How do you keep a commercial space open during a water loss in Wichita?
By planning the work around the parts of the space that are still usable and by closing only the areas that are wet. The owner receives a written plan showing the closures, the duration and how each area will look when reopened.
A plan that closes the whole building when only one room is wet costs more than it needs to. The crew separates the wet areas from the dry ones, and it reads the boundary between them so the dry areas are not affected by moisture moving across.
Ask the crew to show the plan on a simple sketch of the building. A clear map of the affected and unaffected areas helps staff, customers and the owner understand what is happening and when it will end.
What does a commercial moisture log need to show for an insurer?
The date and time of each visit, the readings in each material and in the air, the equipment in each area, the photographs and the dry level reached for each material. An insurer and an accountant can use it to follow the loss from start to finish.
A commercial log is more demanding than a house log, because the insurer may want to see the business interruption, the stock and the equipment as well as the building. Each item affected should be recorded, with what was done to it and what was discarded.
Keep the photographs dated and labelled by area. A photograph that shows the ceiling tile, the shelf or the stock with its location is far more useful to an adjuster than a general view of the room.
Can a commercial ceiling or partition be dried in place?
Sometimes. A drop ceiling tile that is only lightly stained can be removed, dried and replaced. Gypsum partitions that have soaked and softened are removed and replaced, and the crew explains which materials are kept and why.
Ceiling tiles that have taken in water usually sag and stain, and they are removed rather than dried in place. The grid above them is checked for rust or bending, and the insulation behind the tiles is read for moisture.
Partitions are read at their base and along their length. A wall that has wicked water up from the floor may need its lower section removed, and the crew explains where the cut will be made and how the repair will be finished.
What should the owner check before reopening a commercial space?
The final readings, the written results, the state of the equipment, and whether the materials that were removed have been replaced. The owner should also check that the finishes and the fittings match the scope they approved.
Ask for the final readings in writing and walk the space with the crew at the last visit. Note anything that looks unfinished, such as a cut edge, an exposed cavity or a missing tile, and ask the crew to address it before reopening.
Check that any equipment placed in the space has been removed and that the electrical systems have been restored safely. A licensed electrician should check any wiring that was isolated during the work.
Does a commercial water loss need a permit in Wichita?
Some repairs may need a permit from the City of Wichita building office. Which work needs one was not checked for this site, so ask the building office before the rebuild starts, and do not assume either way.
Structural repairs, electrical work and some changes to a floor or a wall can need a permit. The building office can say which work applies to your building and what the process is.
The drying work itself does not normally need a permit, but the rebuild may. Ask the building office before the repair begins, so the timeline and the inspections can be planned with the contractor.
