How Do I Protect My Business From Fire Disaster?

10/11/2022 (Permalink)

How To Protect Your Business From Fire Damage

Fires can strike any business at any time, so it's important to take steps to prevent them and to be prepared if they do happen. Although it's impossible to completely eliminate the risk of fire in your facility, you can significantly reduce it by following these best practices.

Fire prevention training and fire drills should be conducted regularly so everyone knows the proper procedures to follow in case of a fire.

• The fire prevention training should include realistic, well-rehearsed and well-documented scenarios that simulate real emergencies.
• The importance of having an up-to-date fire safety plan documented and readily accessible should be stressed.

Sprinkler systems are the best way to minimize the chances of a fire spreading throughout your office building.

Sprinkler systems are the best way to minimize the chances of a fire spreading throughout your office building. Sprinkler systems can be installed in any type of building, from a small office to an apartment block. They're easy to maintain, and they can be used in conjunction with other fire prevention measures such as smoke detectors and alarms, emergency evacuation plans and fire extinguishers.

Smoke detectors should be installed throughout your facility, including inside office areas, conference rooms, storage areas, restrooms, and janitorial closets. Smoke detectors are designed to detect smoke by sensing the infrared radiation emitted by the heat of a fire.

Establish an emergency action plan that spells out exactly what everyone must do if there is a fire on your premises.

• Include a list of all employees and their location (if applicable)
• Include a list of all the emergency exits, including where they lead to and the best way to use them
• Include a list of all fire extinguishers, their locations, how to use them and whether they are automatic or manual.
• Include a list of all fire alarms and their locations. This can be done by installing signs in places where people may not know where they are located such as bathrooms or storage rooms.
• Include a list of all fire hydrants near your business property so that firefighters can access them easily while they fight the blaze!

Plan for any special needs employees may have in case of an emergency evacuation from your facility, such as those with disabilities or other medical conditions.

If you have special needs employees in your business, consider how to make sure they can evacuate quickly and efficiently. Employees with disabilities and medical conditions may need assistance getting out of the building.

Make sure your plan is clear and easy to understand, so that everyone knows what to do in an emergency evacuation situation. Make sure you practice the evacuation regularly so that everyone knows where their designated meeting point will be if necessary.

Protect your business from disaster by knowing what to do when disaster strikes

The first step in protecting your business from fire disasters is knowing what to do when a fire strikes. You should have a plan of action that's designated for all employees, and it should include specific instructions about how each person should react in case of emergency. For example, if an employee hears an evacuation alarm go off or sees smoke billowing out from under the door, they'll know which exit routes to take and where they'll meet up with their colleagues at a designated location outside or away from the building. Having this information prepared will help everyone respond quickly and efficiently when disaster strikes—and ultimately save lives!

We hope that this article has given you some insight into how to protect your business from fire. If you would like more information on any of the topics we covered, please feel free to contact us at any time.

Before You Buy, Consider a Mold Inspection

10/1/2022 (Permalink)

When you’re looking to purchase a commercial building in Rock Hill, MO ordering a professional mold inspection might not be on your to-do list. But while not every buyer will opt for an inspection, the benefits can be great, and the peace of mind can be worth the cost.

Where Can Mold Grow?

The short answer to where mold can grow is almost anywhere. Since mold is a fungus, it only needs three main ingredients to thrive: moisture, the correct temperature, and a food source (as minimal as dust or flakes of skin). If these conditions exist in abundance, it only takes up to 48 hours for visible mold to appear, and virtually any functional building has one or more of the following prime environments for mold:

• Sinks
• Toilets
• Tubs/showers
• Heating/cooling vents
• Roofs/walls
• Flooring
• Basements
  
  

This is just a short list of where molds can grow, so ultimately, no building is going to be completely exempt from a potential mold problem.

Why Should You Get a Mold Inspection?

If the property you’re purchasing has ever had a problem with mold in the past, an inspection is essential because history is bound to repeat itself. If there is any visible mold or risk of mold growth, an inspection will alert you so you can learn how to rectify it and how much it will cost to do so. If the cost is too great, you may want to reconsider purchasing the building.

An inspection will come at a cost, but the good news is it’s often bundled in with a larger property inspection, which usually includes an assessment of the building’s structure, repair risks and more. More than likely, you will get a good bang for your buck.

Perhaps the most relevant reason to get a mold inspection is because of what might happen if you don’t get one. It could easily save you from spending large sums on mold remediation, repairs or lawsuits – all expenses that could be minimized or prevented with a simple inspection for a fraction of the cost. 

3 Items You Will Likely Need to Throw Away After Flooding

7/20/2022 (Permalink)

Any walls that have come into contact with flood water should be removed immediately.

Items That Need To Be Throw Away After a Flood

A flooded company building in Oakland, MO poses many dangers, and one of the things you will need to figure out after the water has been removed is which items can be salvaged. For the most part, non-porous belongings can be saved. This includes items made out of metal and plastic. Clothing can occasionally be saved, but you will need to take the items to a professional dry cleaning company. However, it is important to understand when an item is too far gone to save.


1. Food and Other Kitchen Supplies

When a pipe breaks in your office’s kitchen, you should discard any food immediately. You do not want to risk contamination and potentially eating something that came into contact with flood water, especially if it is Category 2 or 3 water. It is also a good idea to discard certain culinary items, including:

• Baby bottles
• Plastic utensils
• Wooden cutting boards
• Wooden spoons
• Pacifiers
  
  
  

2. Electronics

It is possible to salvage computers, television sets, and DVD players following a flooded company building. The likelihood of saving these items increases if you avoid powering on the electronics because there is a high chance of a short circuit. Have a professional technician look over the electronic to see if it can be saved.


3. Walls

Any walls that have come into contact with flood water should be removed immediately. The professionals will probably perform a flood cut, which is when a team cuts out the drywall 12 inches above the flood line. This is done to prevent any further structural disintegration. It also keeps mold from growing. Any insulation behind the drywall will need to be removed, too.

If you are unsure if something can be salvaged, then show it to a professional flooded company building restoration expert in Oakland, MO. He or she will be able to provide you with more information about what to do with heavily flooded items.

The Importance of Commercial Fire Insurance

5/18/2022 (Permalink)

The Importance of Commercial Fire Insurance

Fire insurance is a key purchase for any business owner. That is because fires are more common than you may think. Nearly 500,000 property fires occurred in America in 2017. While most of these were residential fires, more than a quarter occurred in commercial buildings. In all, the fires caused more than $10 billion in property damage.
It is not just the fires themselves that cause destruction, either. Smoke damage alone can be costly. Buildings can also be harmed by fire-fighting materials such as:

• Foams
• Powders
• Water

Insurance can help you pay for the cost of smoke cleanup and fire restoration services. Best of all, this insurance is relatively easy to purchase. It should be included in your commercial policy.

Obtaining Sufficient Coverage
Fire insurance is useless if you do not obtain enough coverage. Make sure to insure your property for its full value. An experienced appraiser can help you determine what this value is.

Maintaining Your Policy
Once you do purchase insurance, you need to regularly maintain your policy. When your office location changes, you must tell your insurer about this new address. Otherwise, you may have to pay for the cost of fire damage restoration yourself.
If you are expanding your business, you don’t need to get a separate insurance policy for each building. Instead, consider putting all of your offices under the same policy. This will likely be cheaper than purchasing individual coverage for each place.
There is another way you can save money on fire insurance. Implement a fire prevention strategy within your office. Some insurers provide discounts to companies that do this. However, you should have some sort of safety plan in place regardless of whether it lowers your insurance costs.
Your commercial insurance policy should include fire coverage. This insurance could be essential if your company suffers devastating heat or water damage. Without insurance, you may not be able to afford the cost of repairs. You could even have to close your University City, MO, business down permanently.

Common Flood Prevention Strategies

5/13/2022 (Permalink)

Flood Prevention Strategies

Storm cleanup is a lengthy process that can cost your Oakland, MO, business money. Floods are a particularly devastating consequence of storms. That is why commercial building owners often enact flood prevention strategies. Many of these same tactics can be applied to cities and towns, as well.
Floods are sudden or lengthy discharges of water that submerge dry land and buildings. Floods can result from:

• River overflow
• Excessive rain
• Strong coastal winds
• Hurricanes
  
  

Whatever the cause of a flood, it can be devastating to a community and a property owner. Flood cleaning, in particular, is both costly and time-consuming. That is why businesses, towns, and cities often utilize one or more of the below prevention techniques.

Increased Vegetation
Planting additional shrubs, grass and trees is an environmentally friendly way to limit flood damage. That is because vegetation limits land erosion and reduces the strength of flowing water.

Education
Education is another effective flood prevention tactic. Make sure your employees know that litter and debris can block waterways and cause flooding. While this is particularly problematic in developing countries, excess garbage can lead to water overflow in developed cities, as well.

Retaining Walls
Buildings and municipalities that are prone to flooding often use retaining walls to block the excess water. Cities and towns may also utilize dams, reservoirs, retention ponds and levees for similar purposes.

Detention Basins
Some municipalities also build detention basins. These are small reservoirs that store overflowing water. Find out if your area has one of these basins attached to your local waterways. If so, you and your employees may have more time to evacuate during a flood.
Even if your town has flood prevention strategies in place, you should consider enacting some additional measures for further protection. Still, there is no way to stop rainfall or other natural disasters that cause flooding. Therefore, as you prepare your commercial property for potential storm damage, you should also save the contact information for your local flood cleanup and restoration company.