Tips for New Jersey Businesses Battling Water Damage

11/22/2022 (Permalink)

Tips for New Jersey Businesses Battling Water Damage

One of the worst types of damage to a commercial business is water damage. Depending on the type of water damage, it could be extremely dangerous and detrimental to the safety of your employees and the structure of your building. We understand the concern, so we wanted to provide you with some tips for our local Hoboken and Union City businesses who are battling water damage to put your mind at ease.

Identify the Type of Damage

The source of the water damage makes a big difference in how the damage is mitigated. Identifying the source is the first step. There are generally three different types of water damage.

Clean Water Damage

Clean water damage is provoked by a broken appliance, faulty sprinklers, burst pipe, rainwater, etc. Although this type of water damage isn’t dangerous, per say, if it is not treated correctly, mold could develop - causing it to become a danger.

Gray Water Damage

Gray water damage is considered unsanitary due to the source or the amount of time it has been stagnant. This water damage is usually caused by a broken toilet, washing machine, or anything that could leak hazardous chemicals.

Black Water Damage

Black water damage is the most hazardous water to deal with. This comes from a natural disaster or a sewage problem. If your commercial business was affected by a storm, it’s important to seek professional help right away to avoid additional damage and clean up so you can get your business up and running again. 

Note: Gray and black water damage is not signified by color. It is typically a rating system to decipher the severity of the damage. For example, a lake is not black in color, but would be considered black water due to the unknown bacteria and contents living within it.

Alert Your Business’ Insurance Company

As soon as the damage occurs, it’s important to alert your insurance company to submit a claim. After doing so, you may reach out to a professional to start the cleaning process. Whether it be water damage of any type or mold removal, SERVPRO of Hoboken/Union City can handle it all. We can also assist in making sure that your damaged property has been properly submitted to your insurance company. 

Act to Avoid Further Damage

If you’re in your commercial business building while a storm is causing a flood or if a pipe bursts, it’s important to try to get ahead of it as quickly as possible to avoid further damage. For example, try to block where the water is coming from, mop or throw towels down to try to keep up with it, and make sure you have a dehumidifier to run after you’ve successfully cleaned up the water. This will all help in the moment and should assist with protection of further damage.

Think Ahead

Along with a first aid kit, you should also have a flood control kit somewhere in your building in preparation. This kit should include sandbags, a wet vacuum, buckets, tarps, and mops. This will help in preparation of a natural disaster coming your way or help clean up a clean water incident. 

Let SERVPRO of Hoboken/Union City Help You Recover from Water and Storm Damage

At SERVPRO, we can help you recover from water damage resulting from a winter natural disaster. We’ll take care of plumbing leaks, flooding, roof leaks, sewer or toilet backups, fire damage, and much more. If water damage has already resulted in mold and mildew, we have services and skilled personnel that can be of assistance with mold remediation. We hope this blog helped you learn more about how to prepare your home for New Jersey’s winter storms.

We’re Highly Trained Water Damage Specialists

As leaders in the water damage industry, we have advanced training and expertise as well as a tremendous amount of hands-on experience. We use this training and experience to quickly dry your commercial business and restore it back to pre-water damage condition. Our process includes documentation of the drying process to validate the property is dry. Learn about our water damage training and certificates here!

Reach out with any and all of your questions and inquiries: (201) 656-0035

About SERVPRO Team Harvey

SERVPRO of Hoboken/Union City is proudly owned by Lance and Jennifer Harvey - a husband and wife duo that owns three other SERVPRO locations, including SERVPRO of Aberdeen/Holmdel, SERVPRO of West Somerset County, and SERVPRO of Lower Manhattan. 

We understand the stress and worry that comes with a fire or water damage and the disruption it causes your home or business. Our goal is to help minimize the interruption to your life and quickly make it “like it never even happened.”