Mitigating Water Damage

The end of the winter months brings spring flowers into bloom and with it new responsibilities for all building owners. This is the perfect time of year to perform routine maintenance around our homes and commercial properties.

The main enemy to the longevity of all building structures is water. Every building, no matter how well engineered, is just floating on this mud ball we call earth. Damage from water can be devastating to any business and cause loss of income for you and your employees' families. For a medical or dental practice, it can also mean closed treatment rooms and rescheduled patients. If you know what to look for, most of these severe issues can be avoided altogether.

First, the roof

Start with a complete inspection of your roof. The strong spring storms will damage shingles and roof penetrations. This can allow water to seep in almost undetected until some type of damage is already done. Check all roof penetrations for flashings that are loose or have caulk that has dried and cracked. On a low-slope roof, also check the membrane seams, the drains and scuppers, and the curbs under the rooftop air conditioning units.

If all this looks good, then move on to the gutters and make sure they are clean and free from leaves and debris. This is often overlooked because you need a ladder to inspect, but it is well worth having them cleaned before it causes rotting around soffits and eaves. If the roof is due for replacement, read about cool roofs first.

Second, windows and doors

Walk around the building and check all windows and doors. Even the best caulk on the market will deteriorate with age in this Texas heat. The areas where brick and stone meet window frames and expansion joints are the spots to check for signs of dried, cracking caulk. Repairing or replacing the caulking around windows and doors will help keep water out and possibly keep pests out as well. Another added benefit will be the reduction of cooling bills from the loss of air migrating around windows.

Third, the foundation

The third item, and possibly the most expensive to fix, is your building foundation. Most of us around here are familiar with the large cracks you see in the ground in a hot summer. We have black expansive clay in most of the Metroplex that works back and forth with each wet-dry cycle. If an even moisture level is not maintained around your property, then it results in differential settlement. Settling is a normal part of a building's life, but differential settling is when one section of the building sinks or rises faster than the rest. This can lead to cracked foundations and even structural problems.

This can be prevented by being aware of your site's water sources. A large spike in your water bill should be a wake-up call to the possibility of a leaking water pipe somewhere on your property. Make sure your irrigation system is in proper working order without broken sprinkler heads. Overwatering your landscape is just as bad for your foundation as it is for your plants. The soil should be moist, but you should not sink into it when walking in your grass. Give them just enough water to stay healthy and conserve the rest for us.

Watch where rainwater goes, too. It should drain away from the building, not toward it. At Urban Trails Animal Hospital, the building sits on the low end of the lot, and rainwater flowed toward the foundation while it was being poured in an exceptionally rainy season.

Inside a practice

Not all water comes from outside. Sterilizers, dental units, ice makers, and water heaters are fed by small supply lines that can fail. Look at them when you make your rounds, and make sure your staff knows where the main water shutoff is. If you are looking at an existing suite, our guide to second-generation medical space lists what to inspect before you lease.

All buildings require routine owner maintenance. For more to check on the outside of the building, see Love Your Building. We stay available to past clients for repairs and changes as needed, so give us a call if we can help.

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