Protect your Gulf Coast Business from Storm Damage

4/25/2020 (Permalink)

As Baldwin County has been experiencing powerful storms, and 2020 Hurricane Season is nearing, we thought it’d be a good time to go over how to protect your property from water damage. 

A flooded building can wreak havoc on your business operations and day to day life. If you are concerned about flood water, it is important to do what you can now so that your business property is better protected later. Here's how you can protect your property through this storm season.

Preparing Your Building

Before a flood even occurs, you can take steps to seal your building from water. Start by applying a waterproof coating to the exterior walls. Several other steps are also important.

" Install waterproof shields over windows and doors where possible.

" Strengthen walls to stand against the pressure of flood water or flood debris.

" Seal all areas where utilities enter the building.

" Anchor the building if necessary.

Protecting the Lower Levels

Inspect your first floor to ensure there are no areas where flood water can easily enter the premises. Regrade any land that slopes into your property, extend or redirect gutter spouts and repair any cracks in the walls. Move any valuable equipment or furniture to higher ground and create digital backups of any important paper documentation.

Taking Other Safety Measures

Water damage is not the only thing to worry about during flooding. It is also important to properly anchor any fuel tanks to prevent the water from sweeping them away, which can cause the lines to break and fires or explosions to happen. Sewer backflow valves are also important.

Preparing for Restoration

No matter how well you prepare your building for a flood, at least some damage is still likely to occur. Call a well-respected restoration company to help you remove moisture, dry materials and get your property ready to do business again.

Being 100 percent prepared for a natural disaster is practically impossible, but preparing now for a later storm means getting back into the swing of things as quickly as possible after any damage happens.