Building your business takes a lot of hard work and dedication, which can all be undone in an instant if the unexpected hits. Safeguarding your commercial property from damage is the best way to protect your investment. If disaster does strike, knowing how to act can get your business’s doors open faster.

Fire Damage

Install multiple smoke detectors and fire alarms on every floor. Make sure the breakrooms have smoke detectors close in case something goes wrong while cooking. Fires can start for many reasons, with the biggest causes due to an electrical surge or an improperly extinguished cigarette.

The best line of defense is having fire sprinklers throughout the office that are automatically triggered when a fire breaks out. Invest in annual fire sprinkler inspection and testing NYC to see that your equipment operates as intended and can actually save you from a fire.

Your employees are your biggest asset, so have a clear fire safety plan in place to make sure everyone can get out of the building during an emergency. Post evacuation plans and maps on every floor, and regularly practice with employees so they know how to act in the event of a fire.

Water Damage

Small leaks can become big nightmares in the workplace. Water damage is costly, and if it’s not adequately cleaned up, it can negatively impact your employees’ health. You can protect against water damage by making sure your thermostat is always set to a comfortable temperature – typically more than 64 degrees. If the temperature is extreme outside, keep cabinet doors open so the exposed pipes can benefit from the warmth in the room. This can help prevent pipes from freezing, which can burst when under pressure.

Invest in a water shut-off system that can detect a water leak and automatically turn off the water to the entire business. These systems can dramatically reduce or prevent water damage.

Theft

If you sell goods or run a business where cash is on hand, you are susceptible to burglary and theft. Most thieves operate under the cover of darkness, so set up a good lighting system around your commercial building. Ideally, you will have floodlights that run all night, but if that’s not cost-effective, get smaller lights that you run constantly and use them with motion-activated floodlights. Pair a good lighting system with a camera system, including signs indicating that cameras are present, and that should be enough to scare off a would-be thief.