Commerce is warehousing, distribution and rail, and the water damage work here is commercial almost without exception. Large floor areas, high-value inventory and buildings that sit empty at night.
The clock matters more in these buildings than in a house. Cardboard packaging wicks water across a pallet in hours, and a rack of product can be compromised well beyond the area that actually got wet.
What goes wrong in Commerce buildings
Roof failures during winter storms are a regular source, because a large flat roof concentrates a lot of water and finds any weak seam. Sprinkler and supply line failures are the other.
Loading dock areas are a specific weak point. Water entering at a dock door spreads across a level slab with nothing to stop it, and the drying is complicated by the concrete itself holding moisture.
How fast do you need to be on a warehouse loss?
Same day, and ideally within hours. Extraction volume is the whole game in a large space, and the difference between a morning start and an afternoon one is measured in pallets.
Can a concrete slab be dried, or does the flooring come up?
The slab can be dried; whatever is bonded to it often cannot stay. Sealed concrete is straightforward, and coverings that trap moisture underneath usually have to come off to let it out.