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Escape of Water

Ecclesiastical Insurance

Created on September 3, 2024

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Transcript

Welcome to the Escape of Water course

This training course contains audio which will begin on the next slide.

let's Begin

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Escape of Water

Start

Getting Started

Click the home button top right to return to the Table of Contents

You can hover over select images to learn more

Use the left or right arrows to move between slides

What Can You Do

Introduction

Leak Detection Devices

Escape of Water – the 5 main causes

Table of Contents

Some Recent Examples

Additional Resources

Key Considerations

Quiz

Introduction

Water Escape

Water escape is the unintentional release or leakage of water from plumbing, heating or cooling, and fire sprinkler systems. It is one of the most common and costly causes of property damage losses in Canada. In this course, we’ll explore the causes, implications, and preventative measures you can take to reduce the frequency and severity of water escape events.

The average cost of water damage claims in commercial properties now exceeds $50,000.

Five Main Causes of Water Escape

Water Pressure

02

Age, Abrasion and Corrosion of Pipework

01

Manufacturing Defects and Failure

03

Human Error and Physical Damage

05

Clogged Pipes

04

Five Main Causes of Water Escape:
Age, Abrasion & Corrosion

Aging, deteriorating, weakened pipes

Abrasive materials in the water

Aggressive water with high mineral content

Chemical reactions between the pipe material and water

Exposure to harsh chemicals (e.g. drain cleaners)

Five Main Causes of Water Escape:
Water Pressure
  1. High water pressure
  2. Sudden changes in water pressure
Five Main Causes of Water Escape:
Quality & Failure
  1. Manufacturing defects
  2. Low-quality materials
Five Main Causes of Water Escape:
Clogged Pipes

Blockages from foreign objects, debris, sediment, or mineral deposits

Five Main Causes of Water Escape:
Human Error & Physical Damage
  1. Accidental impacts, construction work, or poorly installed plumbing
  2. Damage from tree roots, earth movement, and structural settling / shifting

Temperature is the root cause leading to escape of water

Standing water in pipes poses a significant risk of freezing, particularly in:

Dry Sprinkler systems

Domestic plumbing pipes

Wet Sprinkler systems

Recent Examples:
Retirement Residence

A defective sprinkler head located in a top floor suite of a retirement residence caused water to be released from the top floor down through to all lower floors.

Staff were not trained in emergency water shut-off procedures Asbestos was found in the building during the restoration operationsResidents had to be displaced for months while the repairs were completed

Recent Examples:
Faith – Heritage Church

A dry pipe sprinkler system located in the attic space of a heritage church burst resulting in significant water damage due to improper draining of the dry sprinkler system.

Water in the sprinkler pipe froze due to extreme cold weather Sprinkler pipes burst due to frozen water which caused water to flow into the sanctuary below

Recent Examples:
Non-Profit Organization

The boiler piping in a non-profit organization’s building ran through the unheated basement crawlspace.

Corrosion was visible throughout the system which compromised the integrity of the piping leading to a water escape and significant property damage to the finished basement While repairs were underway, asbestos was found, which added to the cost of repairs as well

Key Considerations

It’s important to consider escape of water when:

Renovating property

Purchasing property

Building a new facility

Maintaining/replacing HVAC equipment

Installing a fire sprinkler system

Preparing for winter

When pipes are exposed to cold and hot environments

Approaching an Escape of Water Event

Four main elements to account for:

Recover

Prevent

Prepare

Respond

Prepare

Develop an Emergency Plan for water leaks and consider the following:

Coordinate with professionals such as your plumbing contractor, sprinkler maintenance contractors or technicians, etc.

Provide signage/tags/stickers – indicating the location of all domestic water supply and fire sprinkler systems shut off valves.

Train personnel – to locate and close domestic valves and enlist a qualified plumber for guidance.

Maintain an updated emergency contacts list – for professional contractors, alarm monitoring station, key employees, and insurance broker or company.

Create a building site plan – that indicates the location of all main water shut off valves and isolation valves.

Respond

Take these steps before or during an escape of water event:

Contain the leak to reduce further damage.

Contact a professional – to carefully thaw pipes (if already frozen) to avoid damage or busting.

Contact a professional plumber or fire sprinkler contractor to make necessary repairs.

Turn off water at the buildings main valve if leak cannot be isolated. For sprinkler system leaks, call your sprinkler maintenance contractor and the fire department before closing the valve.

Recovery

Assess the extent of damages to your building and its contents.

Report any losses or possible losses to your insurance broker and/or insurance company.

Start cleanup/remediation to prevent further damages and mold growth.

  1. Begin drying and cleaning up water damaged areas.
  2. Remove excess moisture with fans and dehumidifiers.
  3. Contact a professional for significant damages.

Document damage and take photos for your records.

Prevent

Important preventive measures include:

Install and maintain insulation around pipes and rooms

Provide heating and ventilation in areas that have plumbing and poor insulation

Seal gaps and cracks where there are drafts and cold air leaks (e.g., doors, windows, service penetrations)

Maintain a minimum temperature of 13 degrees Celsius

Avoid using chemical drain cleaners

Prevent

Configure the fire sprinkler system (wet or dry) appropriately for the environment.

Heat sources can cause accidental discharge

Damaged sprinkler heads or leaking pipes can result from incorrect installation, direct impact or corrosion/rust of pipes and heads, and from poor maintenance standards and procedures

Pipes can rupture from freezing

Preventing Future Escape of Water Events

Schedule regular maintenance, plumbing inspections, and prompt repairs at the first sign of an issue (i.e. stains, dampness/moisture, dripping, running water).

Check functionality of all thermostats.

Use quality piping and fixtures to prevent leaks and failures commonly found with cheaper, low quality products.

Use a professional plumber for installation and repairs.

Use a glycol/water solution for hot water heating systems and fire sprinkler systems in cold environments to prevent freeze ups.

Additional Precautions for Reducing Losses

Request certificates of insurance from all contractors in advance of any work to be completed and have your organization listed as an additional insured on the contractor’s certificate of insurance.

01

Discuss with your broker what the minimum limit of commercial general liability insurance carried by any contractor should be for the type of work being carried out at your facilities.

02

Install floor drains in areas that can reduce damage and direct water flow away from places that could flood (e.g., kitchens, bathrooms).

03

Regularly check and replace connections as needed on appliances such as coffee machines, refrigerators, washing machines and dishwashers.

04

04

Use motion-activated facets to reduce the risk of being left open and overfilling.

05

Devices to Consider

Consider purchasing or installing the following devices:

Active leak detection

  • These trigger an automatic water supply shut off and are great for occupied or unoccupied facilities
  • Can be connected to a fire alarm panel and monitoring station

Passive leak detection

  • These are placed on the floor for large facilities that are occupied 24/7 (e.g., retirement facility)
  • Battery operated with an audible alarm

A monitored pressure regulator to prevent high water pressure

Additional Resources

Click on an image below for more information.

Water Shut Off Kit

Available upon request

Risk Bulletin: Averting Some Common Winter-Related Losses

White Paper: Avoiding Freeze-Ups & Malfunctions of Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems

Escape of Water

Quiz

Start

- Question 1 -

What are the four main elements to account for when approaching an escape of water event?

Prepare, React, Recover, Prevent

Prepare, Respond, Recover, Prevent

Plan, Respond, Recover, Prevent

1/10

- Question 1 -

What are the four main elements to account for when approaching an escape of water event?

Prepare, React, Recover, Prevent

Prepare, Respond, Recover, Prevent

Plan, Respond, Recover, Prevent

Correct!

Next

1/10

- Question 1 -

What are the four main elements to account for when approaching an escape of water event?

Prepare, React, Recover, Prevent

Prepare, Respond, Recover, Prevent

Plan, Respond, Recover, Prevent

Incorrect

Return

1/10

- Question 2 -

When are some important times to consider escape of water?

Building a new facility

Installing a fire sprinkler system

Preparing for winter

All of the above

2/10

- Question 2 -

When are some important times to consider escape of water?

Building a new facility

Installing a fire sprinkler system

Preparing for winter

All of the above

Correct!

Next

2/10

- Question 2 -

When are some important times to consider escape of water?

Building a new facility

Installing a fire sprinkler system

Preparing for winter

All of the above

Incorrect

Return

2/10

- Question 3 -

What is the root cause leading to escape of water?

Water Pressure

Clogged Pipes

Age, Abrasion and Corrosion

Temperature

3/10

- Question 3 -

What is the root cause leading to escape of water?

Correct!

Water Pressure

Clogged Pipes

Age, Abrasion and Corrosion

Temperature

Next

3/10

- Question 3 -

What is the root cause leading to escape of water?

Incorrect

Water Pressure

Clogged Pipes

Age, Abrasion and Corrosion

Temperature

Return

3/10

- Question 4 -

What are some of the main causes of water escape?

All of the above

Human Error and Physical Damage

Clogged Pipes

Wet Sprinkler Systems

4/10

- Question 4 -

What are some of the main causes of water escape?

Correct!

All of the above

Human Error and Physical Damage

Clogged Pipes

Wet Sprinkler Systems

Next

4/10

- Question 4 -

What are some of the main causes of water escape?

Incorrect

All of the above

Human Error and Physical Damage

Clogged Pipes

Wet Sprinkler Systems

Return

4/10

- Question 5 -

What are some devices to consider purchasing or installing?

A flood monitor

A monitored pressure regulator

Active or passive leak detection

Both A and B

Both of the above

5/10

- Question 5 -

What are some devices to consider purchasing or installing?

Correct!

A flood monitor

A monitored pressure regulator

Active or passive leak detection

Both A and B

Both of the above

Next

5/10

- Question 5 -

What are some devices to consider purchasing or installing?

Incorrect

A flood monitor

A monitored pressure regulator

Active or passive leak detection

Both A and B

Both of the above

Return

5/10

- Question 6 -

When responding to an escape of water event, what shouldn’t you do?

Immediately try to make the necessary repairs yourself

Turn off water

Contact a professional

6/10

- Question 6 -

When responding to an escape of water event, what shouldn’t you do?

Correct!

Immediately try to make the necessary repairs yourself

Turn off water

Contact a professional

Next

6/10

- Question 6 -

When responding to an escape of water event, what shouldn’t you do?

Incorrect

Immediately try to make the necessary repairs yourself

Turn off water

Contact a professional

Return

6/10

- Question 7 -

What is an important preventative measure you can take to reduce the likeliness of an escape of water event?

Replace all thermostats immediately

Avoid using chemical drain cleaners

Ignore any first signs of an issue (i.e. stains, dampness / moisture, dripping, running water) as they probably aren’t a big deal

7/10

- Question 7 -

What is an important preventative measure you can take to reduce the likeliness of an escape of water event?

Correct!

Replace all thermostats immediately

Avoid using chemical drain cleaners

Ignore any first signs of an issue (i.e. stains, dampness / moisture, dripping, running water) as they probably aren’t a big deal

Next

7/10

- Question 7 -

What is an important preventative measure you can take to reduce the likeliness of an escape of water event?

Incorrect

Replace all thermostats immediately

Avoid using chemical drain cleaners

Ignore any first signs of an issue (i.e. stains, dampness / moisture, dripping, running water) as they probably aren’t a big deal

Return

7/10

- Question 8 -

Which statement is true?

Use a glycol/water solution for hot water heating systems and fire sprinkler systems in cold environments to prevent freeze ups.

Use a glycol/water solution for cold water-cooling systems and fire sprinkler systems in cold environments to prevent freeze ups.

8/10

- Question 8 -

Which statement is true?

Correct!

Use a glycol/water solution for hot water heating systems and fire sprinkler systems in cold environments to prevent freeze ups.

Use a glycol/water solution for cold water-cooling systems and fire sprinkler systems in cold environments to prevent freeze ups.

Next

8/10

- Question 8 -

Which statement is true?

Incorrect

Use a glycol/water solution for hot water heating systems and fire sprinkler systems in cold environments to prevent freeze ups.

Use a glycol/water solution for cold water-cooling systems and fire sprinkler systems in cold environments to prevent freeze ups.

Return

8/10

- Question 9 -

What is the average cost of water damage claims in commercial properties?

$5,000

$50,000

$1 million

Both of the above

9/10

- Question 9 -

What is the average cost of water damage claims in commercial properties?

Correct!

$5,000

$50,000

$1 million

Both of the above

Next

9/10

- Question 9 -

What is the average cost of water damage claims in commercial properties?

Incorrect

$5,000

$50,000

$1 million

Both of the above

Return

9/10

- Question 10 -

What can cause clogged pipes?

Chemical drain cleaners

Too much water flow

Foreign objects, debris, sediment or mineral deposits

10/10

- Question 10 -

What can cause clogged pipes?

Correct!

Chemical drain cleaners

Too much water flow

Foreign objects, debris, sediment or mineral deposits

NEXT

10/10

- Question 10 -

What can cause clogged pipes?

Incorrect

Chemical drain cleaners

Too much water flow

Foreign objects, debris, sediment or mineral deposits

Return

10/10

Congratulations on completing our quiz!

Please click here to download your certificate of completion.

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Ecclesiastical Insurance is a specialist provider of unique insurance solutions and services dedicated to the protection and preservation of Canada's distinct communities, cultures, and heritage. We are proud to be part of the Benefact Group - a charity owned, international family of financial services companies that gives all available profits to charity and good causes. We are rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best. For more information on our products and unique Risk Management services, please visit www.ecclesiastical.ca.