How to Reduce Costs in Big Buildings
At NLR, we’ve been dealing with water damage, building faults, mould and more for a while now. But for our treasured clients, it is often their first time dealing with one or more of the numerous issues that can threaten their property.
Such issues test your time, resources, and patience, especially as the scale and complexity of your property increase. So to prevent as many as possible before they happen, or at least reduce their severity, our restoration experts have provided some important considerations.
These 5 tips are guaranteed to help safeguard your buildings, maybe even in ways, you might not have guessed.
Regular Inspection of Water and Sewage Systems
This goes further than just making sure all the amenities and taps in your building are operating properly. Fixing rusty or leaking pipes in older buildings or preventing the malfunction of sprinkler systems sound like simple things, but one severe fault can saturate an entire highrise (yes, we’ve seen it happen). Having a professional inspect the parts nobody sees very often is important; examples include the cleaning of water tanks, inspection of valves and lubrication of pumps.
For large compounds or properties, installing surveillance cameras in underground drainage or sewer systems is a good option for easy maintenance and saving money in the long term.
Preparing for Restorers
An easy way to lower costs and increase efficiency of any eventual restoration work is to prepare for the process before technicians arrive. If you have specific requirements, permissions or legal documentation in regards to your business or premises, having that ready to go will allow restorers to more efficiently and effectively go about their work.
Having the necessary keys and floor plans available to the technicians to not only navigate your premises unimpeded, but just as importantly let them understand the job and plan accordingly. With water damage, every hour means lost funds and operations, so the faster NLR can get on-site and be able to help, the more we can save for you.
Mould Forming
Various species of mould can begin forming in consistently damp or humid environments. The airborne spores can cause respiratory issues and have overall adverse health effects. You’ll need professionals to not only locate the mould, but test, kill and remove it, as missing any of these crucial steps could make the remediation job ineffective.
A problematic area is often ventilation or air conditioning units. By nature they can develop moisture and have airborne contaminants settle in their compartments, meaning mould can easily form there. This is made worse by the fact that these air control systems will then distribute contaminants throughout large areas, ruining the air quality of the building.
HVAC and Machinery Issues
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are integral to the operation of commercial, retail and even residential buildings, especially as they increase in size and population density. These systems should be readily maintained to prevent condensation, dripping or corrosion. Further, there are delicate internal parts that are particularly expensive to replace.
This concept extends to any expensive technology or machinery of your particular business that is susceptible to water, fire or mould damage. Sourcing, ordering, or manufacturing replacements can further damage the business by slowing or stopping operations and income entirely.
Elevator Shafts
The ‘pit’ or ‘well’ of an elevator isn’t something that comes to mind often, but they are very susceptible to water damage. Water can drip down the concrete walls or pool at the bottom, which compromises the integrity and function of the elevator. As mentioned earlier, if this water sits for long periods, it can soak into the surfaces, cause condensation and humidity, and eventually form mould and corrode metal. For safety and monetary reasons, water damage around elevators must be remediated immediately.
For further tips or consultation, don't hesitate to call NLR. We've had nearly 20 years of experience and we're more than happy to share some with you. If anything in this article happens to be a service you're in need of, we can be on site within 2 hours.
