Top 5 causes of commercial water damage

8/29/2018 (Permalink)

Commercial water damage in clothing store.

Flooding can happen very quickly. What starts out as a small storm can suddenly turn into something larger, and cause a lot more damage than anyone expected. If your commercial property isn’t in pristine condition, there is a chance that water damage will occur. For example, a small leak on the roof can turn into a large downpour of water that floods an entire section of the property.

Damaged appliances. Pretty much every office building has a kitchen or a break room. And typically these rooms have a refrigerator and possibly a dishwasher. When these appliances fail, they can leak a significant amount of water, flooding the entire room or more.

Backed up sewer lines. Bathrooms are another source of possible problems. It is not uncommon for the sewer lines to get backed up, releasing contaminated water into the building. This type of water damage is extremely dangerous because the water is filled with hazardous waste and other contaminants.

Malfunctioning sprinklers. By law, all commercial properties must be equipped with an overhead sprinkler system. This system works in conjunction with the fire alarm, and is typically activated when the fire alarm goes off. This can cause water damage in two ways. First, as we mentioned in a previous blog post, any time there is a fire and the sprinklers activate, there will be water damage. And second, the sprinkler system can malfunction and activate on its own. When this happens, significant water damage can occur because of the fact that the sprinkler system covers the entire building.

Broken pipes. Broken or cracked pipes are very common in commercial buildings, especially as they age. When these pipes burst open, water rushes out of them, spraying throughout the building. This can cause damage to the ceiling, walls, and flooring, not to mention any furniture or electronics that get in the water’s way.