AVOIDING DISASTERS

How to protect GOING LEGAL against burst water pipes

Water and fire are the biggest risks facing bridal shops, taking weeks, months, and even years to put right. Catherine Brides of bridal insurance specialists, Hine Chartered Insurance Brokers, tells us what you can do to protect your business against burst pipes this winter

During the colder months, the risk of burst pipes significantly increases due to cold temperatures. Should a pipe burst, this can have a devastating effect on your business – not only can it damage your building, electronics and stock, but it can also halt your ability to fulfill appointments with your customers.

Having spoken to many businesses who have been affected by water damage during the winter months, I have seen first-hand the stress and financial pressure this can cause. Fortunately, however, there are ways to limit the damage if an incident does occur.

Check your insulation Ensure that all of your pipes and water tanks are insulated. Exposure to the elements make them vulnerable, but insulation gives protection against fluctuating temperatures, and at the same time reduces the amount of heat lost, potentially saving your business money. Insulation is not expensive, so it’s certainly worth considering.

Maintain a constant temperature While it can be tempting to turn your heating off outside of opening hours to save on money and energy, keeping it on, and at a constant temperature, will make pipes less likely to burst.

Should you need to leave your building empty for an extended period of time, I’d always advise checking your insurance policy. If it states that the heating needs to be kept above a certain temperature, you must take this into account as otherwise your provider may not pay out in the event of a claim. While your policy may cover burst pipes, if you fail to follow basic guidance and maintenance procedures, your policy may well be invalidated.

It is worth noting that water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (or zero degrees Celsius). It is generally advisable, therefore, to keep buildings at 55 degrees Fahrenheit (12 to 13 degrees Celsius) to avoid pipes freezing and potentially bursting as a result. However, your insurance provider may require that the temperature is kept at a different level as a bare minimum. It is always wise to check your specific policy to ensure you are fully covered.

Identify your water stopcock As a business owner, you should make the time to ensure you and all your staff know the location of your water stopcock – most buildings have

Five steps to take in the event of a burst water pipe

While prevention is key, we cannot account for all scenarios. Here are five things you should do if your shop is affected by a burst water pipe: 1 Shut off your water supply and switch off the central heating 2 Move any furniture/ equipment away from the flooded area. If safe, use towels to soak up water 3 Notify your insurer/insurance broker 4 Your insurer will then advise you of your next steps for repair 5 Make your staff and customers aware of the situation

an internal and external stopcock – as well as how to shut them off in an emergency, so that if an incident does occur, you can stop the flow of water quickly to prevent any further damage.

Drain your pipes If your building is going to be left empty for an extended period of time, it may be worth completely draining your pipes and water tanks to eliminate the risk of your pipes bursting. This is unlikely to be necessary for short breaks, but it may be useful if you are temporarily vacating the premises.

Conduct regular boiler inspections Every business should have their boiler serviced annually – ideally in early autumn – by a trained professional who will spot any problems early on, thus avoiding any trouble further down the line. Regular maintenance not only reduces the risk of breakdowns, but it will also likely extend the life of your boiler. If your boiler does break down during the winter period, this will potentially expose your pipes to cold temperatures.

I’d also advise regular assessments of your entire water system. This may be carried out by the person who services your boiler if they have the expertise, or you may wish to find someone whose knowledge matches your specific water system.

During the winter months, you might also want to think about having monthly health checks on your water outlets to ensure everything is functioning correctly.

Investigate all your water outlets Burst pipes are one of the main types of ‘escape of water’ (this is the overall term used to describe any leak within a home or business). However, they are not the only one.

Data from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) shows that the number of escape of water commercial claims has been steadily rising for over a decade. It also highlighted that the average cost of a commercial escape of water claim rose by 22% between 2016 and 2018, increasing from £4,167 to £5,349.

Retail stores often have more water outlets than homes do, including air conditioning, heating systems and water coolers. Therefore, the impact of any escape of water, not just a burst pipe, could cause severe damage.

To discuss you individual needs, contact Catherine Brides. T: 0161 438 1946 E: catherine.brides@hine.co.uk www.hine.co.uk

PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS

Hine Chartered Insurance Brokers understand that protecting your stock is a huge responsibility, especially when you’re holding garments for weddings and important events. We are Associate Members of the British Bridal Suppliers Association, so you can rest assured we have the expertise to find the right policy for your business. We offer: - Specialist knowledge in the bridal sector - Expert advice on the type and level of insurance you need - Competitive quotations from a range of leading insurers - Minimum 35% increase to the stock sum insured for April, May, June, July and August - Help with your claim - After-sales support and free access to our claims’ consultancy service