How to prepare your company incase of a storm

3/18/2023 (Permalink)

If you're like most business owners, the last thing on your mind when a storm is approaching is what to do with your company's building. Taking simple steps now can save you thousands of dollars in repairs later. Begin the clean up by assessing the damage made during the storm.

Assess the damage.

After you've made it through the storm, it's time to assess the damage. You should start by looking for signs of water damage and mold in the roof and gutters, basement or crawlspace and electrical system.

It's important to have a cleanup crew ready to go. You don't want to be left scrambling when you need them most, so be sure that they're available and prepared with the right equipment before disaster strikes.

In addition, it's crucial that you have a plan for what happens next, whether it's a cleanup, restoration or repair job so that there are no surprises when the time comes for action.

Remove Furniture and Flooring

Remove furniture and carpeting from the floor that has suffered damage. It's better to have it outside in a safe place than inside where it could be damaged by wind or flooding.

Move computers and file cabinets to higher ground. Turn off air conditioning units if you can't shut off power at the fuse box or circuit breaker panel. This will keep them from running without electricity during an outage, which could cause damage due to extreme heat buildup within the unit itself.

Remove debris from walls and ceiling

You will need to remove any debris from walls, ceilings and floors. You can use a wet/dry vacuum to clean up smaller pieces of wood or other materials. For larger amounts of wood and other building materials, you may want to use a shop vacuum or broom instead.

Dehumidifiers and air movers remove excess moisture from the air more quickly than natural processes do--but they'll cost you money upfront (for both equipment purchase/rental fees and electricity usage). They also require regular maintenance throughout their lifespan (i.e. emptying out collection tanks) so that they operate at peak efficiency levels all year round!

Seal Cracks

Seal up any cracks in your building or siding that may let rain in during future storms. Use a caulking gun to seal cracks and crevices, then paint the caulk onto hard-to-reach places with a paint brush. Check the condition of your roof shingles, gutters, downspouts and gutters. Replace if necessary before storm season begins again.

Prevention is better than cure. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In other words, it's better to do your best to prevent damage than it is to repair the damage after the fact. If you have damage and can't repair it, there are other options for getting back on track as quickly as possible.

When severe weather hits your business, give SERVPRO of Northern Colorado Springs/Tri Lakes a call after the storm passes.