Philly is currently experiencing that most troublesome of weather combinations - heat, humidity, and storms. As NBC Philadelphia noted in their weather report, the city and state have seen huge flooding problems due to ongoing storms, and there are more predicted on the horizon. For businesses, summer is a crucial time of year, whether that’s hospitality venues looking to seize on people getting out and about in the sun, or retail that simply benefits from the footfall of good weather. Winter comes in Philly before many realize it, and so it’s crucial that businesses adapt to these odd weather conditions to keep their properties safe, operational, and fit for service.

Protecting the property

Businesses of all types need to keep an eye out when it comes to flooding. The Inquirer have reported 12.8 feet water levels as far as Montgomery County, a flicker away from official flood rates and a level which is difficult to remove once it’s compacted onto the floodplain. Of course, there’s little that property owners can do to fight back against flooding once its occurred - but a couple of preparatory steps can help to ease the damage and potentially push back.

Firstly, the use of floodwater hardscaping and measures, such as sandbags, can be helpful, but also consider directing flow away from the building and into storm drains. Secondly, consider the maintenance of the property itself. Philly is a wonderfully green city - it received an “A” rating from the prestigious US Green Building Council. Unfortunately, those trees and plants leave detritus that needs to be cleared out of gutters and other areas. Do this regularly and the property will be sure to avoid springing leaks, and help to direct water flow away during flood events.

Fighting the water impacts

Even outside of flood times, the significant humidity that Philadelphia experiences does have a significant negative impact on properties. With water constantly sitting in the air and in and around the foundations of buildings, the risk of mold building up is likely significant. Indeed, this has been proven; according to Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank estimates, there is already a $3.7 billion bill for repairing old and weathered properties in the city.

Businesses can address this through two methods. Firstly, conducting repairs - though it’s accepted this is often time consuming and costly. Secondly, through regular deep cleaning. Bringing in professionals to assess likely evidence of mold, and then addressing that either through remedial action or deeper cleaning, will ensure the business is safe for customers. This can even be rolled in with regular gutter and landscape cleaning.

Providing balance

The storms have come alongside hot weather, as ABC6 highlights. Temperatures have spiked up over 90 degree temperatures throughout early July, and are set to continue to remain high despite the storms. This tough mix of wet weather and serious heat only serves to exacerbate issues with dirt, and the recent Canadian wildfires brought toxic clouds to the city that stuck around for a much longer time due to the humid air and the baking impact on the sun.

With that in mind, it’s a good idea to look at deep exterior cleaning. This is especially important for the windows of the business, which can accumulate and accrue contaminants. Consider the impact on the reputation of the business - a dirty looking exterior is not only repellent to customers, but it could potentially be unsafe too. Keep it safe and keep it clean.

Day to day tasks

With this hot weather and equally impactful storms comes a requirement of just a little bit of extra work on maintenance. Those wet feet and quickly drying stains can cause floors in the business to become dirty very quickly, and the flagstones on the street outside to become dirty and crack, too. Taking a proactive approach to cleaning can be very effective here.

Consider using professional help to undertake a once-over before the season begins; consultants can help give you tips on keeping surfaces clean throughout the summer season, too, and what needs to happen on the daily to ensure that the property is safe. It might be a good idea to invest in mats and other items to keep the property safe and secure, too - this will give you the extra bit of assurance you need.

Of course, these preparations will help a lot during fall and winter, too. Summer helps Philly businesses protect themselves in an odd way like that; the mix of rain and hot, hot weather creating difficult circumstances. Storms and heatwaves are only set to continue, so taking firm control of the cleaning of the business and its approach towards ensuring that visitors are safe on the premises and leave healthy is of crucial importance.