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Commercial Water Damage – Top 6 Causes

commercial water damage - top 6 causes


We are all aware how disastrous water damage can be. Commercial water damage can inpact your business not only physically but also financial, and the best way to remedy the damge is to deal with it as soon as possible. And the first thing you must do in order to remedy it, is to find out what is the cause.

Top 6 causes of commercial water damage

Probably not many of you know, but one leaking faucet can cost about 250 gallons of water each month. Now multiply that with 12 months, and when you do the math, you realize how much water you wasted each year because of something so small as a leaking faucet.

Commercial water damage caused by damaged sprinklers

Every commercial entity in the US is required, by law, to have a sprinkler system set up, along with a fire alarm, so that the building is safe in case of a fire. When the sprinkler system is functioning properly, it will activate when there’s too much heat caused by the fire. However, as time passes by, the sprinkler system becomes old, broken and can malfunction which can activate even when there’s no fire causing water damage.

Roof leaks

The roof should protect everything within the building and the occupants from the external elements. As with the sprinkler system, in time, the roof also becomes more vulnerable to rain and snow and can start leaking.

Malfunctioning HVAC system

In order to maintain the temperature of the building and office spaces, every commercial building should have an HVAC system set up. The role of this system is to keep the occupants comfortable. With regular use, the HVAC system could get clogged or start leaking and can cause water damage to the ceiling. It’s important that you regularly clean and maintain the HVAC so it could work properly.

Commercial water damage caused by equipment and appliances

Some commercial building has various appliances such as a water heater, washing machine or air-conditioning. Even without those, there are still pipes that can get damaged over time, causing water damage to your commercial space. The biggest problem is when these appliances or plumbing get damaged or broken and nobody notices. Then, during off-hours, they can leak a significant amount of water.

Damaged or broken windows

Windows serve the same purpose as the roof – they protect the commercial space and occupants from the external elements. When they work properly, rain water and moisture can’t come inside. But when they are broken e.g., they don’t close properly, moisture and rain water can seep through. The amount of water might not be big enough to cause flooding, but over time, it can do damage to the drywall and provide a good moist environment for mold infestation.

Commercial water damage caused by natural disasters

Water damage in commercial buildings isn’t only caused by internal factors (appliances, sprinkler system, plumbing etc.). Natural disasters such as hurricanes, monsoons, heavy rain and thunderstorms can also cause heavy flooding and clogged gutters. When that happens, the rainwater will flow towards the foundation of the building, damaging it and compromising its structural integrity.

Every business owner can experience the devastating problems caused by commercial water damage. Even though there’s no way to eliminate every source of the threat, knowing the possible causes and contacting an experienced water damage restoration service could help you minimize the impact and repair the damage.


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