Storm-related devastation was all too familiar this year. Hurricane Helene caused $250 billion in damages to the southeastern United States, concentrated in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina, with more than 100 deaths. Meanwhile, Hurricane Milton caused $50 billion in damages and claimed the lives of 14 people.
Researchers suggest that the most damaging U.S. hurricanes are three times more frequent than 100 years ago, and that the proportion of major hurricanes (Category 3 or above) in the Atlantic Ocean has doubled since 1980.
As catastrophic storms are happening more and more, Society Insurance is sharing what it has learned in more than 100 years of experience in helping restaurants better prepare against storm-related emergencies.
Use natural landscaping techniques around your building. Large paved areas such as surface parking lots collect water and only have limited areas for drainage. Plus, if your community is flooding, these drains in your parking lot may be overwhelmed to a point where they aren’t helpful.
Surrounding your building with a variety of shrubs, natural grass or bushes can help absorb excess water during floods. Rain gardens, for example, are a type of landscaping that collects runoff rainwater. They can divide parking lots, flank walkways or be embedded into grassy areas. Additionally, incorporating an appropriate mulch into landscaping around your business can help protect your restaurant’s foundation and exterior by slowing and absorbing water.
Address drainage problems prior to storm season. Check your gutters and building drainage before the storm season begins. If your gutters are due for a cleaning, contact a local gutter company to complete the job. Additionally, if your roof has been damaged, so have your gutters most likely. Neglected gutters spell disaster as they accumulate debris and standing water. Standing water can easily overflow into your foundation, potentially flooding the basement and shutting down your establishment.
Trim your trees to prevent storm damage. While dead trees and dead branches are a liability all of the time, dead branches are more likely to fall during heavy storms and gusting winds. This can be hazardous to you, your employees, patrons and the building. From tree limbs falling on the roof to dead branches getting tangled in power lines, a well-maintained property will, again, help you avoid costly storm damage insurance claims.
Flood-proof your building’s most susceptible areas. The lowest point of elevation in your building should ideally be above the highest point expected in a flood. By learning your building’s base flood elevation (BFE), you can identify the areas of your pizzeria that are most vulnerable to floods. From there, you can determine what flood-proofing techniques will be most beneficial depending on your property’s level of risk.
If there are important areas below your BFE, dry flood-proofing techniques can involve impenetrable barriers, plates or coatings that prevent flood water from entering your property. On the other hand, wet flood-proofing is a technique where highly durable areas are designed to allow water through, in effect creating a path of least resistance in order to protect your property.
Shore up your foundation. Floods or torrential rainfalls can cause significant damage to your foundation. Water is incredibly powerful; when it seeps into your building, it can expand existing cracks and displace walls. Overall, when a building is subjected to flowing or standing water, the structural integrity can be damaged, leading to burdensome repair or rebuild costs.
Use caulk and other sealants to ensure the locations where pipes enter your building are sealed. Consider hiring a contractor to assess and restore existing damage in your basement or foundation before spring thaws or floods.
Use water detection devices. Water detection devices can monitor moisture levels around your building. If there’s flooding, they can alert you to areas where water is seeping in so you can triage these places and protect anything that could be damaged before it’s too late.
Consider buying a backup generator. A backup generator won’t be able to power your entire operation, but if it can power your refrigerators and walk-ins during the downtime, it could save you money during an emergency.
Keep physical copies of essential documents. During an emergency, you may need access to essential documents. Having physical copies available will be a lifesaver if you lose power, as your computers and POS systems will be down.
Catastrophic storms, sadly, are here to stay. However, it’s never too late to prepare for storms. Business owners can mitigate damage to their building, payroll and bottom line if they invest a little bit of time into preventive measures.
