This blog presumes you’re researching ways to tighten up a brewing operation by finding the best possible solution to handle high-volume liquids. Perhaps you’ve already figured out that PVC is the best option for waterproofing a brewery, or maybe you’re still undecided between materials and just want to know if installing wall panels is worth the cost in the first place.  These facts are to illustrate the risks of ignoring leak problems in your brewery, so you have a more accurate idea about how bad these problems can get.

What’s the Harm With A Little Water?

This is a short list of problems that could occur from water damage, including the obvious and some long-term problems you might be overlooking:

Flooding

This problem falls under the category of the obvious, though it may just seem like a cosmetic problem without deeper consideration. More than the hassle of getting your basement pumped, flooding threatens the structural integrity of your foundations and can halt business for extended periods. Combined with the cost of cleaning out the liquid, this becomes a double-edged problem.  Estimated cost to pump liquid out of a flooded facility: From $1,000 to $8,000, depending on the water present and damages.

Mold

This is the result of continual water damage over a long period of time. Cleaning out mold is an expensive operation that will shut down operations just like flooding. Worse, mold contaminated surfaces everywhere, which is a real problem for a business that relies on a certain atmosphere to create its product. Estimated cost of mold removal from a brewery based on a collection of quotes: $2,500.

Foundational Cracks

Water and other liquids that seep through wall panels get into the concrete of your brewery’s floor. Just as the damage from flooding weakens the natural foundation, cracking in the concrete due to continual moisture and ice can lead to serious upheaval.  Estimated cost of contract work to fix a broken floor: $3,000-$5,000.

As you can see, what seems like just a messy problem can quickly become an expensive one. Waterproofed vinyl wall panels are a major way to tighten up your brewing apparatus and shore up leaks.  Installation is far less of a hassle than you might think, and the risks you take without them might be far greater.