You Don’t Have to Build an Ark to Prepare For a Flood
From considerable flooding to invisible yet destructive leakage, unwanted or excess water can cause significant problems for facility managers. Despite a business’s best efforts, spills, leaks, and floods are real possibilities in any building, and the subsequent water damage can devastate a company that is not prepared for such occurrences.
The first step in addressing water damage is knowing its causes. Only by thoroughly evaluating the ways in which your building is vulnerable to water damage, will you be able to protect your critical documents and technical equipment, and limit costly structural damage. While external factors such as severe weather and natural disasters play a role, many elements within your building can also contribute to damage. These include:
- Backed up or blocked drains and toilets
- Hoses and pipe joints that are not fully attached
- Basement or roof areas in which moisture can accumulate and cause mold and rotting
- Leaks from faulty or malfunctioning appliances, water heaters, or manufacturing equipment
- Unmaintained heating, ventilating, and air conditioning units
Despite the wide range of threats listed above, there are some simple ways in which you can decrease both the likelihood and extent of water damage in your facility. All businesses should:
- Conduct regular inspections on equipment and exposed pipes
- Make sure all employees know where the water shut-off valves are located
- Store critical documents, records, and other paperwork in waterproof cabinets, and back-up electronic files on a consistent basis
In case of a water event, there are several essential products that Industrial Supply offers and recommends businesses have on hand. When not in use, the following items are small, lightweight, and easily stored. All can help you contain and remove water damage:
- Flood Barriers: These sorbent-based products are chemically formulated to pick up many times their weight in liquid. Once expanded, they form a long, impervious dam to contain water.
- Water Absorbent Pads and Socks: Also a sorbent-based product, pads come in different sizes, and can be placed in any location to protect floors and hard surfaces from drips, leaks, and plumbing issues.
- Ceiling Leak Diverters: These diverters can be easily attached to the ceiling to immediately drain water from overhead leaks to a safe spot. They come in a variety of sizes, and some are even designed to fit directly into the tracks of drop ceilings.
- By being aware of the causes, engaging in routine preventive measures, and having the appropriate tools on hand, you can limit your business’s risk of water damage. Industrial Supply Company has a skilled and knowledgeable staff ready to help in assessing your facility’s water damage risk and help educate about the products that can help in the unfortunate case of a leak or flood. Please contact an Industrial Supply customer service representative for more information about flood prevention or visit Meltblown Technologies, one of our trusted vendors, for more prevention tips.
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