Protecting your childcare center from water damage

Whether it is a broken water pipe, leaky roof or flood, critical components of your facility can be impacted. In addition to damaging your equipment and property, water damage can result in downtime and loss of business income.

Planning ahead can help reduce the impact a water damage loss has on your business. This article describes ways you can prepare to manage potential water damage and reduce the risk of water damage occurring in your childcare center.

Planning ahead

Establishing a crisis management plan makes good business sense. Without a plan when a catastrophe strikes, your business could be destroyed or have a reduced chance of fully recovering. Your crisis management plan should describe the specific actions to take if water damage events occur.

Consider the following: if the sprinkler system in your building broke, causing significant water damage to your electronic data processing equipment (computers, fax machines, printers, etc.), carpets and walls, paper files, and other vital records, would it be possible for your center to continue operating?

Select and identify vendors

Identify vendors who could be needed, such as building contractors, water extraction/restoration specialists, off-site storage companies, etc. When selecting vendors, confirm they are licensed and insured and ask for proof of insurance before they begin any work.

Protect essential records

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (2018), protecting facilities, equipment and essential records is critical for restoring operations after an emergency. Analyzing vital records involves:

• Determining essential functions for keeping the business up and running.

• Identifying the minimum information to perform essential functions.

• Identifying records that contain essential information and knowing where they are located.

• Identifying the equipment and materials needed to access and use the information.

Practice your crisis management plan

Before a crisis occurs, it’s important to communicate and practice your crisis management plan. Ensure evacuation procedures for children, staff and guests are understood by all personnel and can be successfully carried out in an emergency. Also, identify response and recovery procedures for damage inspections, remediation, temporary relocation, business continuity and communication with staff, parents and the press.

Reducing risk

Regular inspections of your property may help reduce the risk of water damage losses. The following items may assist you in developing a facility inspection and maintenance checklist*:

• Inspect flashing and sealants around windows, roofs and doors for effectiveness.

• Check the surface condition of the roof after a storm.

• Check roof drainage and ventilation systems for clogs and leaks.

• Check plumbing for leaking fixtures, dripping pipes, clogged drains and defective water drainage systems.

• Inspect foundations and exterior walls for cracks and gaps in expansion joints.

• Look for humidity and moist areas, and check for mustiness or moldy smells. Try to keep these areas dry by tracking the source of the moisture and repairing it immediately.

• Check interior walls and ceilings for stains, as water stains on the ceiling or running down walls may indicate a greater problem behind the drywall.

For more information on protecting your business from water damage and other disasters, visit FEMA’s website.

*The checklist is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all items to consider.

Reference
Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2018). Continuity essential records management.