dangerous. Consulting a water remediation specialist will be required to safely facilitate the content cleaning and restoration. Facility-related damage is likely covered by your insurance, so contacting your agent promptly is recommended.

Stormwater

When hail, rain or snowmelt enters your building through a broken window or leaking roof, it is considered stormwater. If the water hasn’t touched the ground and is due to a weather event, it falls into this category. Stormwater damage generally requires a professional cleanup service as well as home repairs. Your business insurance will generally cover the expense for stormwater restoration.

Floodwater

If rising floodwater enters your building at ground level or below, it is termed black water and is considered highly contaminated. Floodwater can contain chemicals, sewage and other hazards. If you have flood-related damage, it is necessary to enlist a restoration specialist for the building and content cleaning process. For this water restoration cost to be covered, you would need to have purchased a separate insurance policy for flooding, prior to the incident.
When water from a flood or other source damages your Arcadia, OK, business, the origin of the water will determine the best cleanup plan and the type of insurance coverage that applies. It will take some time, but before you know it, your company will be back to business as usual.