Is Your Commercial Property at a Higher Risk of Flooding?

3/6/2020 (Permalink)

The recent warmer temperatures we've been experiencing this week serve as a gentle reminder to Brown County residents that Spring is just around the corner. Those tall mounds of snow strategically piled across the parking lots throughout the winter months will soon begin to melt at an even faster rate. A high level of unwelcome water could affect how the traffic flows into and out of your Green Bay business, possibly leaving a severe dent in your day-to-day establishment's profits.

The probability of flooding in the vicinity or inside of your building greatly increases during the snow melting phase.

Did you know there are three categories of flooding?

Fluvial floods (river floods)

• A fluvial, or river flood occurs when the water level in a river, lake, or stream rises and overflows onto the surrounding banks, shores, and neighboring land. The water level rise could be due to excessive rain or snowmelt.

Pluvial floods (flash floods and surface water)

• A pluvial flood occurs when an extreme rainfall event creates a flood independent of an overflowing water body. 

Coastal flood (storm surge)

• Coastal flooding is the inundation of land areas along the coast by seawater. Common causes of coastal flooding are extreme windstorm events occurring at the same time as the high tide (storm surge), and tsunamis.

The Green Bay area tends to be affected mainly by fluvial and pluvial flooding. Chances are, you already researched to know whether your property is subjected to flooding. If not, FEMA provides a local flood map. Visit FEMA's Flood Map Service Center or by contacting your city or county government. Note: Flooding can occur outside of high-risk flood areas on the flood map. Learn more at floodsmart.gov.

Business owners have enough to worry about daily. There are a few ways to put your mind more at ease about any future flooding situations with the following suggestions from DisasterSafety.org:

• Learn the base flood elevation (BFE) for your property and determine whether the elevation of your building's lowest floor is above or below the BFE.
• Purchase flood insurance, especially if you find you are in or near a high-risk flood zone (Special Flood Hazard Area). Flood insurance is provided through the federal National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and can be purchased through private insurance agents and companies.
• Use flood-resistant materials where possible, including floor coverings, wall coverings, and wall insulation. Most flood-resistant materials can withstand direct contact with water for at least 72 hours without being significantly damaged.
• Check downspouts by ensuring they funnel water away from the building to prevent rainwater from accumulating near the building's perimeter.

If your business experiences a water-related loss, SERVPRO of Brown County is ready to answer the call. Our technicians strive to be your heroes when unwanted water strikes, drying your property, and cleaning it up as quickly and efficiently as possible. 

We have technicians on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, ready to go into action when they are needed. Call us any time at (920) 434-8224.