The Tri-state area has had increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. In 2021 alone, we had six major weather events, ranging from extreme snow, flooding, and even tornados.
However, what was your action plan after these? Did you hire someone who offers commercial property inspections? Most people don’t do anything unless they visually see major damage. But ideally, you should consider getting storm inspections no matter what.
Why are post-storm inspections so critical?
A post-storm inspection will include a complete evaluation of a property’s integrity that may have been affected by the weather. Therefore, it’ll consist of inspections of the roof, wall, basement, parking lot, drainage systems, etc.
The types of problems inspectors are looking for are potholes, storm drain issues, minor or major roof damage, and if other storm-related protection measures have been damaged or compromised. Collectively, this helps identify whether the storm has created any immediate or future troubles for the property and its surroundings.
If you choose not to get a post-storm inspection or postpone it for a later time, it can be challenging to see the problems before they turn into major issues. They can become progressively worse and, even more problematically, lead to less protection during the next storm.
As a result, it’s ideal to get an inspection after any storm, small or major. Although you might not see any issues at face value, commercial property repairs that might be needed can be found by a trained eye during an inspection.
When to have a post-storm inspection
We’ve established that post-storm inspections are important. But when should you get them? In an ideal circumstance, straight away if you’ve experienced any of the below:
- Flooding
- Severe snow
- Extreme hail
- Heavy downpour
- Hurricanes or tornadoes
- High wind
Additionally, if you see any visible damages from light storms, such as missing shingles, leaks, micro floods, etc., you should consider a storm inspection.
If your property gets damaged from a light storm, the problems could be more significant with a larger one. Therefore, inspect, identify, and fix the issue before it worsens.
Benefits of post-storm inspections for properties
As a property manager or owner, post-storm inspections have become increasingly essential. Not only to protect the building and make it safer but also to ensure optimal security for the next storm.
To gain better visualization of the benefits you can receive from a commercial property inspection, see below:
1. Identifies any minor or major property issues
Storms can cause unpredicted damages, from roof problems and landscape grading to blocked drains. Checking these yourself might not be enough. With a post-storm inspection from a professionally experienced eye, you gain better visualization of all the minor and major issues with your property.
Knowing this is particularly important, as it helps you decide what to do or plan for your next steps. Minor issues can be planned out, but major issues need prompt attention. Identifying and understanding the issues at hand gives you the advantage of property planning and priority for your repairs.
Remember, regardless of the severity, get it fixed. Even minor problems like damage/missing shingles can compound into bigger issues. This doesn’t only make the job more expensive, but usually, it’ll take longer, increasing the threat that the problem will worsen.
2. Prevents any further costly damages
Preventing further damages is essential because inspecting and fixing problems now is the number one way to prepare for future flooding or severe weather damage.
In the tri-state area, more storms and hazardous weather can appear throughout the entire year in any season. Therefore, fixing any minor damages or storm-protective features on your property or building will prevent the damage from going from bad to worse when the next storm arrives.
Clogged gutters, poor landscape grading, small roof leaks, or basement moisture are all signs that fixing the problem now will help prevent further costly damage.
For instance, mold can build if your basement is kept moist for too long. This doesn’t only make the repair more expensive but also makes the property hazardous.
Identifying damages in a post-storm inspection should be the first and most important step to take.
3. Improved Safety and fewer lawsuits
Unsurprisingly, lawsuits occur daily, especially for corporations in the US. According to Insurance Journal, 90% of all national corporations juggle multiple lawsuits.
When owning or managing a commercial property, a lawsuit can occur at any time if somebody files one against you. The reigns they might do this can vary. However, ensuring that your property is safe “beyond a reasonable doubt” will always be in your business’s best interest. After all, no one needs a messy, expensive, and stressful lawsuit to deal with.
So how can we prevent this from happening? Ideally, by promptly addressing and fixing any damage your property has that might affect people’s safety whether inside a building or anywhere on the property.
And how are you going to know whether you need to repair something? Of course, a post-storm inspection will help identify any issues that could end up costing you down the line.
4. Quicker repairs and insurance claims
Being fast to handle damages will allow your property to minimize interruptions in business. That’s another reason why post-storm inspections are so vital.
A faster post-storm inspection of your commercial property will lead to faster repairs simply because you will be able to start the insurance claim process sooner than other properties. Who doesn’t want to be first in line?
With a detailed written report of all damages with pictures included in it, you can pass it on to your insurance company before other properties submit claims and the waiting lines pile up for approvals.
Because your and tenants’ businesses depend on your property being safe and functional, getting it fixed quickly is essential. If you need to evacuate the property because of post-storm damage for whatever reason, it can cost you a lot of time, money, and reputation.
5. Better structural integrity
Lastly, it helps protect the property’s long-term structural integrity. Getting your commercial property repaired after a storm ensures it’s still “sound” for future weather conditions.
When the structural integrity of a property fails, it’s considered a major problem. Typically, it’ll occur because of the following:
- Weak or defective materials – If important materials that support the property become weak or defective because of storm-related weather, the general integrity can decrease. Once they reach this stage, the material must get replaced to restore the strength of the building before it either spreads or causes additional stress to the structure.
- Neglected surrounding elements – Heavy rains, snow, wind, etc., can cause the surrounding landscape to become damaged. When building a property, the landscape is developed in a particular way that fights against flooding. Maintaining this requires work and planned maintenance, particularly after storms.
By quickly getting a post-storm inspection, you can discover problems, fix them, and keep the property’s integrity intact to weather the next storm.
What’s next?
After reading this post, you should have a deeper, more thorough understanding of the benefits that come along with post-storm inspections.
The excellent advantages ranging from avoiding legal problems, increasing safety, and decreasing long-term maintenance repair costs should be enough to have a trusted commercial property inspection specialist on speed dial.
Here at Swan. Co., we specialize in post-storm commercial property inspections that catch small issues before they turn into big glaring ones.
We also provide other helpful services like drainage installation & repair and exterior building maintenance. Providing these services allows us to be able to expertly inspect and repair problems, ensuring that you don’t need to worry about any post-storm issues.
For more information about how we can help, contact us today.
