Every Business Should Protect Themselves From The Threat Of Water Damage

2019-12-11
By: Denise Koslowsky

Would you be surprised to learn that your business is more likely to experience damage due to water than fire?

Some common risks include:

• Any appliances that use water on the premises
• Any existing water supply lines
• Leaking boilers or water heater tanks
• High humidity levels on water supply lines
• Damaged pipes or hoses
• Plumbing leaks
• Flood

Whether you own the property where you do business, or lease the space, it’s important that you take steps to protect yourself by being prepared and having a plan in place.

What you can do to protect yourself:

• Assess your risks – a qualified insurance risk engineer can help you identify any potential issues

The best thing you can do for business is to prevent any leaks before they can do any damage.  We recommend installing a water leak detection system that automatically shuts off the water supply as soon as any water is detected.

• Develop a plan – work with a risk engineer to help you put into effect a water damage response plan that includes instructions on how to mitigate damage as well as steps you can take to quickly restore business operations.
• Train the employees in your security, facilities and property management departments.
• Set up ongoing training so that new employees can be integrated and current employees can get a refresher course on a yearly basis.
• Put together a water damage response kit.  The kit should include – a wet vacuum, a discharge hose, heavy duty brooms or mops and filled sandbags.

It is also important to sit down with your agent to be sure your insurance is up to date.  If there have been any changes to your business, or if it has been awhile since you’ve had an insurance review, we invite you to give us a call.  We would be happy to review your insurance, with no obligation and assess your current coverage.  We look forward to hearing from you.