Storefront and Commercial Water Loss in Milwaukee, WI

Logging the stock before it moves

Stock is photographed and logged where it stands, so the loss can be shown.

Stock on the lowest shelves is the first thing lost in a commercial water loss. Before it is moved, each shelf and each item is photographed where it stands and logged with its quantity and its condition. The log is the owner's proof of what was lost.

The stock that can be saved is moved to a dry place and logged again at the new place.

• Photograph each shelf before it moves
• Log quantity and condition of each item
• Move saveable stock to a dry place
• Log it again at its new place
• Give the owner a copy of the log on the same day

Electrical and fixture checks

Wiring and fixtures that were in the water are checked by a qualified trade before the power is returned.

Commercial wiring and fixtures that have been in water need a qualified check before they are used. The crew isolates the affected circuits, notes the fixtures in the water line and hands the list to an electrician. Nothing is switched on until the electrician has confirmed it is safe.

The owner decides with the electrician which fixtures are replaced and which are checked and reused.

• Isolate the affected circuits at the panel
• Note fixtures and outlets in the water line
• Hand the list to a qualified electrician
• Do not switch on until the check is done
• Record the electrician's findings in writing

Drying the premises and the back room

The floor, walls and back room are dried to readings, each area with its own scope and target.

A commercial space is dried area by area. The sales floor, the back room and the offices each have their own readings and target, and each has its own scope. The drying runs for as long as the readings require, and the owner is told the expected number of visits before the work begins.

A back room with stock still on the floor can hold water for a long time, and the crew checks it each visit.

• Separate scope for each area
• Separate readings and target for each area
• The expected number of visits stated early
• Back rooms checked on every visit
• Each area signed off in writing

The owner's record for the insurer

The owner keeps the stock log, the readings, the scope, the photographs and the trade invoices together.

A commercial claim is read by the insurer and sometimes by an accountant. The owner keeps the stock log, the readings, the scope, the photographs and the trade invoices together, in order. A clear record speeds the claim and the reopening.

The insurer's letters are kept with the record, and every question is answered in writing with the document that supports it.

• The stock log with photographs
• The readings and the scope for each area
• The photographs with dates
• The trade invoices in order
• The insurer's letters with the answers

Keeping the business informed during the work

The owner is given a short written update on each visit, with the readings and the expected next step.

A business owner needs to know the next step, and a short written update on each visit gives it. The update names the readings, the work done, the work still to do and the date of the next visit. It is a page, not a report, so the owner can use it quickly.

The owner can use the update to tell staff, landlords and suppliers what is happening, without guessing at the schedule.

Each business day lost is recorded with the reason, so the owner has a clear account of the closure for the insurer and the landlord.

The owner's stock log is kept up to date as stock is sold, disposed of or returned to the shelves. That log is the basis for the insurer's account of the loss and for the owner's own records after reopening.

• The readings and the work done on the visit
• The work still to do
• The date of the next visit
• A copy for the owner, the landlord or the insurer
• The reopening step, stated only when known