Maintain frozen and burst pipes

Frozen and burst pipes can cause severe damage that is costly and a major inconvenience. However, there are steps which can be taken to reduce the likelihood of this happening.

11 March 2010

Needlessly filling office buildings with inefficiently managed archived records is a common failing. But the solution is straightforward.

1 Prevention is always better than cure

When there is a cold snap forecast, keep the heating system ticking over when you close the premises at the end of each working day. While a lot of modern boilers have frost protection thermostats, those that don’t should be set to a minimal level to prevent pipes from freezing, especially at night when the temperature drops. You should ensure that all pipes liable to freeze are lagged, and that the condition of this insulation is intact, and of a suitable thickness.

2 Locate the valve

Familiarise yourself with the location of the water valve, so in the event of a burst pipe or if the property is going to be left empty for a substantial time, you can turn off the water supply. You can normally find it under a sink or where the mains water pipe comes into the premises. Switching it off will prevent more water from feeding into the pipes and causing further damage. Once the water is off, turn on all of your cold taps to drain any excess water out of the system.
It is also advisable to turn off the electricity supply as well, particularly if the leak is near to electrical appliances. If you have security staff that monitor the facilities after hours, make sure they also know where the valves are in case of an emergency.

3 Check stock storage

The business insurance policy may state that stock kept in a basement or on the ground floor has to be stored at a specified height above floor level – in most cases, at least 150mm. If a pipe did burst and water came into the premises, failure to comply with this condition of the policy could potentially affect an insurance claim, so it’s best to ensure that stock is stored correctly from the outset.

4 Inform the insurer

Notify the insurer if the premises will be empty for more than 30 days as a vacant property will alter the terms of the business insurance policy. Your insurer will advise you of the actions to take in this instance, which may include the isolation of all utilities including water, and the draining of water equipment if possible. The premises should also be checked regularly.

5 Act quickly but calmly

By being well organised, it’s possible to keep damage to a minimum and working quickly should hopefully prevent the water from spreading even further. This means having a thorough plan in place. Make sure the business contingency plan includes what to do in the event of a burst pipe to help minimise disruption. Cover aspects such as how the company would continue trading if the existing premises couldn’t be used. So consider if staff would need to be relocated to another office and what you would do if important equipment such as computers were damaged. Also think about how you would inform customers if there was disruption, who would be responsible for liaising with the insurance company, and include a copy of your business insurance policy so you can take prompt action.

6 Check your property for damage

Check ceilings in the property for bulging caused by water pooling above. Stay clear of any which are bulging significantly in case they should collapse. If possible, try to have another person with you while you move around the property for safety, and make sure that you consult a plumber and electrician before the water and electricity are turned back on.

7 Check you’re covered

Chris Little is managing director of business insurance specialists Premierline Direct

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