How to Protect Your Facility from Water Logging
Heavy rain hit a commercial property in Arlington last spring. The building manager assumed the storm drains could handle it. Within hours, water pooled across the rear parking lot crept under a service door, and soaked the mechanical room floor. HVAC downtime followed, then tenant complaints. Not a massive flood, but the type that eats into maintenance budgets and tests operational reliability.
Water logging rarely begins with a dramatic disaster. More often, it’s gradual—slow drainage, minor seepage, clogged gutters—until one day, routine rainfall overwhelms your defenses. Ignoring the early signs often leads to higher repair costs and operational disruptions.
Routine inspections help, but targeted prevention measures do more to keep water out and your systems running.
Start With the Roof
Standing water on a flat roof leads to blistered membranes, leaks, and rot. Sometimes, maintenance teams only realize a problem when ceiling tiles start sagging. Water ponding for over 48 hours is already a sign that drainage is compromised. Debris in scuppers or rooftop drains is usually the first issue. One industrial facility had pigeons nesting near an open drain; feathers and nesting material caused a blockage that went unnoticed until water spilled over the parapet.
A simple fix like installing wire strainers over drain openings and assigning someone to check them after storms can prevent long-term damage. Ponding can also be a design flaw—roof slopes that don’t pitch correctly. In such cases, tapered insulation or additional drains may be required.
Gutters and Downspouts Make or Break Perimeter Defense
A 60,000-square-foot warehouse in Houston suffered repeated pooling near its loading dock. The problem? Downspouts directed water into a slight depression at the foundation. Engineers came in thinking the slab had settled—turns out, a broken underground drain tile was forcing overflow into the same area each time it rained. The gutter system was functional above ground but failed below.
Regular checks for sagging gutters, loose brackets, or rusted sections often reveal hidden risks. Also worth noting: downspouts that discharge too close to the building are common culprits. Water needs to be directed at least six to ten feet away, either through extensions or underground piping. A splash block might help on a residential home, but large-scale facilities need real discharge control.
Monitor Interior Drainage Systems
Backflow issues inside restrooms or floor drains during storms often indicate problems beyond the building envelope. During a flood in South Texas, a medical office’s janitor’s closet filled with foul water. The reason: city sewer pressure reversed flow through a forgotten utility drain. The maintenance crew hadn’t installed a backwater valve—and paid the price.
Facilities in low-lying areas should consider installing backwater prevention devices. Sump pumps should be tested monthly, not just after water shows up. Battery backups matter more than people think—power outages and storms often go hand in hand.
Control Grading and Surface Flow
Water should always move away from the building. Even subtle grading issues create major problems. In Dallas, a newly built office complex began showing signs of mold only six months after occupancy. Investigation found that the landscaping company created berms too close to the structure, which redirected stormwater toward the walls. Sod covered the problem, but water had no escape path.
Walk the perimeter during rainfall. Watch how water flows. Pay attention to low spots near entryways, dock bays, or utility access points. Asphalt that’s cracked or sloped toward the building should be repaired quickly. Small shifts in grading make a big difference during heavy downpours.
Pay Attention to Landscaping Choices
Irrigation systems often contribute to saturation problems without being noticed. Leaks in buried lines can go undetected for weeks. Overwatering combined with poor drainage turns mulch beds into sponges, holding moisture against foundation walls. Clay-heavy soil compounds the issue.
Native plants that tolerate dry conditions reduce irrigation needs. Where water must be retained briefly—like near parking lots—bioswales or rain gardens can offer temporary collection points without risking foundation damage.
Check Below Grade Areas Like Basements and Pits
Subgrade areas often act as water magnets. Elevator pits, utility vaults, and basements require proper sealing and drainage. One property manager in Fort Worth installed new sump pumps but skipped sealing wall joints. During heavy rains, water seeped through cold joints and under equipment pads. The pumps worked, but only after water had already entered the space.
Waterproof coatings, proper drain tile installation, and regular pump maintenance keep subgrade areas dry. These zones should never be afterthoughts, especially when they house electrical panels or data infrastructure.
Know the Limits of Your Stormwater System
Cities have rules about how much runoff you can direct into public sewers. Overloaded stormwater systems lead to backups, especially in shared infrastructure like business parks. A retail center near Austin got fined when its sump system discharged directly into a storm inlet already over capacity. Water flooded neighboring lots, and tenants lost access for half a day.
Verify discharge points and ensure your runoff calculations align with local code. If your property exceeds runoff limits, detention ponds or underground storage systems may be required. These aren’t just compliance features—they protect your neighbors and your own building’s long-term usability.
Track Small Incidents Over Time
Water stains, damp smells, or even peeling paint often point to larger issues. At one school campus, ceiling tiles were replaced repeatedly, but the real leak source was a poorly sealed HVAC penetration. Only after thermal imaging showed moisture behind the wall did the team realize the issue extended vertically from the roof to the floor slab.
Keep a log of every water incident. Patterns often reveal the source. Ten minor leaks across five months usually signal one major system failure that hasn’t been properly diagnosed. Documentation helps justify capital requests for drainage upgrades, roofing projects, or envelope sealing.
Train Staff to Notice What Matters
Janitorial teams, security guards, and maintenance techs are the eyes on the ground. Teach them what early signs of water issues look like. Overflowing roof drains, slow-draining exterior grates, or squishy carpet tiles can all signal trouble. Encourage photo documentation and set up a simple reporting system.
One commercial building reduced water-related maintenance calls by half after giving custodians a checklist for visual inspections during rainstorms. Those early warnings often save thousands.
Avoid Overconfidence in New Construction
Brand-new buildings aren’t immune to water logging. Mistakes during construction—poorly sealed joints, incorrect slope grading, or misaligned piping—all become apparent only after the first few storms. A newly opened industrial facility had water leaking through its curtain wall because foam backer rods were omitted during installation. It met code, passed inspection, and still failed under pressure.
Commissioning inspections should include real-world water testing where feasible. Simulated rainfall and hose testing often reveal vulnerabilities that visual inspections miss. Don’t assume warranty coverage guarantees performance. Test and verify before the building is fully occupied.
National Facility Contractors: Your Partner in Water Management
Water problems don’t announce themselves loudly—they creep in. A blocked drain here, a soaked wall panel there. National Facility Contractors helps facility managers identify risks before they escalate, providing expert solutions for drainage, waterproofing, and stormwater management to protect your property and keep operations running smoothly.
Wrap-Up Without Wrapping Up
Routine checks and real-world testing often do more than expensive retrofits. Stay proactive, trust observations during storms, and don’t wait for ceiling stains to start investigating. Facility resilience often depends on how well the site manages water, not just how it handles people.
