Three Water Damage Prevention Tips

7/31/2018 (Permalink)

We all know what water damage to homes and businesses look like after a flood or a heavy rain. Oftentimes, events such as these are unexpected, and if we aren’t prepared for what may happen during a stormy season, we can suffer more water damage than we need to.

• DO REGULAR INSPECTIONS. Take a good look around your home or place of business; are you prepared for wet weather? Do exterior doors fit as tightly as they should, and are both doors and windows properly weather-stripped? The roof of your office or warehouse needs to be well-maintained, too, to protect your machinery, product, and staff furniture from water damage. The parking lot or driveway of your home or business needs to have a well-planned drainage system so that clients, employees, and family members can get to and from their vehicles safely. If people have to wade in from their cars, floors will suffer, and a slip-and-fall accident due to wet floors can be a disaster. Inspect the parking lots of your business regularly for potholes, especially after a storm. If you know you’ll see a lot of run-off from the parking area, consider using sandbags. Low-lying buildings next to a parking lot full of water can end up flooding, and you will want to plan ahead to prevent that from happening.

• DO REGULAR UPKEEP AND MAINTENANCE. Rain gutters and spouts need to be checked on a regular basis. If your rain gutters become clogged with debris such as dead leaves or small branches, they aren’t going to be able to drain away rain water. As water backs up, it can leak back into the walls of your building, sometimes without you knowing it, and you can find yourself with water damage, and even mold. These types of issues can be alleviated by regular maintenance.

• COMMUNICATE WITH PUBLIC SERVICES. Power lines and telephone poles near to your home place of business can be an issue when storm season comes if they are not in good condition. Contact your utilities companies and have them come take a look prior to wet weather to make sure you, your business, and your employees and loved ones will be safe. Be aware of the condition of any large trees on your property. If the grounds of your place of business become saturated, a tree with an unstable root base can fall and create problems for you, your employees, and your customers. Some trees and plants are the city’s responsibility, depending on where they are placed. Make sure you know who to call should the time come.

The team here at SERVPRO of Belle Meade/ West Nashville is standing ready to help in any way we can! We have the expertise to handle water and fire damage, and specialize in mold remediation. If you have sustained water damage to your property, give us a call today at (615) 242-9391, or visit  on our website: SERVPRO of Belle Meade/ West Nashville