What Can Parkland Businesses Expect from Expert Water Removal?

3/2/2021 (Permalink)

The once in a hundred year storms can happen here. Take precautions to winterize your pipes!

Gain Water Mitigation and Remediation Tips from Others' Bad Luck

Although the Parkland area is seldom at risk from snow and ice storms or plummeting temperatures, extreme weather events considered "once in a 100 years" surprises are on the rise everywhere. Unheard-of low temperature plus the build-up of wintery-mix precipitation causes significant property damage in typically temperate or warm areas. Shocking storms in places like Texas can catch a businessperson's attention, even in our region. 

How Do Frozen Water Pipes Cause Damage?

If unfamiliar with the consequences of frozen water lurking in supply or waste pipes, the first time a Parkland business owner confronts the cause and effect can be enlightening and terrifying. Damage similar to that seen during tropical storms, hurricanes, and overland flooding can trace to water's mere presence in a pipe. Water flowing through plumbing is a standard operating procedure when the ambient temperature is above 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Disaster occurs when below-freezing temperatures cause liquid water to:

• Transform into a solid. 
• Occupy more space during the freezing than did the liquid water.
• Exert significant pressure on the pipes and fittings, the swelling creating cracks and splitting apart connections.

As weather conditions improve and temperatures increase, the worst happens. The frozen water melts, pouring through the pipe fissures into the affected properties.

What Can Businesses Do to Avoid Broken Pipes Due to Cold Weather?

Owners of commercial buildings in colder climates put many safeguards to prevent the catastrophic damage that frozen pipes bring. Similar in intent to the planning done to protect property because of Parkland's tropical climate and risk of exposure to hurricanes and other severe storms, steps taken to minimize the harm of freezing and thawing include:

• Insulation of the pipes and spaces where pipes thread through.

• Sealing of joints and other weak spots that permit outdoor air to intrude.

• Installation of an automatic excess flow switch on the main supply water line to detect a broken pipe or valve. 

• Shut off the water main once the leak potential becomes apparent.

These practical and affordable strategies can deflect the rare possibility of frozen pipes in Parkland and prevent or give early warning of a range of other water problems in your business.

Who Should Get the Call if Plumbing Fails in Your Business?

Regardless of how water makes its way through the infrastructure intended to contain it in your Parkland business, water removal is crucial. SERVPRO positions water extraction as one of our core services, investing in worker training from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) and high-efficiency and heavy-duty equipment. We arrive promptly and complete the following:

• A safety hazard assessment, determining whether trapped fluids pose additional risks

• Pumping and extraction of the bulk of the water with submersible and truck-mounted equipment

We also perform controlled demolition to release water from building cavities, including

• Punching weep holes in ceilings and upper walls
• Cutting drainage slits to permit water between walls to exit
• Sawing flood cuts to remove irreparably damaged drywall and open areas for water removal and structural drying.

Our construction division helps with both the demolition and any build back needed.

Be sure to line up the pros at SERVPRO of West Coral Springs / West Parkland for your commercial water extraction needs. Call (954) 973-4130 for a prompt assessment and implementation of an efficient water removal plan.