Flood Readiness

4/3/2020 (Permalink)

Commercial flooding in Pflugerville, TX

Flooding to your Pflugerville, TX business can be a very stressful event. Unfortunately, many insurance policies do not cover floods. A separate flood policy must be purchased. It is important to know the difference between flood damage and other types of storm damage so that you can make sure your commercial property is adequately protected.

Flood Definition

Many property owners think of floods as any unwanted standing water, whether from a broken appliance or a storm surge. However, according to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), to be characterized as a flood, the water damage must affect at least two acres or two separate properties and be caused by one of the following:

• Overflow of rivers, lakes and other inland bodies of water (whether due to erosion or excess rainfall)
  
• Tidal overflow
  
• Mudflow
  
• Surface water accumulation or runoff
  
  

Water damage caused by other means, such as a roof leak during a rainstorm, is not considered flood damage. In such cases, the claim should be filed with the standard property owner's insurance rather than on the flood policy.

Flood Mitigation

Although floods can cause serious problems, it is possible to minimize the damage to your business by taking some precautions. Use sandbags or inflatable dams to form a barrier around your building. You can fortify the barrier by securing windows and doors with plastic tarps. Move furniture, electronics and other important items to a safe location. This could be the second floor of your building or an off-site location. Keep electronic copies of important documents such as insurance policies. Make sure to have emergency supplies on hand and an emergency plan in place before flooding begins. When the water stops rising and it is safe to do so, begin drying out the property to prevent mold growth.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to prevent flood damage. If your commercial building suffers flooding, you may decide to contact a certified restoration company to help you get your business back to normal quickly and safely.