The Sneakiest Commercial Flooding Risk

8/22/2018 (Permalink)

Flooded basement due to heavy rain in Bowling Green, KY

When you think of problems you might have in your business in Bowling Green, KY, natural disasters might not be anywhere near the top of your risk profile. However, flooding isn't always natural. A burst pipe could potentially cause just as much damage as a storm. Frozen pipe damage is also often less predictable than storm or other natural damages.

Natural Floods

Natural flooding doesn't just come from rivers overflowing. There are many things that could cause problems with water in your building:

• Heavy rains
• Overloaded or jammed drain systems
• Wind damage

Since these are major events, you're much more likely to check your facility after they happen. This reduces the risk of accumulating standing water: you catch the problem early and can call flood recovery companies to pump out the overflow.

Equal Threat

Commercial facilities have high-volume water supplies in many cases. If you have a break in a supply line or any other pipe in your building, then you could face a lot of damage very quickly. This can easily equal or exceed the amount of water you might see from a major storm or a citywide flood. You could have avoided the issue by insulating pipes or keeping your building at a good temperature.

Cold Strikes

One thing that often turns a simple burst pipe into a cleanup nightmare is the unpredictability of the event. There are many factors that go into pipes freezing, and exterior temperature is just one example. Your building's insulation, the efficiency of your HVAC system, the type of plumbing you have and the location of the pipes in question all play a role. When the weather drops below freezing, you might be gambling with the future of your business if you don't consider all the angles.

In addition to the often-unexpected nature of flooding from a burst pipe, it might happen where you can't see it. Keep an eye out for moisture and discoloration in the walls after extremely cold days.