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Unpredictable winter weather can spell trouble for any business. While most businesses have a plan in place for snow removal and working remotely, an often-forgotten issue is winter water damage.
Winter water damage and flooding caused by frozen pipes can impact your office space, and can potentially cause damage to computers and electronics. Even if your business is located on an upper floor, you aren’t always protected. Water damage from a burst pipe can affect every floor of a business.
Here are some tips for handling winter water damage:
1. Prepare and monitor pipes
It is important to keep a close eye on water pipes throughout the year, especially during cold weather. Be sure to insulate water-carrying pipes in areas that don’t receive heat, and fix any gaps or cracks in your building’s walls.
2. Monitor the temperature
Keeping your office at a steady temperature can help prevent pipes from freezing. If you have control of your server room’s thermostat, it should be set at a minimum of 55 degrees Fahrenheit. For best practice, we recommend keeping your office at a steady temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Store your PC and server safely
Storing your PCs and servers correctly can help safeguard against water damage. PCs should be stored under a desk or table. This prevents damage from above. Additionally, storing them a few inches off the ground will keep them elevated from floor level damage.
4. Troubleshoot, repair and replace
After any damage, a Braver Technology Solutions engineer can immediately evaluate and troubleshoot your equipment to determine if it is salvageable. While we do carry some back up equipment, expect a few days of downtime for us to repair and replace any severely damaged equipment.
For an even faster restore time, our clients have the option to store data offsite with our ReadyVault Offsite service. By storing data offsite in the cloud, your data can be retrieved and restored even if your hardware is damaged
5. File an insurance claim
If any computers or equipment have been damaged, file a claim with your insurance agent. If you have any questions determining the value of the damaged equipment, a Braver Technology Solutions representative will be happy to help.
For more information on Braver Technology Solutions or to find out more about creating a Disaster Recovery Plan for your business, please contact us.
