Water leaks can cause significant damage and disruption to properties. Knowing what to do in the event of a water leak can help you be prepared and assist in mitigating loss. Carrying out simple checks and inspections, maintaining accessibility to your plumbing and isolation points and being proactive with maintenance and installations of available protections can help to prevent or reduce water leaks.
Even with quick human intervention, escape of water events can be both damaging and costly. To support even the most robust management, it could be helpful to install leak detection with automatic water shut-off to assist in the protection of properties, both commercial and residential.
Chris Andrews, Director of Risk Management Solutions
“Tackling water leaks and the damage they cause has become a key strategic priority for our industry and the need for greater education, recognition and acceptance of proven mitigation measures is widely recognised. Aviva aim to support our customers with our ‘Prevention First’ philosophy, a team of Risk Consultants and water damage experts.”
Guidance to help you with escape of water risk management
10 Top Tips LPS
This Loss Prevention Standard provides a summary of the main risk concerns along with practical guidance to help assess and reduce the potential for, and consequences of, escape of water events.
Location and emergency contact cards
These cards can be displayed in prominent areas so that in the event of an emergency, the location of stopcocks/shut off valves can be quickly turned off and emergency contact details quickly identified.
Protecting property from water damage LPS
Reducing the risk of damage to property such as buildings, fixtures, fittings and furnishings, equipment, machinery, utilities and IT systems can help avoid uninsured costs, interruption to a business and increased insurance costs.
Responding to incidents LPS
A guidance document to provide advice following an escape of water incident.
Stopcock / shut off labels
These labels can be affixed to stopcock(s) to help identify their location. Please periodically check your stopcock to ensure it turns on and off easily. Acting quickly when you discover a water leak and turning off water promptly can help prevent extensive damage and inconvenience.
Training courses
Do you need guidance on helping to prevent property damage due to escape of water? We've partnered with Mitti, one of our Specialist Partners, to create a training course on recognising and reducing escape of water risks. The course is available to Aviva customers at no additional cost and is easy to access by registering for Mitti training.
Water damage on construction sites LPS
A leak near to completion of a construction or fit-out project can be catastrophic, resulting in significant disruption, delays and additional costs. To guard against this, the Principal Contractor should take responsibility for managing the exposure to water damage from the outset of a project, having control over many of the factors that could prevent a water loss incident.
Escape of Water advice
Risk factors Show more Show less
Factors that can increase the risk:
- Age and condition of buildings and pipework
- Lack of maintenance and inspection regimes, history of previous leaks
- Seasonal weather-related issues
- Presence of water tanks, cisterns, toilets, showers, underfloor heating, sprinkler pipes
- Modifications to existing systems and complexity in new systems
- Use of incompatible fillers and or mastics around pipework
- Changes to the property causing pipework to be damaged and/or put under more strain
Buildings that present a higher likelihood of issues:
- Residential Apartment Blocks and hotels
- Hospitals, dental surgeries and care homes
- Unoccupied properties
- Educational facilities and student halls of residence
- Data centres
- Food production and storage
- Heritage, Listed properties, libraries and museums
- Clothing and textile production/storage
- Buildings with green or blue roofs, with internal drainage systems
Identification Show more Show less
Leaks and water damage can arise from several sources:
- Water and foul waste carrying pipes
- Sources e.g., washing machines, dishwashers, showers, boilers, tanks, cisterns, toilets
- Air conditioning systems
- Sprinkler systems
- Condensation and damp
Early identification can help reduce the damage and disruption caused. Methods of identification include
- Regular inspections
- Use of thermal imaging
- Automatic integrated leak detection systems
Prevention Show more Show less
Precautions that can be taken:
- An effective planned preventative maintenance programme
- Winter and cold weather protection e.g. lagging pipes, maintaining minimum temperature
- Draining or isolating systems with regular inspections during periods of unoccupancy
- Ensuring work is completed by competent and appropriately insured contractors
- Leak detection with automatic water shut off systems
Emergency plans Show more Show less
Emergency plans to include:
- A review of previous incidents and losses and near misses
- A list of all potential sources of leaks
- Locations and labelling of all stopcocks
- High risk assets or areas within the property
- Regular training for employees, contractors and occupants
- A spill response kit
- Contact for specialist clean up restoration contractors with 24-hour call out
- A list of all important contacts including telephone contacts for staff
- A copy of the emergency plan off site or held digitally
- Emergency plans should have no reliance on any one individual
Our Specialist Partners to help manage your Escape of Water risks
To access this solution at preferential rates and terms, contact our Specialist Partners.
Leaksafe
Water Leak Detection and Prevention Solutions
Quensus
Water Leak Detection and Prevention Solutions
Need further help or assistance?
Call our Risk Helpline to speak to our Risk Management Solutions team for help and advice on
- Opening times: Monday - Friday*
- -
Email us at: riskadvice@aviva.com