Christmas is coming - make sure your business is protected

With Christmas approaching, Constructaquote.com is echoing a warning from Norwich Union, alerting businesses to the risks brought about by temperatures falling below zero.

The most significant concern is the most common, burst water pipes.  Burst pipes are a risk for businesses that are closed over the holiday season.  Small businesses should take precautions to avoid water damage.

Allister Smith, Norwich Union's property risk manager said "Failure to conduct basic preventative measures before shutting down for Christmas, particularly if there is a cold snap, can potentially lead to thousands of pounds worth of damage," he said.

"It is essential to maintain a certain amount of heat at business premises and heating systems should not be switched off, even when the premises are empty. This is really the key to avoiding problems such as burst pipes and the subsequent water damage.

"When setting heating controls for the shutdown period, you need to ensure that the heating will operate in good time to prevent frost damage if temperatures drop suddenly. Ideally the heating system and temperature should be controlled in conjunction with an automatic frost-stat. 

"The loss of heat from people, machinery and equipment should also be taken into account when determining the level required."

Allister went on to say that special attention was also needed when it came to automatic sprinkler systems.

"For wet pipe systems it is essential that sufficient heating be maintained throughout the protected property at all times. If property owners are in any doubt as to what action they need to take, they should contact their insurer and the sprinkler company who service the system."

He added: "For small businesses particularly, it is also important to know where your mains water stop valve is, making sure you can turn it off and on, and to repair any dripping taps. Also, if possible, examine the condition of the insulation on any pipes and tanks, which may be liable to freezing, making sure it's intact and thick enough.

"Making sure that someone visits the premises over the Christmas period is also recommended, so if you do suffer from a burst pipe, it will be detected as early as possible and damage will be minimised."