Flooding, burst pipes, malfunctioning sprinklers and fire suppression activities are the common causes of water damage in a shopping mall and when any one of them happens, the result can range from minimal damage to catastrophic.
The biggest risk of water damage in a large commercial property such as a shopping mall is obviously economical. The fact that the complex houses several retail stores mean that water damage could potentially cost millions of dollars in lost or damaged products. Mall equipment, communication and technology systems could also be water damaged, causing more investment losses.
Adding to the negative effects of water damage to a shopping mall is the loss of income as a result of mall-wide closure or closure of several stores. The loss of income may worsen if the mall sustains massive water damage is forced to close for an extended period of time, during which it would certainly lose market share to competitors.
Moreover, water damage in a shopping mall could put the health and safety of mall employees and the public at risk. There are many hazards in a water-damaged building or area, including electrocution hazards and exposure to contaminated water. Such risks could produce actual injuries and incidents for which the shopping mall management could be held liable for.
Preparedness and Prevention
As most shopping mall management teams know, the hazards of water damage are very real and have the potential to cripple or even end a business. However, although business owners are increasing their commercial property insurance coverage, this protection is just one way to prepare for water-related emergencies.
There are a host of things that can be done to be more prepared and mitigate the damaging effects of water in a shopping mall such as regular building inspection and maintenance to help prevent internal water damage and making reinforcements in the structure and elements of the building to make it more able to withstand harsh weather, which is one of the top causes of water damage anywhere.
Also, having a plan is always helpful during a crisis. Basically, an emergency response plan specific to water damage would identify what the personnel would do in the event of a particular incident as well as the actions to be taken immediately after the crisis to ensure the safety of affected individuals and to control damage to the property. The staff should be educated and trained on the plan through regular drills.
Forming an emergency response team is also ideal in order to maintain order and organization during and after a crisis. This team will be crucial in the continuation and recovery of the business. Normally, key decision makers are part of the team as well as engineers, maintenance personnel, security and health officers, and people from finance, purchasing, and the legal department. In line with this, forming partnerships in advance with service providers such as water damage restoration contractors would be a smart idea.
Recovering from Water Damage
Right after water damage, any affected business owner would have one thing in mind - how to quickly recover. Certainly, there is a long list of actions to take to restore the normal operations of the mall. The following list outlines some of the immediate steps necessary to facilitate recovery:
" Get in touch with the insurer immediately.
" Ensure the safety of the mall or the affected stores before re-entering to clean up. Do not enter the building or unit if there is still standing water and there is a risk of electrocution.
" Avoid coming into contact with contaminated water such as flood waters or water mixed with sewage.
" Store garbage in the proper location and discard properly.
" Extract standing water in the building and dry wet surfaces and items as quickly as possible to stop mold growth.
To hasten the drying process, fans and dehumidifiers are typically used. In addition, it is recommended to seek professional water damage restoration services. In time-sensitive situations such as water damage incidents, the expert knowledge and access to proper equipment of a professional restoration company will prove to be quite helpful in the process of recovery, ultimately saving the business further losses.