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Commercial flood water restoration in Cedar Rapids

Flood water removed from a business, with the space dried to readings and documented for the owner.

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  • Cedar River flooding
  • Storm and hail damage
  • Frozen and burst pipes

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Commercial

Commercial Flood Water Restoration: what it covers

Quick answer

Commercial flood water restoration is the removal of river or storm water from a business premises, followed by drying of its floors, walls and framing and a written record of the work. It follows the same order as a home job, with the stock, equipment and business records handled as their own items. Calls are answered 24/7 across Linn County.

Commercial Flood Water Restoration illustration for Cedar Rapids, IA, with the river and the city skyline in the background

A business that floods loses more than its floor. Stock, equipment, records and the daily running of the premises are all affected, and the owner needs the water removed and the space dried quickly so that the business can open again. The steps are the same as for a home: remove the standing water, measure the moisture, take out what cannot be dried and dry the structure to readings. The scale and the records are what differ.

The City of Cedar Rapids records the 2008 flood water as covering about 10 square miles, or 14 percent of the city. Businesses in the flood footprint needed the same drying and documentation as homes, and the record a lender or insurer may ask for is the same kind of record. The crew keeps readings and photographs for the premises, the stock and the equipment, so the owner has them when the questions come.

Call (833) 490-5225 as soon as water reaches the premises. The line is answered 24/7 and a crew is sent as soon as one is free. Before the crew arrives, move stock and records off the floor if it is safe to do so, keep electrical equipment off until a qualified person has checked it, and photograph the damage before anything is moved.

Service area
Cedar Rapids & Linn County
Availability
Phones answered 24/7
Warning signs

Signs you need commercial flood water restoration

Do not enter a premises with standing water if the power is on or electrical equipment sits in the water. Do not run generators inside the building, and do not use a household extractor near outlets under water. Wear gloves and eye protection when handling stock, because packaging and debris can carry contamination. Keep staff and the public away from the work area until the crew has finished.

  • Water under shelving, counters or display fixtures after a rise or storm
  • Stock, boxes or paper goods that have been in water and now smell sour
  • Equipment that stood in water and has not been checked by a qualified person
  • Wet flooring, base molding and lower walls in customer or storage areas
  • A musty smell in a back room or storage area that appears after the event
  • Records, invoices or files that have been wet and need to be sorted
Our process

How our commercial flood water restoration visit works

  1. Make the premises safe and record the scene

    The technician checks the power, the electrical panels and any equipment in the water before anyone enters. Photographs of the stock, fixtures and damage are taken as the team walks the premises, so the record is complete.

  2. Remove the standing water

    Water is pumped or removed from the lowest point, starting at the storage and back areas. Stock and equipment that must be moved are cleared first, so the water can be taken from under them.

  3. Measure and map the wet areas

    Moisture is measured across the floors, walls and framing, and the readings are mapped room by room. The map shows which areas will need drying, which surfaces will be removed and which can be kept.

  4. Remove and sort the stock and materials

    Stock, packaging and fixtures that cannot be cleaned are listed, photographed and removed. Items that can be kept are cleaned and dried in a separate area, and the owner agrees the list before any disposal.

  5. Dry the premises and report

    Equipment is set across the floors and walls, and the readings are checked on each visit until the structure reads dry. The report covers the removals, the drying, the equipment and the photographs, and it is kept for the owner.

What should a business owner do first after flood water reaches the premises?

Keep people out of the water, make sure electrical equipment is off and checked, and call the line. Move stock and records off the floor if it is safe to do so, and photograph the damage before anything is moved. The first steps protect people and the record.

A business owner should not enter water near electrical panels, outlets or equipment until a qualified person has checked the power. Shut off power at a dry location if it can be done safely.

The photographs and the list of stock and equipment are the start of the claim record. The owner should keep them with the business's own records, which the crew can help sort later.

How does the drying of a commercial space differ from a home?

The method is the same, but the scale, the finishes and the business needs differ. A commercial space often has larger floors, more openings and more equipment to set, and the work must be scheduled around the owner's need to reopen.

Commercial floors, walls and partitions can cover a large area, and the drying plan is set for each zone. The crew moves equipment from zone to zone as readings fall, so the premises are dried in a planned order.

The owner's schedule matters. The crew and the owner agree which areas must be ready first, and the drying is planned to support that order without skipping the readings that show the structure is dry.

What records should a business keep for the insurer?

Keep the photographs, the crew's readings, the list of removed stock and equipment, the invoices for the work and any records of the business's loss. Together they show what was there, what was damaged and what was done about it.

The insurer may ask for proof of stock and equipment that was lost, so the owner should keep purchase records and inventory lists where they exist. The crew's list adds the condition of each item at the time of the removal.

Keep the originals and make copies for the insurer and the lender. The crew can supply its report in a form the insurer can read, and the owner decides what to send and when.

Can stock or equipment that was in the water be saved?

Some can, depending on the material, the water and the time it stood. Hard goods and equipment may be cleaned and dried, while packaged or porous goods usually cannot. Electrical equipment must be checked by a qualified person before it is used again.

Goods in cardboard or paper are normally removed, because the packaging absorbs water and carries contamination. Metal and sealed items can often be cleaned and dried, and the owner decides with the crew which items are worth the effort.

No electrical equipment should be switched on after it has been in water until a qualified person has checked it. The crew can list the equipment in the report so the owner knows what must be checked first.

What moves the cost of commercial flood restoration up or down?

The floor area, the number of rooms and zones, the amount of stock and fixtures to be moved, the depth of the water and the finishes all move the cost. Equipment time and the number of openings add to it. The price is explained and approved before work starts, and no figure is given on this page.

A large premises with a long run of shelving and several zones takes more equipment and more time than a single room. The scope is agreed zone by zone, so the owner can see what each part of the job costs.

Repairs to the building, to fixtures and to equipment are priced by the trades that do them. The restoration estimate covers the removal, the drying and the report, and it is given after the crew has walked the premises.

Options

Types and options for commercial flood water restoration

Shop or retail floor

A shop floor with tile, vinyl or sealed concrete holds water on its surface and beneath the base molding. The crew checks the joints and the walls at the floor line, and it sets the drying around the fixtures and shelving.

Office space with carpet and partitions

Carpet, pad and partition walls take water quickly and hold it longer than a hard floor. The crew removes what cannot be dried, opens the partitions where readings are high and dries the space behind them.

Storage room or back area

Storage rooms hold stock on the floor and on racks, and water in them can sit for longer than in an open space. The crew clears the stock first, measures the floor and walls, and dries the room before stock returns.

Linn County

Why commercial flood water restoration is different in Eastern Iowa

The City of Cedar Rapids describes the 2008 flood as the highest level in the city's recorded history, with the flood water covering about 10 square miles. Businesses in the flood footprint need the same drying and documentation as homes, and the record the crew keeps for a premises follows the same method.

A business in Cedar Rapids that needs floodplain or repair-permit answers before reopening should contact the City of Cedar Rapids building and floodplain office. The restoration crew can supply the readings and the report that support the question.

The record a business keeps after a flood is also a record of the city's flood history for that property. A homeowner or owner who keeps the readings, the photographs and the removal list has the facts in hand for a future lender, buyer or insurer.

One call and it gets handled.

A crew is dispatched as fast as one is available, and you approve the estimate before any work starts.

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Where we work

Commercial Flood Water Restoration across Linn County

Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.

Related

Flood Debris Removal

Wet furniture, drywall and silt sorted and hauled out before the building is dried.

Guides

Read before you book

Hiring a Water Damage Contractor in Iowa

Hire a water damage contractor on a written scope, with readings, a written estimate, a stated set of assumptions and a clear plan for the insurer's documents.

FAQ

Commercial Flood Water Restoration FAQs

Can we reopen while the drying is still going on?

Sometimes, if the areas in use are dry to readings and the drying equipment is kept out of the public space. The crew agrees the zones with the owner, and it will say which areas are not yet ready for use. Do not reopen an area that has not been read as dry.

Will the crew remove our stock?

The crew removes stock that cannot be cleaned or dried, after listing and photographing it with the owner. Stock that can be kept is cleaned and dried in a separate area. The owner agrees the list before any disposal.

Who checks the electrical equipment?

A qualified electrician or equipment technician should check any equipment that was in water before it is used again. The crew lists the equipment in its report and does not switch on equipment that has not been checked.

What does the insurer need from us?

The insurer usually asks for photographs, the list of lost stock and equipment, proof of value where it exists, and the restoration report. Keep copies of everything, and ask the insurer which documents it needs to review the claim.

Does the crew work with our landlord or property manager?

The crew works with the person who calls and authorizes the work, and it can share the report with the owner of the building if that person asks. Agree the reporting arrangements before work starts, so each party gets the record it needs.

Is there a fixed timetable for a commercial job?

No fixed timetable is given on the phone. The crew sets the plan from the readings, the size of the premises and the order the owner needs the areas back, and it reports on progress at each visit.

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