After straight-line derecho winds passed at midnight, employees arriving in the morning were stunned: windows broken, roof lifted, debris scattered into stores and offices. There was simply no way to do business. But essential work had to start immediately: boarding up to protect the property.
Board-up services are required to prevent or respond to property damage stemming from:
- Weather events like storms, hurricanes, tornadoes and floods
- Vandalism, theft, break-ins.
- Rioting, demonstrations that may become unruly, unrest
- Fires
- Vehicle strikes
For commercial customers and homeowners, choosing the right company to perform board-up services is critical. “There is far more to consider about proper execution of boarding up than just having the right personnel, equipment and nails,” says Kelleree Hoggard, Vice President, Commercial at Paul Davis. “Timing, coordination with owners, partners and local authorities, structural stabilization – these figure into a job done well.”
Timing: Owners requiring boarding up services need mitigation companies that are prepared to immediately discuss when boarding up can begin, what procedures to use and when it must conclude. Local construction companies often can’t provide round-the-clock contact capabilities nor responses within hours. For instance, boarding up after weather damage or fires must be scheduled after adjusters and local fire marshals have conducted mandatory inspections. If boarding up is required ahead of expected unrest or a hurricane, owners must be confident that boarding up will be completed before weather hits.
Coordination: Often successful boarding up requires mitigation companies to coordinate across many partners while monitoring conditions and adjusting approaches in real time. Highly qualified companies like Paul Davis have the infrastructure, personnel and relationships to coordinate successfully among local authorities, owners, occupants, insurance carriers, emergency services, weather forecasting services and suppliers. They also have the communications planning in place to ensure all partners are informed continually.
Board Up Design: When boarding up occurs on already damaged structures, experienced technicians must implement procedures that stabilize the structure, do not create new damage and provide ready access to restoration workers when that process commences. Choosing the right materials and fastening them correctly – fastening recommendations vary with height from ground level, for instance – can be complex. Further, materials must be chosen, positioned and secured so they do not themselves become hazardous if tested.
Experience: No two buildings are the same, each requiring tailored boarding up approaches for complete security and for ease of removal when restoration work commences. Highly qualified and experienced companies like Paul Davis train technicians for all types of structures and structural materials.
“Our clients demand experienced professionals,” concludes Hoggard. “Clients that retained Paul Davis for their emergency needs collaborate with us in advance to know where we might be needed through Emergency Preparedness Planning and location mapping.”
Call Paul Davis today at 888-244-9840 to discuss restoration and mitigation needs such as boarding up services.
