There are many reasons why commercial property maintenance must be strictly enforced, foremost of which is the prevention of incidents such as water damage. Although when it's caused by natural weather disturbance, there's nothing really much you can do about it, like when the rivers and lakes swell or torrential rains extend to several days and in turn flooded your property. But that doesn't mean that you just leave things to take its natural course for in most cases water damage is caused by poor maintenance, negligence and oversight.
Commercial water damage takes a more effort to identify or uncover. Unlike homes, commercial establishments are abuzz with various activities and most of the time people that work there don't really pay much attention whether there's bathroom leak, defective air conditioning and heating system or if they forget to turn off the faucet.
What the business owners or the building maintenance management can do is to have a solid, consistent and reliable maintenance routine to nip problems in the bud. Since commercial establishments have more ground to cover, it is preferable to leave the inspection to professionals. Sprinklers, faucets, pipes, roof and any appliance that can be a source of water leak must be checked periodically, like the espresso machine or water dispenser.
Signs of water leak include ceiling and wall stains. If you can't find an obvious source for it, there must be problems with pipes or maybe the upper floor's bathroom floor has cracks. It could be that there's sewage leak too.
A professional commercial water damage company can check and find the source of the problem for you. It may take for them a few minutes to reach your place but you can start with the precautionary measures to salvage as many important things as possible.
Find a dry place where you can put sensitive documents and expensive equipment safely. For areas that have already been affected, air dry the wet items and segregate according to importance and porosity. The cleaning crew can help with proper handling of the items and suggest various ways of restoring them.
Add up on ventilation to help in the drying process. Mold buildup can happen in as little as 48 hours and can produce airborne elements that can affect people with weak immune system. Evacuate the people in the affected area to prevent further problems.