By Pat Muller, Ready 2 Respond Trainer
Dealing with water damage can seem like a straightforward repair and reconstruction issue, but the true costs often go far beyond the obvious. Imagine a burst pipe flooding an unoccupied office space over a weekend – workspaces are inaccessible, staff productivity plummets, and moisture permeates building materials.
These hidden costs – lost productivity, operational disruption, and secondary damage like mold – can significantly impact budgets and workflows. Understanding these ripple effects can help improve long-term results and protect the bottom line.
Hidden Cost #1: Lost Productivity
Water damage doesn’t just disrupt a physical building – it disrupts the people working inside. Whether it’s a flooded office, closed classroom, or unusable storage area, the impact on daily operations can be significant. Employees may need to shift to remote work, or projects can come to a halt altogether.
For example, water damage in an administrative office can displace staff for days, impacting everything from communications to payroll processing. When an operations department is hit, productivity can be severely impacted, leading to added stress and overtime work to catch up. The stakes are even higher when patient and exam rooms, diagnostic imaging areas, or surgical suites are affected in a hospital setting.
Hidden Cost #2: Facility Disruption
The drying process following water damage can slow daily building operations, making it difficult for staff, tenants, customers, or patients to carry on as usual. In some cases, such as when a lobby or hallway is flooded, access to high-traffic areas is temporarily blocked – frustrating building occupants and interrupting scheduled activities. At one major university, water damage in luxury suites at the football stadium threatened usability during a major professional match.
Equipment outages related to water damage can also disrupt building functionality – for example, if a flooded mechanical room causes the HVAC system to be out of service. These disruptions can result in missed opportunities, lost income from events, and even reputational harm if key areas remain inaccessible for extended periods.
Hidden Cost #3: Mold and Secondary Damage
Water damage that isn’t fully addressed can lead to long-term consequences, with mold being among the most hazardous and costly. When moisture sits for too long – for example, over a weekend or holiday break or while waiting for a contractor – it can seep into walls, carpets, and furnishings, creating an ideal environment for mold growth. Left unchecked, this can compromise indoor air quality, damage building materials, and result in expensive remediation efforts.
Secondary damage can also include serious structural issues, such as weakened drywall and ceilings, foundation cracks, or buckled flooring. These types of hidden damages often require significant time and resources to address.
Mitigating Hidden Costs
Facilities teams can help mitigate these hidden costs by having a clear, written and communicated in-house water damage response strategy that includes systems for fast response when an incident occurs. Equipping teams with the right tools and training to handle water damage quickly and comprehensively is also key.
Contact the R2R team for help with evaluating facilities team’s water damage preparedness and steps for minimizing risk, plus customized training. For tips on drying after water damage, follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to our Facility Insights newsletter.
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