The Most Common Causes of Water Damage in Buildings

4/3/2023 (Permalink)

Experiencing water damage in your commercial building? SERVPRO of Jonesboro can help you dry the incident quickly.

When a building is damaged, water is often to blame. Something as simple as a leaky toilet can lead to a ton of destruction.

If you own or manage a commercial building, there is a good chance that you already have a full plate and the thought of trying to catch every drip can feel pretty daunting. Get to know the most common causes of water damage so you can easily stay on top of preventing damages and keeping work going.

3 Common Sources

There is never a good time for an unplanned interruption in your business. Having to shut down a business after receiving water damages can lead to missed income and thousands of dollars of necessary repairs to get things running again.

Start regularly checking the areas of your building that are most likely to be the source of water damage in order to stop problems before they become extreme:

1. The roof. When your roof leaks, you can end up with damage on every single level of your building. Roofs can be damaged during a weather event, or a slow leak can form in a weak spot that has developed over the years. Clean out your gutters often throughout the year, and check your roof quarterly for aging. You should also inspect your roof after strong winds or ice.

2. Bathrooms. Commercial buildings lose 15% of their water in bathrooms. Toilets and sinks can leak from tiny holes that can be hard to detect. Check your plumbing regularly for dripping or standing water to correct any issues quickly.

3. Water heaters/HVAC/boilers. Large appliances are always at risk for water leaks. Clogged drains or loose pipe connections are common causes of problems for appliances that have water lines or create condensation. Look for puddles near your heating and cooling units, and pay attention to water pressure changes. These are all signs that you have an issue that needs to be addressed quickly.

Take Preventive Steps

No one can control natural disasters that create flooding issues in buildings, but most other water issues can be controlled when you know how to respond. Take the time to prepare yourself, your building, and your team so you can mitigate your losses when an event occurs.

Build a maintenance plan for your building that will keep a close eye on your plumbing regularly. Work with us at SERVPRO to create an Emergency Ready Plan that will break your process down into simple steps so your entire team knows what to do after a disaster.

Make sure you are covering every fixture in your building when you plan, including any kitchen or hand washing stations your building might have. Find your water shut-off valves and train some of your crew to respond and turn off the water fast in the event of an emergency.

The faster you move, the better your results will be when it comes to water damage. Respond fast to the situation and secure a safe place to call us at SERVPRO. We are available around the clock to start your recovery process so you can keep business moving forward.

Experienced water damage in your commercial building? Contact us to get dried out quickly.