Storms are unpredictable. They happen in different areas, especially where there are extreme weather conditions. When a storm strikes, most commercial areas are affected and suffer huge losses. However, business owners need to be ready and prepared for such a disaster. That’s why they should hire a natural disaster recovery company to help them through storm damage and restore their company. Experienced recovery and construction companies leave the commercial places in their condition before the storm hit.
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Types of Damages Caused by Storms
According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, any damage caused by storms results from flash flooding due to rains, lightning strikes, and high winds. Intense storms cause immense destruction to business properties. It would be best if business owners took appropriate safety precautions because severe storms can lead to injuries or even deaths. Below are several types of damages caused by a storm.
Hail Damage
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOOA), hail damage can destroy property worth $1 billion in a year. Storms produce different sizes of hail that cause damage to commercial areas. They cause damage such as breaking windows and roof damage.
Tornado Damage
Tornadoes are destructive forces with winds ranging between 110 to 200 miles per hour. Strong tornado winds and the debris it carries cause massive destruction to buildings. Commercial places spend lots of money to repair damages caused by a tornado.
Flood Damage
Storms come along with heavy rains, which occur within a short time and cause flash floods. NOOA reported that flash floods kill at least 146 people each year. Flash floods also cause severe structural damages to commercial buildings.
Lightning Damage
When lightning strikes a building, its current can pass through the building’s wiring. It can cause extensive damage to items plugged into an outlet such as computers. Again, it can spark fires, which can cause destruction and losses in a property.
Steps to Storm Damage Cleanup and Restoration in Commercial Areas
Businesses can be large or small. However, the length of time needed for storm damage cleanup and restoration depends on the damage caused to the building. If there was both fire and water damage, it could take longer. Restoration companies should be keen on every cleanup step to avoid future injuries. Below are the steps to follow during a storm damage cleanup and restoration.
Contact a Restoration Company
After experiencing storm damage, business owners should contact emergency services. It’s best when a business owner has a specific company to handle storm damage whenever it occurs. The best restoration firms are those that are available 24/7 because storms are unprecedented. However, they should also contact a trusted firm that can handle their property with the utmost care.
It would be best if business owners didn’t touch anything on their damaged property and let the restoration company handle everything. The restoration companies collect enough evidence that business owners can use to claim compensation. This helps them get reasonable compensation depending on the extent of storm damage on their property. If these firm owners tamper with the evidence, they might never get compensation from the insurance firms.
Storm Damage Inspection
Before handling the storm damage, storm damage experts take a thorough inspection of the affected property. They check the areas affected and if there are fire and water damage. They also look if the windows, roof, and other building structures have been damaged by hail and tornado and the extent of the damage. They are also careful to see if there are any fire damages in the building.
During the inspection, the technicians take pictures and videos because they work directly with their insurance companies. They ensure to collect all the evidence needed by firm owners to claim compensation. After inspection, the restoration company is ready to offer restoration services before the water damage worsens.
Water Mitigation
Restoration firms begin the water mitigation process immediately after inspection. They block any place where stormwater could be flowing through into the building. Then, they remove any items that were affected by the stormwater from the building. They work fast to ensure that business owners recover several items from their property.
These technicians disinfect all the affected items using high-quality sanitizing agents. The business owner can choose to order disinfectant and sanitizing supplies online for the technicians to use. This helps to stop the growth of mold on these items, such as furniture. Mold build-up causes extensive damage on items if left for a prolonged period.
Water Extraction
The next step is to extract any stormwater from the building. Restoration companies use the latest equipment to remove water from the building. If water is left for a prolonged time, it can cause extensive damages. That’s why these technicians act quickly and extract all the water from the commercial property. Water damage causes mold build-up. This can cause damages such as rotting of wood, rusting of steel, stained walls, and causes a foul odor. Learn more about mold remediation in this Premier Restoration website: https://premiererestorationmn.com/services/mold-remediation/
Clean Up and Repair
Storm damage can include depositing debris in the affected property. These professional technicians remove all the waste and start the necessary repairs of windows, doors, roof and any other structural repairs required. They also remove all the water in the property and ensure the building is dry to prevent mold growth. They follow specific steps during clean-up and repair to ensure that they carry out the process correctly. Again, if there was fire damage, these technicians repair the damaged structure and also the wiring.
Structural Drying
After clean up and repair, the technicians monitor if there’s any humidity in the building. If moisture remains, it can cause the growth of mold that causes losses in the future. They remove all the moisture and sanitize the affected areas in the building. Removing all the water and leaving the building dry prevents secondary water damage that leaves the floor and walls out of shape.
Restoration and Remodeling
At this stage, professional technicians deal with final repairs in the commercial building. This step determines how fast the business starts running again. Technicians must repair the building using high-quality materials so that the business owner won’t require other repairs sooner. Quality materials save business owners lots of money.
Sometimes, storm damages are extensive and require the walls to be brought down. Therefore, new construction is needed. Restoration services have structural engineers who ensure that the new structure is built right. A robust building is a great place to work in because those around it are safe.
After the building is complete, a retaining wall engineer could suggest constructing a retaining wall that holds the soil together around the building. It has a pressure that contains back large amounts of water. This wall is built using treated timbers, poured concrete, rocks or boulders, and concrete blocks. However, the retaining wall project varies according to how the engineer needs it.
Restoration companies ensure the property is ready for business. They also advise business owners about maintenance tips for commercial gates so that they last longer. These gates are opened and closed several times daily. Thus, they need maintenance to avoid frequent repairs and replacements. A strong gate also provides security to the entire property.
Because storm damage happens instantly, business owners should always look for warning signs and take precautions. Though it’s challenging to prevent the commercial property from severe storm damages, the employees and other staff are safe from storm disasters. This prevents injuries and deaths caused by storm damages. Again, hiring the right restoration company ensures business owners of excellent restoration services and compensation from their insurance companies.
