4 Common Types of Office Water Damage

9/28/2020 (Permalink)

Dealing with water damage in your office building can be a huge headache and displace operations for days.

Many businesses pride themselves on their images, working hard to ensure their office space reflects the fact they are a hardworking, reputable business. Current or potential clients may meet in your office and make first impressions based off how well maintained it is, whether or not it is a professional environment, and if it reflects the work ethic of the company.

What would a potential client think if they noticed water stained ceiling tiles, musty smells, or leaky toilets and sinks when visiting your office? It's likely they may be put off by the impression your office gives off, and that it somehow reflects the level of service you may provide them.

Properly maintaining your office is highly important when it comes to water damage, as it can create unsightly damages, unwanted smells, and even structural issues. Here, we will go over the 4 most common types of office water damage to look out for to keep your image in tip-top shape.

4 Common Types of Water Damage in Office Buildings

1 | Water damaged ceiling tiles

Ceiling stains almost always indicate some sort of water leak in your office. These are usually tan or brown in appearance and will darken over time. If left unaddressed, water damaged ceiling tiles may even begin to produce mold growth as the moisture creates an environment for mold spores and other bacteria to thrive. Common causes of water damaged ceiling tiles include:

• Leaking HVAC components
• Roof leaks
• Ice dams

Water damaged ceiling tiles should be inspected once the discoloration is noticed by someone in your office. This way, whatever source of water that is causing the damages can be fixed and prevent the issue from becoming worse.

To restore water damaged ceiling tiles in your office, there are a few options:

For minor surface or cosmetic water damage, you can get on a ladder and spray the affected ceiling tile with a 1:1 solution of bleach and water. Wait a half hour for the tile to dry and repeat until the stain is gone. You can also paint over the stains, but this will not do anything to ensure that there is no bacteria or mold spores left behind.

For more severely water damaged tiles, it is best to throw them away and replace them with new ones. In these cases, the affected tiles are likely to harbor mold growth and other contaminants and may produce a musty odor over time.

2 | Faulty appliances

A major cause of water damage in offices is faulty appliances. This can range from refrigerators, to water heaters, or even water coolers. It's never a good feeling to get into work at 7 AM and finding your office flooded. To prevent this, you should take steps to ensure regular maintenance of appliances to prevent them from failing on you and causing extensive water damage.

3 | Broken or burst pipes

In older office buildings, this type of water damage is more prevalent, especially in the winter months. When water runs through pipes they slightly expand and contract depending on temperature and over time may cause it to burst or leak - especially when pipes freeze.

If your office experiences a burst or leaking pipe, the best course of action is to turn off the water supply to stop flooding, call a plumber, and then call a water damage restoration company to handle the flood cleanup and drying process for you.

4 | Toilet overflows or backups

Perhaps the most smelly and gross type of water damage that can effects offices, toilet overflows or sewer backups can cause a large amount of damage and require extensive cleanup and disinfection. This type of water damage should always be handled by a certified biohazard specialists, as contaminated water can make you seriously ill if you don't know how to properly handle it.

Water Damage? Call SERVPRO 24/7 - 203-707-1952

SERVPRO of Westport/Fairfield is a 24/7 damage restoration company specializing in fire, water, mold and COVID-19 residential and commercial services. Whatever your damage, we work hard to make it "Like it never even happened."