How Do You Deal with a Flooded Office in Houston? 

It's terrible for businesses to experience flooding since it means shutting down because of the damage to the office. In addition to the cost of repairs, you will also have to account for lost income. Consequently, it is vital that you act quickly to restore your business to full operations. The following steps will help you restore your office if it is underwater. 

Safety Always Comes First 

Whenever you are faced with a crisis situation like this, safety should always come first. In a flood situation, electrical devices pose the greatest threat, so turn off the power to the building first. If at all possible, don't turn on any electrical devices or lights. Be aware of your surroundings and proceed with caution when navigating the building. For instance, keep a safe distance from sagging ceilings and avoid walking under them directly. Avoid using electrical appliances while standing on wet surfaces. 

Saving expensive equipment from water damage, such as computers, may seem like a good idea, but this can be dangerous. It is dangerous to carry or unplug electrical equipment, even if it is not switched on. You need to accept that the damage was already done at this point, and safety should always come first. Once the building's power has been shut off, everyone should get outside and decide what to do next. 

Switch Off the Water Supply 

The water supply must be shut off as soon as possible when there is a leak causing a flood. Most water supply valves are located outside the building and require a key to operate. The valve key should be kept in an accessible place so that you are prepared should a flood occur.

Save Anything That You Can 

Once the building is secure and the water has been turned off, you should try to save anything not yet damaged. Keep in mind that all electrical equipment should be left untouched. Before water damage occurs, remove items like furniture, documents around your office, and paintings and pictures hanging on the walls. The items should be taken outside to dry. You cannot repair most items in the office, but anything that can be salvaged will help you save money if you renovate the office again.

Call A Restoration Company 

In the aftermath of minimizing the damage and attempting to save some items, you'll need to begin repairing the office. Stormwater or burst pipe water removal should be handled by a professional company. The water can be pumped out as soon as possible before further damage occurs. The sooner you call in a professional to remove the water, the less damage will be done and the faster the office can be repaired and the business reopened.

Carry Out an Inventory Of The Building 

Next, you must determine exactly what you lost in the flood and what you will need to replace so that you can calculate how much it will cost. A list of all the items in the office should already exist; if not, create one right now. Compare everything with the inventory and mark off anything that can't be repaired. After that, you can begin adding up the cost of replacing computer equipment and furniture. You can also determine who should be contacted for repairs by observing the damage to the actual building. What is the condition of the carpet? What's happening with the walls? Is there any water leaking? Do ceilings suffer from this problem? After you have a list of all the damage, you can start devising a plan to repair it.

Put Your Plan into Action 

Now is the time to put that plan into action. Whenever there is a leak, the first person you should call is a plumber since you need to ensure that all of the pipes are secure and that there won't be another leak when you turn on the water again. If your building is damp, you will need to contact damp specialists. You need to hire people to work on the interiors of a structure after it is structurally sound.

Boost Defenses 

Once your business is up and running again, you should consider strengthening your defenses in case another flood occurs. Maintaining pipes means spotting leaks and preventing them from occurring again. If you live in a flood-prone area, you should install more flood defenses around your building. 

When your business is affected by flooding, it's never a good time. But by following these steps and taking action quickly, you can get things back to normal quickly.

Give Restoration1 Central Houston a call if your office has been flooded or has suffered water damage from flooding so we can help you get back up and running!