How to Protect Your Business Before, During, and After a Storm

6/18/2023 (Permalink)

To minimize the impact of storms on your business, it is crucial to take proactive measures to protect your property,

Natural disasters can cause significant damage to businesses, and storms are no exception. From strong winds to flooding, storms can cause severe damage that can impact your business's operations and financial stability. To minimize the impact of storms on your business, it is crucial to take proactive measures to protect your property before, during, and after a storm.

Before a Storm:

Develop an Emergency Plan: Developing an emergency plan is essential to protecting your business during a storm. The plan should include steps to protect employees, equipment, and inventory. Ensure that everyone is aware of the plan and conduct regular drills.

Secure Your Property: Secure all outdoor items and ensure that they are stored in a safe place. This includes outdoor furniture, signage, and anything that can be picked up by strong winds.

Backup Critical Data: Store all critical data and information in a secure location to avoid data loss in the event of a storm. Consider using cloud storage for easy access from any location.

During a Storm:

Follow the Emergency Plan: Follow the emergency plan you have developed and stay updated with the latest weather reports.

Protect Employees: Ensure that employees are safe and have access to emergency supplies such as food, water, and first aid kits.

Unplug Electronics: Unplug all electronic devices to prevent damage from power surges.

After a Storm:

Assess Damage: Once the storm has passed, assess the damage to your property and take photos of any damages.

Contact Your Insurance Company: Contact your insurance company immediately to report any damages to your property. Provide them with the necessary documentation, including photos and receipts.

Hire a Professional Restoration Company: Hire a professional restoration company, such as SERVPRO of Temple & Belton, to assess the damage and make the necessary repairs. They have the expertise and equipment to ensure that the job is done correctly and efficiently.

By taking these measures, you can protect your business from the damage caused by storms. Remember, it's always better to be prepared than to suffer the consequences of being caught off guard.

3 Tips for Stop Damage Home Restoration

7/11/2022 (Permalink)

Wooden floor damage due to storm

Follow These Three Tips In The Wake Of A Storm

A home flood in Temple, TX can range from a mild inconvenience that's easy to clean up to a massive disaster with far-reaching effects. Whatever the scale, though, it's crucial to follow these three tips in the wake of a storm. Otherwise, you risk multiplying the damage with problems such as:

• Mold growth
• Mildew growth
• Wood warping
  
  

Tip #1: Ask for Help
The most important first step in the event of a flood in your home is to call your local storm damage restoration company as soon as possible. Mold can start to grow in wet materials in as few as 24 hours, and the growth will accelerate and spread until it is entirely removed by experts. It's also a good idea to call your insurance company for guidance on what steps to take next.

Tip #2: Get Dry
Because fungi like mold can grow so rapidly and on almost any wet surface, after a home flood it is crucial that you get your floors, walls, furniture, upholstery, curtains, and other absorbent materials as fast as you possibly can. Start out by soaking up the surface water, then go over the affected areas with a wet vacuum if you have access to one. Next, crank up your AC or heat, which helps dry out those hard-to-reach nooks and crannies. To go the extra mile, set up a dehumidifier or two to take care of the moisture problem.

Tip #3: Cut Your Losses
Sadly, some furniture and other such household items might not be salvageable, especially if the flooding lasted for an extended period of time.

To prevent mold growth and spread, remove any water-logged furniture, upholstery, carpeting, drapes, and bedding from your home within 24 hours of the flood water receding. Sentimental or important papers and photos should be sealed in a plastic bag and frozen until a professional can thaw and restore them.

To avoid further damage, the important thing is to act quickly and get help as soon as possible in the wake of a home flood.

Selecting Shutters

6/28/2022 (Permalink)

Prepare for severe winds by learning about the best window protection for your home and environment.

Choosing Shutters

Many homeowners aren’t aware of the wide variety of styles and functions available in modern-day window protection mechanisms. Guard against high winds and other weather conditions in Belton, TX, by learning about different shutter types.

1. Storm Panel

The most inexpensive option for most areas and window types are called storm panel shutters. This model is not attached to the home by default and, under normal conditions, will be stored in a garage or outbuilding. Storm panels are typically made of a single piece of aluminum or steel, and are usually corrugated for extra strength. One panel piece is mounted to brackets on each window before a major storm. Although storm panels are cheap and don’t interfere with the default look of your home, they require more preparation time during emergency conditions.

2. Rolling and Accordion

The roll-down, roll-up, and accordion panel categories are somewhat more costly, but come with the natural advantage that your windows can be covered immediately in the event of high winds. This is because these models are made of strong and flexible steel or polycarbonate materials. This allows the entire panel to fold or roll away into a box or cavity near the window. During dangerous weather, the shutters can be drawn across the window manually, or in some cases, via an electrical motor. They then lock at the opposite side of the window for extra security.

3. Traditional

For the homeowner with additional aesthetic concerns, colonial and Bahama shutter designs provide even more options. These can be constructed from conventional materials like wood while still providing adequate storm protection. Colonial shutter panels are simply left open when not in use and provide a classic look. Bahama storm shutters can be propped open to create an awning during sunny weather.

Be prepared for high winds by understanding the best window safeguards for your home and environment. Sufficient foresight can prevent the need for storm damage cleanup later on.

How To Be a Good Landlord

4/25/2022 (Permalink)

Your tenants trust you to be honest with them. If you say that a plumbing issue will be fixed within a day, you need to keep your word.

What Makes A Good Landlord?

Being a landlord in Marlin, TX, can be a rewarding career. However, it is also a lot of work. You need to maintain the plumbing system and keep your property in good condition. You also must make sure your tenants are happy. Here are some ways to improve your job performance.

1. Emphasize Safety

Your tenants and future renters need to feel protected on your property. You also do not want vandals damaging the premises. You should thus take necessary steps to deter criminal activity. Consider hiring security guards or installing cameras. At the very least, you should trim your landscape and add exterior lighting.

2. Train Your Staff

One bad employee can lead to many complaints and potentially sink your business. Make sure each worker is right for your company before hiring him or her. The employees should also be fully trained and receive an orientation booklet. This way, they will know exactly what you expect of them.

3. Be Present

Do not wait for your tenants to complain about plumbing problems or other concerns. Stay on your property as much as possible and check it regularly. This will help you be proactive. For instance, if you notice a small leak in one of the pipes, you can have commercial plumbing professionals fix the issue immediately.

4. Write Everything Down

Your word is not sufficient, and neither is your tenant's. Any important agreements, including leases and repair invoices, should be kept in writing.

5. Keep Promises

Your tenants trust you to be honest with them. If you say that a plumbing issue will be fixed within a day, you need to keep your word. The above landlord tips should keep tenants satisfied for the duration of their lease.

Your positive reputation will spread, leading more renters to seek out your building in the future. This should help you continue to grow your property management business.

What Is a Flood Cut?

3/20/2022 (Permalink)

Indoor flooding can cause multiple potentially serious issues. Begin drying immediately to minimize as much damage as possible.

What Exactly Is A Flood Cut?

When your Chilton, TX, building floods, whether a result of heavy rainfall, a burst pipe or another type of disaster, flood cleanup must begin immediately. Flooding can lead to numerous problems (e.g., contamination, mold growth) to various materials and surfaces, even drywall. Drywall will probably require you or storm damage cleanup professionals to perform a flood cut because water can soak in and through it, making it impossible to dry. This can shortly lead to mold growth.

Here's how to complete a flood cut:

1. Remove Excess Water First, you'll need to stop the water flow and extract all of the standing water. Drywall soaks up water, so the water will wick up and through the wall. This means you'll also need to remove water-soaked carpet and padding and clear the affected area as much as possible to reduce humidity.
2. Shut Off Electricity Turn off electricity at the breaker box and remove electrical outlets that were not affected by moisture. Any outlets that have been exposed to water should be removed and disposed of.
3. Measure Then, you'll need to determine how much drywall to remove. If the water level was less than two-and-a-half feet, you need to cut out the drywall to a height of four feet. A higher water level than two-and-a-half feet requires a tear out at the height of eight feet.
4. Cut and Remove Drywall Using chalk, mark a straight line where you're going to cut above the line of the flooding. With a utility knife, cut about half-way through the drywall's thickness. Carefully loosen and remove this piece. Then, remove all of the insulation behind it.
5. Dry the Area When all of the affected material is removed, you can use fans, blowers and dehumidifiers to dry the area.

Indoor flooding can cause multiple potentially serious issues. Begin drying immediately to minimize as much damage as possible.

Does My Business Need Flood Insurance?

3/19/2022 (Permalink)

Ask your lender about their flood insurance requirements and check out your flood maps. A little advance knowledge can save a fortune in the long run.

Is Flood Insurance Required for My Business?

Commercial insurance isn’t just about protecting property, it’s also important for peace of mind. Knowing your business is protected allows you to focus on what you do best: growing an enterprise.

In some cases, it’ll be required, particularly if you have a lender or investors. However, most insurance policies don’t cover flood damage. To get coverage in Academy, TX, you’ll have to purchase a flood insurance policy.

What Is a Flood Policy?

Flood coverage is designed to pick up where other policies leave off. When a flood strikes your business, it covers most of the indoor damage, including:

• Appliances
• Electrical and plumbing
• Structural damage
• Carpet and cabinetry
• Foundation repair

Specifically exempted from coverage is outside improvements such as landscaping. Also, if a sewer backup happens and it isn’t caused by a flood, the flood policy won’t cover it. The flood policy is meant to be in addition to a standard commercial insurance policy, not a replacement for it.

What Businesses Require It?

Generally, there are no laws mandating coverage. if your lender or investors want you to have it, that’s when it’s required. Most lenders won’t expect you to have flood coverage unless you’re in a high-risk flood zone. You can also ask your local restoration experts about flood-prone areas.
Any building in a floodplain or the 100-year flood zone is going to be considered high-risk. You can look at FEMA’s flood maps online or consult with local authorities to determine what areas are at risk.

Do You Need It if It’s Not Required?

If you’re in a flood zone, you almost certainly should get a flood policy. Flood insurance is subsidized by the government, and because of the subsidies, most experts say it makes financial sense in flood-prone areas.

If you’re not in a flood zone, it’s a tough call.

Most buildings not in a high-risk zone are statistically unlikely to need coverage. However, a flash flood can happen anywhere, so the peace of mind might be worth it.

Ask your lender about their flood insurance requirements and check out your flood maps. A little advance knowledge can save a fortune in the long run.