A Pipe Burst In My Business Building – What Do I Do?
By: 911 Water Damage Experts
Life can be really good at throwing you some curveballs. And some of those curveballs are so out of the ordinary that you aren’t really sure what to do next. Let’s look at what to do when a pipe bursts at your business.
It’s not something that happens every day, so there isn’t a play-by-play manual of the actions to take next.
Fortunately, there are some basic steps you can take right now to solve the problem.
Keep reading to find out what those are.
Why Pipes Burst In Commercial Buildings
Before we tell you what to do when a pipe bursts at your business, it’s helpful to determine why it has burst in the first place.
You can then prevent it from becoming a problem in the first place. We’ve included some of the most common reasons below.
Corrosion
In older buildings, and even in some new ones, the plumbing consists of copper or galvanized iron. The minerals in the water can eventually wear away that galvanized coating, which leads to the exposure of the metal.
As the metal underneath is not stainless steel, it will start to rust.
This rust can cause significant narrowing in the pipes, leading to their eventual failure.
Cold Weather
We can all handle a little bit of cold weather, but our pipes aren’t as robust as we are.
When water freezes in pipes, it expands. This expansion can cause pressure in the pipes, which can then burst at their weakest point – usually a join.
Loose Brackets And Clips
If the brackets and clips holding your pipes in place work their way loose, the pipes can start moving around when water starts and stops flowing.
You may have noticed a ‘knocking’ sound leading up to the eventual failure of the pipe.
As the pipes are moving around, they are getting weaker and weaker until they eventually fail.
You can combat this problem by replacing the brackets and clips as soon as you notice a strange knocking sound.
Water Pressure Problems
Your pipes are not designed to handle pressure extremes, especially if they are sudden.
They can react by damaging toilets, fixtures, and faucets, while also causing significant pipe and water damage.
Steps To Take When A Pipe At Your Business Fails
Knowing what caused your pipe to burst is just one part of the problem.
You then have to figure out what to do next.
Follow these steps below, and don’t forget to call water damage restoration experts and plumbers to assist.
Step 1: Turn Off The Electricity
As you likely know, water and electricity do not mix. Make sure you turn off the power to the area experiencing flooding or water damage. If the power box is located in the flooded area, contact your utility company to turn it off for you.
Depending on the size of your business, you may be able to keep operations running in other parts of the building while isolating the power supply to a specific area.
Step 2: Identify The Source Of The Leak
If you are lucky, the source of the leak will be easy to find.
You may see a pipe with water pouring out of it.
However, sometimes the problem can be in the walls, so you must follow the building material damage to locate it.
Step 3: Turn Off The Water
To stop the flow of water and prevent further damage, your next course of action is to turn off the water.
If that is not a possibility, contact the emergency maintenance department of your building to have them do it as soon as possible.
Failing that, contact your local council or authority.
Step 4: Start Catching The Water
Even after turning off the water, there will still be water flowing out of the pipes.
You can prevent further damage and flooding by using a large container or buckets to catch the remaining water.
This temporary measure may just save you more money on repairs than you might think.
Step 5: Call The Experts
To take care of your burst pipe in earnest, you are going to need two experts: plumbers and water restoration experts.
Plumbers can identify the faults and flaws in your plumbing and correct them.
This process includes replacing the broken and weakened pipes and fixing or replacing any brackets and clips.
A water damage restoration company can be called upon to dry out your business, replace building materials that have been damaged, and restore your business to its pre-flood condition.
They will also use commercial-grade machines like dehumidifiers to reduce the risk of mold and mildew becoming a problem.
The Cleanup Process
There is still plenty you can do before your chosen experts turn up.
Remove any personal items, essential documents, and electronics from the flooded area to prevent damage or further damage to them.
You can also open windows and doors to allow for air to flow through and kick off the drying process.
Even a portable dehumidifier can be an excellent starting place.
You will likely have a lot of standing water, so you can also start trying to remove as much of this as possible with buckets, mops, and towels.
Even if it doesn’t seem like you’re making a difference, every amount of water you remove is an amount that you can prevent from causing further damage.
File An Insurance Claim
Filing an insurance claim is an essential step for making sure you are not significantly out of pocket for the damage to your building.
The insurance claim can also ensure that the plumbing is paid for, as well.
Don’t forget to take photos of the damage that can strengthen your claim.
Get The Water Restoration Process Underway
After having called a reputable water restoration company, you can watch as they take control of your workplace and start the cleanup effort.
Their job is to remove contaminants that can cause ongoing problems, such as mold, mildew, and dirt.
They can also clean up the flooding, dry out anything that has taken on water, and repair any damage that the flooding has caused.
Most of the best water restoration companies respond quickly to your request for help, so don’t be afraid to call them as soon as you notice that a pipe has burst.
If you have any questions about water damage restoration for your business feel free to call us at 1-833-WE-DRY-IT anytime 24/7/365 or chat with us in near real-time on our Facebook fan page.
