As Canada’s moves into the depths of winter, it is important for business and home owners to be aware of the dangers of below-zero weather. The most common winter-related property claim is burst pipes as a result of freezing. This can be easily prevented with a bit of foresight and awareness.
Burst pipes can happen extremely quickly if they are directly exposed to the cold. As water in the line freezes, it expands, causing the pipe to crack or break. As soon as it heats back up, and the frozen line melts, the now-liquid water comes rushing out of the cracked pipe. Many buildings with a boiler system will run lines at ground level, below windows and sliding doors. As cold air naturally falls to the bottom of a room, this means these lines are extra susceptible to freezing. In fact, an open window or sliding door in -20 Celsius weather can lead to a line freezing & bursting in as little as ten minutes.
Lines can also freeze if heating systems fail. It is important to ensure that your furnace or other heating system is working correctly as the temperatures drop, as the cold weather places additional strain on them. Preventative maintenance will also help the system run more efficiently, saving you on your utility bills.
If you are going to be away and your business or home is going to be vacant, it is a good idea to have someone check on it every few days. This may even be an insurance policy requirement (speak to your broker to confirm). Better yet, remote monitoring technology and thermostats are cheaper than ever, so you can set up a system that will automatically notify you right to your phone if the power goes out or the temperature drops below an acceptable level. This is an easy solution that provides peace of mind for a relatively low price.
For more information about winter readiness and insurance coverage for freezing and spoilage, talk to one of the insurance experts at Fuse Insurance at 1-866-387-3873 or send us an email at support@fuseinsurance.ca
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