Prepare for Winter Now: Prevent Freeze Losses with Around the Clock Monitoring

As the temperature drops outside, so will employee morale if cold weather preparations are ignored or not made in time. During the winter, your facility will experience temperatures that it may not be able to withstand. If you do not act in time, you can lose more than you realize.

Top Ways to Prevent Freeze Losses in Your Facility

A frozen burst pipe can cause injuries that can lead to expensive lawsuits. Here are some of the best ways you can prevent freeze loss in your facility and, thus, liabilities:

Take Precautions Beforehand

Precautions can help you avoid liabilities when winter sets in. Here are some tips that can help:

• Before winter, create an emergency action plan and make sure your employees are aware of their duties. This includes personnel who should be responsible for monitoring indoor and outdoor temperatures. Maintain a staff of employees during severe winter weather to monitor conditions and take appropriate action where needed.
• Inspect the facility annually if it has a wet pipe sprinkler system. Make sure that openings, skylights, ventilators, and low spaces do not expose it to freezing temperatures. Adequate heating should take care of this issue.
• Check openings and exterior walls where insulation may be insufficient or missing. Install heaters or additional insulation if needed.
• Make sure the temperature of the building is maintained to prevent cold stress. Place thermostats in strategic places to monitor the indoor temperature. This includes perimeter walls.

Service Dry Pipe Sprinkler Systems

Dry pipe sprinkler systems must be serviced regularly to ensure no water is left in the pipes. Here are some cold weather prevention tips that can help:

• Drain low points and drip drains after use and before the cold weather sets in.
• Install additional drains if needed.
• Maintain the temperature of the area where the sprinkler system is installed. Inspect enclosures that are fitted with low-temperature alarms weekly.
• Repair all air leaks in the piping. This small step can prevent the dry pipe valve from tripping in case the air compressor loses power.

Prevent Hydrants from Freezing

When a fire breaks out, the last thing you need is a frozen fire hydrant. Here are some ways to prevent this:

• Repair any leaks your fire hydrants may have and get them repaired. They should be tightened as well.
• If a dry barrel hydrant contains water or ice, drain it before making appropriate repairs or draining it. The drain may need to be plugged, and the barrel may have to be pumped after each use.

Contact SIA Insurance Group to Protect Yourself against Liabilities

When it comes to protecting your business against liabilities, you can never have enough protection. SIA Insurance Group takes a proactive approach to safeguard your finances. We offer tailored risk management solutions in Illinois for various industries, but particularly to small and middle markets.

When you contact us, you can rest assured that all of your queries will be addressed as soon as possible. Contact us in Woodridge, IL, for a consultation today! We are known for our in-depth attention to detail and our friendly disposition.