Dealing With the Aftermath of Broken Pipes in a Commercial Facility

8/13/2021 (Permalink)

If the broken pipe is not fixed, further damages can come to your Colorado Springs, CO, business building.

While most commercial facilities can experience a lifetime of business without dealing with bursting pipes throughout the facility, these problems do occur. Broken pipes are typically more common in facilities without temperature control and during the winter months, but such situations can occur at any time and with little warning.

When breaks occur, it is crucial to quickly deal with the problem to limit inventory and property damage. Businesses should contact a licensed water mitigation company in Colorado Springs, CO, for more information and to begin the recovery process. In the meantime, there are a few steps a business owner can take in the interim:

• Shut off the water supply
• Dry the affected area
• Remove valuable and salvageable inventory and assets

Remove the Water Source

Before a company can fix a broken pipe, it is necessary to eliminate the primary source of concern: the flowing water. A property manager should want to limit the risks of further flooding or inventory damage. If possible, cut off the water supply by only closing the valve to the affected area. If a controlled shutdown is not possible, locate the water main for the property and turn that off instead.

The primary concern is to stop the rush of water into other areas of the facility and to allow the swift removal of spillage from affected spaces. Bursting pipes can cause a lot of damage and quickly, so take care to acknowledge and account for any potential threats to you or your worker’s safety.

Do Not Allow Water To Sit For Too Long

The longer water spills out of the pipes, the more water damage in Colorado Springs, CO, will accumulate. Additionally, if you leave the water to pool and stand in an area, the more primary and secondary damage the property will experience.

The water spilling out of a broken pipe is most likely clean, but that does not mean the damage to the property is limited to minor issues. Mold is a significant concern after water leaks, and it can be costly and challenging to repair.

Removing water and drying the space quickly is essential to limit mold risks. However, unless you are sure the water damage results from a clean source and the area is safe for entry, leave the cleanup to the professionals.

Move Valuable and Salvageable Items to a Safe Dry Space

Once the affected area is dry and professionals have deemed it safe to enter, you and your team can begin removing inventory and assets. If there are any dry, unaffected items, it is best to start with these. For any objects in contact with the water, it is often best to work with a mitigation specialist to determine salvageability. Depending on the severity of the flooding, you will not manage to save everything, but a professional can help you select the items with the best repair potential.

While not every business will need to deal with burst pipes, those that do need to realize that a quick response is crucial to reducing the level of damage sustained. Following the above steps can help reduce many of your concerns and limit the odds of severe secondary damage.