The most active period of hurricane season generally begins in August, and with our region already affected by a summer-long drought, conditions are ripe for flash floods and heavy rainfall. However, there are proactive steps you can take now to better protect your commercial property from costly property damage and business interruptions.
Learn four ways your commercial property can be safer from the impact of sudden downpours, flash floods, tropical storms, or hurricanes, and how Aegis Insurance & Financial Services can partner with you for even more protection.
1. Improve Property Drainage
One of the primary reasons why a sudden flash flood can cause property damage is because rainfall may not be draining correctly away from the property. Business owners should ensure that their property is draining rainwater away from the building and that the ground is graded to ensure water flows away quickly and efficiently.
With good drainage systems in place, heavy rainfall can be directed away from the building or nearby property and into retention areas, ditches, or street-level drainage. Blockages should be cleared away, and drainage systems such as French drains can be installed to speed up the drainage process.
2. Inspect Gutters and Rooftops Regularly
Water damage can also occur on your commercial property when rainfall is gathering in gutters or not draining properly from rooftops down to the ground level. Gutters should be cleaned out regularly and rooftops should also be inspected to ensure there are no areas of standing water after rainfall.
By clearing out gutters and inspecting rooftop drainage on a regular basis, you may be able to prevent significant and costly property damage that can damage walls, flooring, furnishings, equipment, and more.
3. Level Uneven Areas of Property
Sometimes a commercial property might have adequate drainage around most of the property, but there still may be low lying areas where rainfall simply pools and does not go away quickly, either because the soil is too compacted or it is much lower than the rest of the land. To resolve this, have your property leveled to promote good drainage and avoid standing pools of water that can look unattractive or become a breeding ground for mosquitos and other unwanted insects.
4. Get Business Flood Insurance
Finally, the best step you can take to protect your commercial property from potential storm damage or flooding is to ensure you have Flood Insurance for your business. A standard Commercial Property or Business Owner's Policy will not cover losses caused by flood waters, so any damages or repairs would be out-of-pocket expenses.
A Flood Insurance policy for your business is a smart investment since flooding is on the rise, and even a single inch of floodwater in your business can cause tens of thousands of dollars in property damage and revenue loss. In addition, continued property development means the loss of empty fields and grassland that could help absorb heavy rainfall, so the threat of water damage will only continue to rise.
Aegis Offers Business Insurance Solutions
Aegis Insurance & Financial Services is a leading provider of top-quality Commercial Insurance policies, including Flood Insurance, Commercial Property Insurance, Business Owner's Policy, and more. With our comprehensive range of policies, you can always know you have the financial protection and coverage you need if disaster strikes your business.
Contact Aegis today at 713-850-7622 for more information, or fill out our online form to request a free quote.