Preventing Wind & Storm Damage in Northbridge, MA

9/19/2018 (Permalink)

Summer and fall weather in New England can be unpredictable. High-velocity winds, hurricanes, and severe thunderstorms can damage your business property in a matter of minutes. Here are a few preventive measures from SERVPRO of Southern Worcester County that can help lower the risk of damage to your commercial property and save you money in repairs and lost productivity.

Protect Your Roof

To make sure your company's roof is protected against wind damage, have it inspected for the following:

• Shingles need to be wind and impact resistant. They also need to be securely nailed down and fitted tightly together.
• Make sure the connection between the roof and walls is tight enough to keep updrafts from lifting off the roof.
• HVAC units, skylights, and pipes are tightly affixed and would not be blown off.

Exterior Walls and Doors

• Ensure the building is well-sealed to prevent the wind from getting in cracks and crevices, causing interior damage.
• Check Siding and windows to be sure they are tightly attached.
• All entry doors are triple-hinged and secured with a deadbolt lock for maximum windstorm protection. Overhead doors are braced sufficiently and able to withstand high winds.

Outdoor & Indoor Areas

• Everything you have stored outside (such as equipment, inventory, and supplies) is anchored or can be easily moved inside if a storm approaches.
• Dumpsters, outdoor lighting fixtures, and fencing are secured.
• Large shrubs and trees close to your building are healthy and unlikely to damage the building
• If your building has a basement, make sure that basement windows and doors have built-up barriers or flood shields to prevent water damage.

What to do After a Storm

• Remove standing water and all moist materials, such as wet, damaged flooring or rugs, carpet, personal property, stock, equipment or inventory, and consult a licensed building professional who can determine the extent of the repairs necessary.
• Board up damaged windows and doors.
• After you have dealt with the immediate crises, contact your insurance agent to report the loss and obtain advice about restoration. Depending on your policy, commercial property insurance should cover any damage to your building or other business property caused by a windstorm.

The outside of the building may have survived the storm, but inside water intrusion may have soaked documents, computers and other valuable supplies. Water damage can threaten the ability to quickly bounce back after a storm. Should your building become damaged by a catastrophic event such as wind-driven rain, take appropriate actions to prevent further water damage by calling SERVPRO of Southern Worcester County at (508) 234-3399!