Oh No! Water is everywhere!

Take for example, a recent flood at a local pet grooming business, here in Fallston, MD 21047.  Upon opening for the day, one of the employees encountered several inches of water on the floor of the business.

This led to several phone calls:

• 1^st call, to the owner to find the water shut off immediately to stop the water from flowing and creating damage.  You have to stop the source before you begin proper cleanup.
• 2^nd call, to Elegant Restoration, to professionally remove the standing water, dry the affected areas, and to assess secondary damages to the property. This includes flooring, walls and equipment.
• 3^rd call, to the two tenants who were neighbors of the grooming business, one on the left: the other, on the right.

Luckily, the grooming business owner had direct contact information and established a relationship with the adjacent business owners.

Having direct contact information with the other business owners meant they were reached quickly and could be onsite to assess the damage to their own business suites and begin the cleanup process.

The plumber was able to quickly locate and stop the flow of water, and the Elegant Restoration Team was onsite within minutes to begin the cleanup process.  Extracting the standing water, treating wet surfaces to prevent microbial growth, setting fans and dehumidifiers was needed to begin the cleanup process.

Often in commercial properties, with block construction, commercial flooring, and very little in soft furnishings that quickly soak up and hold water, the simple removal of standing water and subsequent drying may be all that’s needed.  It comes down to how long the water was present and how deep.

In this case, the response time was fast, but there was sufficient water depth that had risen over the base moldings and started penetrating the drywall and insulation.  Having one, trusted Team for all the affected properties…Elegant Restoration…meant the sizeable damage that occurred to the groomers, as well as the lesser damage to the adjacent neighbors could be tackled all at once.  The neighbors, a Package Goods Store and a Physical Therapy Center, were not as significantly impacted as the groomers and were able to keep their businesses open and operational.

Loss of inventory, as seen above, and the *potential* for significant, expensive equipment repair/replacement were the casualties here.  The quick response by all parties involved meant both of these businesses were more inconvenienced than having severe damage.

It is important to know where you stand as an individual business owner in a situation like this.  A thorough understanding of your Business Insurance Policy is extremely important and the Commercial Lease can address the following questions that will naturally follow:

• My neighbor ‘caused’ the flooding.  Not my problem.  Why should I have to pay for this? 
• And the flipside: Sure, my business was flooded, but I shouldn’t be financially responsible for my neighbor’s property; that’s what their insurance is for.
• And: Where does my landlord fit into all of this?

Understand your insurance policy and know if you have loss of business in your policy.  This can help you receive funding to pay your staff and creditors during the drying and rebuild phase of your building.  Do your research and know where you stand.

Be a good neighbor.  Get to know your business neighbors before an emergency happens.

At Elegant Restoration, we would rather know someone, their business, their people, and their business model before disaster strikes.  It is about the relationship and understanding the specific of each business and building.

Why?

Because this means a much more targeted approach and a much faster response to any emergency call.  It can mean the difference between a minor customer service interruption, and a long closure for cleanup and repairs.

You can’t prevent all disasters, but with the Elegant Restoration Disaster ERP Plan in place, you can build a relationship with a trusted partner who can assist you in preparing for disaster awareness and rapid disaster recovery.  You can also learn valuable information about your building like where key services and critical shutoffs are located.  With a Trusted Partner who is only a phone call away, you can rest easier, knowing Elegant Restoration, Inc is your trusted partner and ready to assist you when you need it most.

Bob Sansbury,
Commercial Account Partner
Elegant Restoration