What To Do If My Business Floods

What To Do If My Business Floods

Have you ever asked yourself, what should i do if my business floods? Well, we ahve some valuable advice for you that can certainly help.

When we think of flooding, pictures of homes and the people who live in them often come to mind. However, businesses can also be devastated by the impact of high water. Here’s how to cope if your operation is struck by flood waters.

Preparing for a Flood

Flooding can occur anytime and anywhere. The best defense is to be prepared for a flood emergency.

Get flood insurance. You will need it. Keep in mind that it typically takes 30 days for an insurance policy to kick in. Check out the National Flood Insurance Program webpage for more information.

Have a business continuity plan. You must have a plan of action in case of a flood emergency. If you already have one, get together the resources you need to secure business operations. If you don’t, you’ll need to get a business impact analysis (BIA) done. This predicts how a disruption will likely impact the way your business functions and what recovery strategies are needed.

How to Handle a Flood

Here are some necessary steps you need to take if your business is hit with flood waters.

Reach out to employees, customers, and suppliers. Communication with these major players is vital to your business success.

Contact your insurance agent to start your flood insurance claim. Have your policy number and a phone number or email address where you can be reached.

Turn off the utilities. The services at the flood site need to be temporarily shut down. This will save you money as you won’t be using them. Turn the utilities back on when your business is ready to re-open.

Surveying Flood Damage

Always keep safety in mind while inspecting your property following a flood disaster. Never enter a flooded area where standing water may be energized. Use caution when re-entering buildings as there may be structural damage. Have a safety assessment done first. When it’s safe, go back inside and survey the damage. Determine what can be salvaged and how long recovery efforts might take. Begin the recovery process for documents and records. Start cleaning up.

Recovering from a Flood

Now it’s time to record the financial losses your property suffered. Here are a few key steps to follow.

Take inventory. Document all of the items that are missing or damaged. Snap Pictures. Take photos of everything inside and outside your property. Keep receipts. Record any expenses you incurred to temporarily protect your property from further damage. Make a claim. Follow the claims filing procedure in your insurance policy.

How to Flood-Proof Your Property

You can take measures to prevent future flood disasters from striking your property.

First, determine your base flood elevation, or BFE. This is the height that best reduces the chance your property will be damaged by flooding. Buildings should be at least three feet above the BFE.

Landscape with native plants and vegetation. This can help prevent soil erosion and allow flood waters to properly drain.

Raise electric components. Have a licensed electrician install switches, sockets, circuit breakers, and wiring at least 12 inches above your BFE. Move HVAC equipment to an upper floor or build a flood proof wall around it.

Use flood resistant materials. These include floor and wall coverings and insulation. Most of these can handle direct contact with water for at least 72 hours.

Have backup power. Have a system in place to power vital equipment to keep your business running.

Let Us Handle the Mess

When it comes to water, flood, or fire damage, Flood Department is here to help. We provide water damage repair and clean-up services for homeowners and businesses. We cover Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. We are dedicated to helping reverse the unfortunate results. Contact us at 301-829-2600 or visit us online.

Why Do I Need Flood Insurance?

Why Do I Need Flood Insurance?

Why Invest in Flood Insurance

Flooding is often unexpected and can quickly wreak havoc. According to FEMA, just one inch of water can cause up to $25,000 in damage. Most homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flood damage. Flood insurance must be purchased separately.  It’s one of the best ways residents and business owners can protect themselves against financial losses due to high water.

Flooding Risk in Maryland

The Maryland Emergency Management Agency reports Maryland is prone to flooding. The agency notes short bursts of heavy rain can impact small streams and creeks and lead to flash flooding. Prolonged steady rain can impact larger streams and rivers and cause widespread flooding. Hurricanes and tropical storms can lead to tidal flooding along Maryland’s bays and tributaries. Find out if your neighborhood is at risk for flooding by visiting  https://mema.maryland.gov/Pages/flood-Prone-Zones.aspx.

The Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states get hit with high rainfall, but less frequently than the Gulf states do. As a result, the Mid-Atlantic area is less prepared to handle the impacts of flooding.

The Benefits of Flood Insurance

Flood insurance is available to all homeowners, business owners and renters. You don’t have to be in a high-risk flood zone to purchase it. The coverage can stop the need to dip into your savings or take on debt to make repairs to flood-damaged property. Having flood insurance helps victims recover faster when floodwaters recede.

What Flood Insurance Covers

Flood insurance is available primarily through the federally run National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Under the NFIP, residential property owners can buy coverage of up to $250,000 in structural damages and up to $100,000 for personal property. Businesses can buy up to $500,000 in coverage for damage to buildings and another $500,000 for damage to contents.

The NFIP provides flood insurance to people in areas highly prone to flooding. These are called SFHAs, or Special Flood Hazard Areas.  SFHAs are also known as the 100-year floodplain.

Some private insurers also offer flood insurance. The options typically offer more flexibility and broader coverage than the federal government does.

The Cost of Flood Insurance

How much you have to fork over for flood insurance varies by flood zone, the coverage you buy, and characteristics of your property. NFIP policies for single-family homes inside a floodplain cost an average of $1,100 per year. It will run you about $490 annually if you have a home outside the Special Flood Hazard Area. Flood insurance is mandatory for certain homes in the SFHA, also known as the 100-year floodplain.

Although flood insurance isn’t legally required for all properties, it’s a good idea to have it. Properties outside flood prone areas account for 20% of all NFIP claims and receive 33% of federal disaster assistance for flooding.  Flood insurance can be quite affordable for homes outside FEMA’s high-risk flood zones.

Let Us Repair the Damage

When it comes to water, flood or fire damage,  Flood Department is here to help. We provide water damage repair and clean-up services for homeowners and businesses. We cover Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. We are dedicated to helping reverse the damage done by water, mold, sewage, smoke and more. Contact us at 301-829-2600 or visit us online.