Water Damage Prevention for Your Commercial Building

Every building is at risk of water damage. Over 7,000 fire, water and storm losses are reported each day - water is the most common. The causes can range from minor roof leaks to major storm damage. Protecting the roofs, walls and windows is essential to reducing the likelihood of water damage. The following checklist will help you to protect your business from a costly water damage.

Roofs
- Inspect all rooftop penetrations regularly inside and out.
- Inspect seals around HVAC systems to be sure they are intact.
- Inspect condition of flashings around skylights, vents and other rooftop elements.
- Inspect for water stains.
- If your roof is flat, inspect roof drains monthly.

Walls

 - Inspect wall penetrations for proper flashing and sealant integrity.
- Inspect wall joints at windows, doors, electrical and plumbing penetrations.

Windows

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National Preparedness Month September 2010

 

This September is the seventh annual National Preparedness Month.  NPM 2010 will focus on changing perceptions about emergency preparedness and will help Americans understand what it truly means to be ready and how preparedness goes beyond fire alarms, smoke detectors, and extra food in the pantry.

Learn more about making a disaster supply kit, making a family emergency plan, staying informed and how you can get involved!

How to Communicate With Your Insurance Company

The following is excellent advice from the organization United Policyholders. They are a consumer advocate group. This information is directly from their website www.unitedpolicyholders.com  I have highlighted some things that Champion has been telling customers for years.

Speak Up - How to communicate with your insurance company:

Effectively communicating with your insurance company is an incredibly important part of the claims process. Many insurance companies will try to handle your claim by telephone, with no records. You must make sure that everything in the claim gets documented in writing. How you communicate makes a world of difference in the amount of benefits you collect and how fast you collect them. We recommend that you:

1. Document every communication with your insurance company in a notebook or diary so you can keep track of the status of your claim.

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Know Your Water Damage Categories

Water damage is typically classified into one of the following three categories:

Category 1 Water - Refers to a source of water that does not pose substantial threat to humans and classified as "Clean Water". Examples are broken water supply lines, tub or sink overflows or appliance malfunctions that involves water supply lines.

Category 2 Water - Refers to a source of water that contains a significant degree of chemical, biological or physical contaminants and causes discomfort or sickness when exposed or even consumed. Known as "Grey Water".

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How Do You Start Your Day?

Did my alarm really go off already?  Man it's hard to get going in the morning sometimes (OK for some of you maybe all of the time).  I really like the following advice from a personal trainer on 3 things to do each day to start your day out successfully:
1) STRETCH - take a few moments to stretch your body, arms, legs - get your blood flowing and your muscles warmed up
2) BREAKFAST - take the time to eat a healthy breakfast - the most important meal of the day
3) PUNCTUALITY - be ON TIME to your first appointment of the day whatever that may be.

What do you think?  Are you willing to give the big 3 a try?  Let us know if they work for you?

Greg Ahlstrom - Accounting Manager

What Water Damage Is Covered By Insurance?

Many people often ask "What kind of water damages are covered by insurance?" and I came across the helpful article. It also includes information on how to clean up after a flood to prevent mold...

Many people have no clue as to what types of water damage is covered under their home or business insurance policy. Homeowners and business owners are becoming confused, hearing about mold insurance claims getting denied, and lots of questions arise about water damage to their homes. This article will go on to explain what types of damage is covered by your home insurance or your business policy and what you should do if your house has damage.

What Water Damage will your Home Insurance Policy cover?

Homeowners policies don't cover damages from a flood, you would need to purchase flood insurance if you want to be specifically covered for water damage caused by a flood. Your home insurance policy would pay for damage from rain coming through a hole or a window if the hole had been caused by strong storm winds. But if you have a pipe leaking inside your house that created water damage over time, that wouldn't be covered. It simply comes down to if your water damage was caused by a covered event such as a storm or if the water damage happened because you failed to keep your house repaired which would not be covered. If you are unsure as to what kind of water damage is covered, carefully read through your home insurance policy or call your the company.

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Hurricane Preparedness Week May 23rd - 29th, 2010

How to prepare well before a hurricane hits 

Most people do not think of preparing for a hurricane until the threat is imminent. Preseason hurricane preparedness focuses on tasks that one would usually not have the time to complete once a hurricane is forecast to impact a community. These types of jobs may take days or longer to be properly prepared. Knowing how to be prepared for severe tropical weather first focuses on taking an inventory on which issues would impact your property and family. Once the inventory is taken, the items then should be prioritized as to the potential negative impact it could cause if not rectified. 

What to prepare for... 

Before knowing how to prepare for a hurricane, one needs to know what to prepare for. A hurricane brings a number of threats: high winds, storm surge, tornadoes, and flooding.

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Planning For Pet Disaster Needs

Today much emphasis is put on planning ahead for disasters. Many families now have disaster supply kits, escape plans and emergency contacts prepared in case of an emergency. But what about the furry members of our families (or feathered or scaley in some cases)? Do you know what you would do with your pet if a disaster struck your area?

Here are some helpful tips from FEMA...

Identify Shelter:

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Three Things You Need To Do Before Flood Season

FLOOD FACTS:

Floods and flash floods happen in all 50 states.

Just an inch of water can cause costly damage to your property.

Your home has a 26% chance of being damaged by a flood during the course of a 30-year mortgage in a high-risk area, compared to a 9% chance of fire.

New land development can increase flood risk, especially if the construction changes natural runoff paths.

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Georgia Flood Awareness Week March 15-19, 2010

Floods are the most common and widespread of all natural disasters with the exception of fire. Many people do not realize that flooding kills more people than any other weather hazard. The majority of deaths occur when people are trapped in automobiles that stall while attempting to drive through flooded areas. Most communities in Georgia experience some kind of flooding after spring rains or thunderstorms. Dam failures are potentially the worst flood events because when a dam fails, a massive quantity of water is suddenly released downstream, destroying anything in its path. Another concern is flash flooding. Flash floods usually result from intense storms dropping large amounts of rain within a brief period. They occur with little or no warning and can reach full peak in only a few minutes. Areas most prone to floods are ones with streams and rivers, urban areas and low-lying areas.

As always, the Champion team is committed to doing everything in our power to continue to provide outstanding service to our clients during this year's storm season. If you have any questions please feel free to call our office at 770-253-6070. We also have collected an abundance of valuable resources available on our Information Center at www.championcsi.com.