Whether you’re a business owner, landlord, or facilities manager, natural disasters and extreme weather can pose a significant threat to your office building.
Preventing flooding in your office building is critical, so keep reading to learn how to keep your office dry and open even during the rainiest times of the year.
1. Be informed by understanding what causes floods
Some of the most important things to be mindful of when preparing your office for potential flooding are deforestation, poor use of your land, land relief (the elevation difference between the highest and lowest points of land), and heavy or extensive rainfall.To work around these, stay up to date on the weather and be aware of your office location. Make sure you know whether or not your office is in a flood zone, as this will help you stay prepared for the worst.
2. Run a thorough property inspection
Compile an inspection list by checking your office against a flood damage checklist. This will help to show you what areas of your office are most vulnerable and where to install preventative measures if necessary.You could also work with a professional, even with higher costs. The upfront expenses might be overwhelming, but they would be less than the cost of repairing flood damage in the long run. Treat it as you would an investment.
No water damage is the best type, so make sure you’re doing everything possible to prevent a disaster!
3. Try landscaping to prevent flooding
You might not consider landscaping to help prevent flood damage, but there are ways in which you can use the landscaping on your surrounding property to divert floodwaters away from your office building.For example, if your office sits at the bottom of a slope, level the earth around your office so that water doesn’t run directly toward your building. You can also use native plants to block or absorb floodwaters and plant grass to further absorb the excess moisture.
If your office building is too vulnerable to flooding, consider relocating to a higher elevation.
4. Repair your office foundation (and perform a basement check)
If your office has a basement, this is likely the most vulnerable area of your office building. Prevent leaking from beneath by plugging and patching foundation walls, use caulk to fill cracks in the walls, and install a system that will keep your basement and office dry. You can also hire a professional company like BluSky Restoration for this purpose.If you’re interested in learning more about how you can repair a cracked foundation, you can contact a professional construction company like FMP Construction.
5. Clean your gutter and roof
Cleaning the roof and gutters of your office building is no easy task, but it's essential to ensure that water isn’t allowed to build up anywhere on your property.Use leaf blowers to clear off loose debris and a rake to get it into bags for composting. Use a wet or dry vacuum to make cleaning your gutters more straightforward and a power washer to clean out the junk from the hard-to-reach spots.
If you don’t have access to a power washer, you can still make your life easier by using a garden hose. In the worst case, you can always clean it all by hand.
5. Your HVAC system should be up to date
To save yourself from significant expenses after a flood, ensure your HVAC system is entirely up to date. If it’s older than 15 years, smells or sounds odd, it might be time for an update. If your energy bill is much bigger than it should be, or your air filters are filthy too often, it’s also probably time for an update.Your HVAC system is highly vulnerable to flooding, so it must be completely airtight and functioning.
