How To Distinguish Between Commercial Flood, Storm and Water Damage

11/22/2021 (Permalink)

Commercial water damage in Saratoga, CA.

How to Tell the Difference Between a Commercial Flood, a Storm, and Water Damage

As a business owner, you must think about potential hazards to your organization. When water accumulates inside our outside your building, business operations may be affected. To mitigate risk, you may choose to purchase flood or water-damage insurance. When shopping for coverage, you need to know the difference between flood damage and other types of damage.

Business Damage Due to Flooding
For both insurance and other purposes, flood-related damage refers to damage caused by a specific type of event. If your business has sustained damage due to the following, the damage may constitute flood-related damage:

• Water covers a large area of typically dry land
• Water overflows due to a unforeseen circumstances
• Water breaches a containment area, such as a reservoir or lake

By contrast, water that falls from the sky usually does not, by itself, cause flood-related damage. This type of weather event may, however, result in storm-related damage.

Business Damage Caused by Storms
Storm damage occurs when your business sustains damage during severe weather. Some common types of storm-related damage come from the following weather events:

• Wind
• Rain
• Blizzards
• Ice
• Tornadoes

While water may accumulate during severe weather, storm-related damage is different from flood damage in a significant way. That is, with storm-related damage, water does not breach a container. Instead, it accumulates in an area as a result of severe weather.

Business Damage Related to Water
Additionally, water damage is different from both flooding and storm-related damage. With water damage, a system inside our outside your building fails. Broken or leaky pipes are commonly to blame, but they are not the only source of water damage in Saratoga, CA, businesses. On the contrary, clogged gutters or ice dams may also cause your building to sustain water-related damage.
For insurance and other purposes, you likely need to know the difference between water, storm, and flood damage. If your business has been damaged, a restoration service can likely help you return it to its pre-damage condition.