Commercial Flood Insurance: 3 Important Facts To Know

7/16/2022 (Permalink)

Commercial Flood Insurance

Flooding may spring from a multitude of causes, including structural malfunctions (pipes bursting, waterlines leaking, etcetera), storm surges, overflow of existing water bodies and more. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc, climate change has exacerbated weather conditions around the globe. Floods, which are common and potentially devastating natural disaster events in the U.S., are projected to increase in both frequency and severity as sea levels continue to rise and storms worsen. With this, there will be a correlating spike in the need for the services of a professional cleanup and restoration service inSan Marcos, TX, and other expert contractors. It is therefore important to consider commercial insurance, specifically flood insurance.

1. Flood Coverage Is Usually Not Included in Property Insurance
Many individuals fail to realize that most standard commercial property policies do not include commercial flood insurance. This means damage from flooding (water damage) is not covered.

2. If a Business Meets Certain Criteria, Flood Coverage Is Required
Businesses must have it if they are located in a high-risk flood area and possess a mortgage courtesy of a federally regulated lender. An insured lender may also force them to buy coverage. To find out if a building resides in a high-risk flood area, the owner can look at the FEMA flood maps through the organization's Flood Map Service Center online portal. Letters denote the hazard level, with high-risk zones starting with either "A" or "V," where "V" signals coastal areas.

3. Flood Coverage Is Available From the Government or Private Insurers
Some private companies offer commercial flood policies. The NFIP is another potential source of coverage. Managed by FEMA, it was established by Congress in 1968 and offers insurance to business owners among others. This coverage must be obtained through a professional insurer — a business owner cannot simply purchase it from the government.
With the growing weather and climate change threats on the horizon, proper commercial coverage is more important than ever. All structures are vulnerable to the ravages of flooding. Having flood insurance is a vital precautionary measure.

Understanding Mold in Your Business

6/13/2022 (Permalink)

Mold growth can appear on damp surfaces within 24 to 48 hours. Mold reproduces by tiny spores that travel through the air. Once they land in a new location with moisture, they will start to destroy your building in New Braunfels, TX. This can cause a lot of expensive damage. Here are some questions that you can use to understand this fungus.

Why Is There Mold?

Buildings can develop mold growth after a storm that causes flooding. Some of the big problems that occur during storms that lead to mold include:

• Flooding
  
• Sewage backups
  
• Roof leaks
  
• Flooded basements
  
• Open windows
  
• Foundation problems
  
  

How Do You Dry a Building?

The best way to dry your building is to hire a storm restoration company. Otherwise, you can do this on your own with some bleach, fans, and dehumidifiers.

What Do You Need To Clean It?

You will need personal protective gear to clean mold yourself, such as gloves and a mask. Aside from this, you will need standard cleanup items, including buckets, scrub brushes, brooms, trash bags, shop vacs, and sponges. Finally, you will need something to kill the mold, like a detergent or bleach.

What if You Have Health Problems?

Everyone is regularly exposed to mold spores inside and outside of buildings. However, standing water makes the risk from mold spores much greater, so it is better for people who have health problems to avoid working inside buildings that have recently experienced flooding.

How Can You Prevent Mold in the Future?

It is not possible to remove all mold growth from your business. However, there are many ways that you can limit the amount of mold that grows in the future. The best methods include stopping any leaks, keeping your business clean, keeping surfaces dry, and routinely disinfecting areas at risk for mold.
While bacteria may be the first contaminant on your mind after a storm floods your business, you should also be concerned about mold. This fungus can do costly damage, so you need to take the proper steps to dry your building and prevent mold in the future.

What Do You Do if Your Apartment Building Has Mold Contamination?

6/3/2022 (Permalink)

A water leak is probably the most common cause of mold growth.

Floating in the air around us are billions of mold spores. They’re part of the natural environment in New Braunfels, TX, and are generally harmless to humans. However, under the right conditions, toxic black mold can develop and spread explosively.
In an apartment, mold cleanup may be the responsibility of either the landlord or the tenant, depending on the circumstances. It’s important to seek professional mold remediation experts immediately when it’s found since it indicates that ongoing water damage is occurring.

What Is Black Mold?

Mold and mildew are quite different from each other. Mildew grows on the surface of areas exposed to high humidity, including:

• Around windows
  
• On shower walls
  
• Near sinks
  
  

Mold contamination, however, gets embedded below the surface. It grows on absorbent materials, including:

• Drywall
  
• Wood
  
• Fabrics
  
• Paper
  
  

As it grows, it eats the material it’s feeding on to expand the colony. This can weaken the structure and fill the building with a musty odor.

What Causes Black Mold Growth?

Since mold spores are so ubiquitous, it’s very difficult to completely remove them without expensive laboratory air scrubbers. The real key to controlling mold growth is to prevent excess moisture from remaining around materials made of cellulose.
A water leak is probably the most common cause. Letting the toilet or a sink overflow can also cause mold growth, especially if it happens more than once.

Who Is Responsible for the Mold Cleanup?

Black mold can be slimy, shiny or fuzzy, while mildew typically appears powdery. Educate your tenants about what mold looks like. A hidden drip that continues for a long time can cause massive damage to an apartment building, and mold is a sure sign of excess water.
If you or your tenants smell a musty smell in a specific area, unless you see mildew, it’s probably mold growth, and a water source needs to be fixed. In general, it’s the landlord’s responsibility to clean up mold when tenants have taken reasonable care of their apartment.
Mold contamination is easy to remove when caught early. If you have any doubts, your landlord or mold cleanup experts should be able to answer your questions.

4 Things To Expect During Fire Damage Restoration

5/25/2022 (Permalink)

Steps During Fire Damage Restoration

The services of fire damage restoration specialists are necessary after a fire impacts your Nixon, TX, business. However, if this is your first time working with them, you may not know the proper procedures. If you are curious about the process and want to oversee the work, learn more about the steps you should expect during the restoration process. 

1. Damage Assessment
Once the experts make a fast arrival at your property, they will assess the damage. Specifically, they will measure the extent of the fire and smoke damage throughout the location. This process ensures that they will have the necessary information to create a unique plan for your commercial fire case. 

2. Damage Reduction 
Depending on the extent of the damage, the building may be vulnerable to further deterioration during the cleanup and repair. As such, the specialists will use a tarp, fencing and other protective materials to cover any holes, broken windows and other vulnerabilities that could endanger the fire damage restoration efforts. 

3. Property Cleanup
Once the building is safe from additional damage, the next step is the soot, dust and smoke cleanup. These residual materials darken the look of the building, so they are removed with advanced cleaning techniques. Damaged items and equipment are assessed, and if they are deemed irreparable, they are disposed of. Finally, any water damage caused by broken pipes or sprinklers is dried and sanitized. 

4. Property Restoration 
The final and most important step is the restoration itself. Every damaged object and structure is repaired. Some workers can even go one step beyond and improve these features to your specifications, from flooring and walls to furniture and machinery. Anything that is impossible to restore or fix can be replaced with newer counterparts. The company may also provide consultation focused on preventing future incidents. 
Your situation may not resemble the ones experienced by other businesses, but the repairs may follow similar steps. It is important to know the fire damage restoration process to ensure everything goes as planned.