Winter Storm Damage that Can Happen to Your Massillion, OH Commercial Building

1/10/2022 (Permalink)

Water damage at a commercial building in Massillion, Ohio.

A commercial building owner needs to take the proper precautions to ensure that his structure is safe during a winter storm. A winter storm can cause extensive damage to diverse types of structures, and commercial properties are among the structures that can suffer extensive damage. Wet, heavy snow, high winds, freezing rain and frigid temperatures combine to create conditions that can cause structural damage. The following are three types of damage that a commercial property owner could experience because of a winter storm. Being prepared is the key before the impending stormy weather strikes.

Collapsed roofs

If your commercial building has a flat roof, there is an increased chance that it will collapse during a winter storm. The buildup of ice and heavy snow on a flat roof can cause it to buckle under the excessive weight. A roof collapse can not only cause extensive and costly damage to your building, but there is also the potential for it to injure anyone who may be inside the building.

Leaky roofs

A collapse is not the only way that the roof of your commercial property can be damaged during a winter storm. Snow and ice can cause leaks to develop in the roof. These leaks are most often the result of ice dams. Ice dams form when a ridge of ice forms along the edge of a roof. This ice prevents the melting snow and ice from draining properly from the roof. As a result, the water has no place else to go but behind the ice dam, down through the roof until it finally exits through the ceiling of your property.

Leaking roofs can cause extensive damage to your property and can be expensive to repair.

Frozen and burst pipes

When the temperature plummets to below freezing levels, there is an increased probability that the water pipes in your commercial building could freeze When pipes freeze, the water held within them expands, and pipes can only expand so much. Avoid flooding and burst pipes by making sure all your existing freeze-protection devices and alarms are in good working order. Test freeze stats and valves before the weather gets cold, wrap pipes and faucets in unheated or minimally heated areas of the building and seal cracks and openings around exposed pipes. 

Winter is closing in and colder weather is right around the corner. Before you suffer a water damage you should check your commercial property for areas that may need additional insulation, heating, or other attention that will prevent freezing weather from penetrating your property and potentially freezing water pipes in the process. Depending upon the size of your commercial property this type of damage can result in thousands of dollars in damage and may require many weeks of construction to repair. Call SERVPRO of Northwest Stark County if you need water cleanup or restoration from a winter storm damage at 330-497-4600.