It’s 3:00 in the morning. Your phone rings. Your commercial building has flooded. There may even be a safety hazard like electrical issues at play. Your team wants to know what to do.
Step One: Create an Emergency Protocol
This one should happen well before the 3AM phone call. Meet with your leadership team, any property managers, your general contractor, your facility management team—whoever you have on-site that is in charge of building maintenance. If you’re working with a facility management team like Rubicon Contractors, include them in every step of the process. Create a call-chain that clearly covers the below items.
What to Include in Your Plumbing Emergency Protocol
Water Shutoff Valve
Make sure that your on-site team (including tenants) know exactly where and how to shut off water to your property. Make sure that whoever is reporting the issue shuts off the water immediately.
Call a plumber or engineer
Immediately contact either your facility management team or an emergency plumber. If Rubicon Contractors is handling your turn-key facility management, rest assured, we’ll take care of all of this. We also have emergency plumbers on standby. It’s always good to have a trusted emergency plumbing service AND a backup service just in case.
Assess the Situation
After you’ve contacted someone to diagnose and repair the plumbing issue, assess the situation. Is there any property damage? Are your facilities compromised? If necessary, you might need to bring in another service to help prevent long-term damage like mold. There are professional water removal companies who can help with water removal, drying out spaces and any other issues.
Begin an Insurance Claim
If applicable, it’s important to contact your insurance company immediately after the emergency itself is handled. Starting a claim right away can help make sure that you know what’s covered and the protocol to follow for maximum payout. If you have someone in charge of risk management on your team, make sure they are in the loop at every turn.
If you want to worry a little bit less about emergency plumbing issues, consider hiring a Facility Management partner like Rubicon Contractors. We can also provide one-off trade services for needs like plumbing or HVAC, so don’t hesitate to reach out.
