Water Damage Events Showcase Loss Prevention Opportunities

Whether involving high-value laboratory equipment or parquet gymnasium floors, even a small amount of water in the wrong place can generate costly losses and disrupt campus operations.

Fortunately, new loss prevention technologies offer valuable protection against the most common causes of water damage losses: pipe burst, human error, and vandalism. A survey of recent on-campus water damage events suggests that deploying these technologies could have significantly reduced or even prevented property losses and disruption.

Detection and response are key

Water intrusion that occurs during the daytime in a laboratory full of scientists or a gymnasium filled with athletes is easy to spot and relatively easy to fix. Even when the leak takes an hour or two to resolve, drying and restoration costs are manageable, and financial and operational impacts are minimized.

So why is water damage such a big deal?

The most severe water damage events happen overnight, on weekends, or over extended holidays when buildings are empty. That allows water to flow for prolonged periods without detection. For example, insurance industry statistics reveal that 80% of water damage losses in buildings under construction or renovation involve only 20% of recorded incidents. Failure to detect losses when they occur obviously prevents timely response.

The role of loss control technology

Internet of Things (IoT) solutions developed over the last decade provide a simple yet effective means of detecting water damage events when they happen. As sprinklers protect assets against fire, environmental and physical sensors coupled with 24/7 monitoring detect the improper presence of water and other conditions that could lead to water damage loss. Early detection allows prompt response.

What if?

While no one desires to have any type of water damage, the headlines are filled with real-life situations from campuses across the country. Let’s understand how a few scenarios unfolded and how IoT loss control technology could have played a role in minimizing impacts.\

Pipe Burst. Over winter break, a Northeast university set indoor temperatures to 60°F for its new gymnasium. A severe weather event caused temperatures to plummet, leading to frozen water lines near the building perimeter which ultimately burst, causing water infiltration underneath the basketball courts. After unsuccessful efforts to dry and dehumidify, the university opted for full replacement of the basketball court floor and subfloor.

A properly deployed and monitored environmental sensor solution would have detected changes in temperature 24/7. In this case, had an alert threshold been set at say 50°F, facility managers would have known that freezing pipe conditions were present in the building, which would have triggered remedial action, such as confirming that building heating was operational, increasing the indoor temperature, or potentially shutting off water to the building.

Human Error During Renovation. A laboratory building undergoing renovation housed scientific instruments used to study the solar system. One weekday morning a Ph.D. scientist arrived to find his lab floor covered in six inches of water, the result of an overnight rainstorm and contractor negligence which permitted water intrusion. Lab experiments ceased for several months as damaged equipment was replaced at a cost that approached $1 million.

Environmental sensor technology would have alerted the facility’s response team immediately upon detection of elevated humidity levels and water. While minor damage is inevitable when water unexpectedly bursts into a laboratory setting, mitigation can take place as soon as the source of intrusion is found. In this case, rainwater found its way into an air exhaust system that could have been patched or plugged to prevent further intrusion. Instead, thousands of gallons poured into the lab unimpeded.

Human Error During Mechanical Work. During upgrades to an arena video display board, a contractor inadvertently left open a roof hatch, allowing rain to flood the basketball court overnight on New Year’s Eve. Upon return to the building after the holiday, a large section of the wood flooring was found to be damaged, requiring removal and replacement that forced the relocation of several scheduled games.

Negligence during construction and renovation activities often leads to water damage incidents. Placement of battery-operated water damage sensors beneath roof hatches or other potential openings would have detected the presence of water immediately when rainfall entered the building, giving facilities managers the ability to solve the problem quickly – simply by closing the roof hatch.

Vandalism. Over summer break, vandals broke into 50 units of two newly constructed buildings containing 111 residence suites, maneuvering kitchen sink faucets away from sink basins and turning the water on full blast. The vandals also ran hoses from the ground level to open windows on the upper levels and turned those on as well. The water ran for 8 hours before it was discovered in the morning by construction crews. All units suffered damage to walls, ceilings, floors, kitchen cabinets and counters, and carpeting.

Off-hours perimeter surveillance systems would have quickly notified facilities and construction teams of intruders. Absent surveillance, environmental sensors deployed strategically in both buildings would have detected the presence of water and humidity soon after sinks and hoses were turned on. Were the buildings equipped with automatic or remotely activated water shutoff valves, the problem could have been resolved instantly.

Keys to loss prevention

Data shows that with properly designed and deployed loss prevention technologies, most serious water damage losses can be averted. Here are the keys:

1. Select the right solutions. Technologies exist to meet each institution’s specific needs and requirements, whether for temporary use during construction projects or permanent solutions for operational buildings. Options range from non-obtrusive sensor and surveillance technologies to AI-enabled water flow monitoring and shut-off valves.

2. Design the sensor footprint to optimize protection. It is not necessary to cover every square inch of a building, but it may be necessary to protect specific high value equipment or historic artifacts, while at the same time covering areas where unwanted water may collect, such as stairways with risers, areas under roof hatches, or elevator wells.

3. Install with care. Most sensor solutions operate on wireless networks similar to home Wi-Fi systems. When deploying network equipment and individual sensors, make sure that all equipment is installed in accordance with design specifications, and that each device has strong connectivity that will support 24/7 monitoring.

4. Create a prevention and response plan. The written plan should provide clear guidance as to roles and responsibilities in the event of temperature, humidity, water, or intrusion alerts. Team members should have full access to a sitewide dashboard showing the status of each device, and be subscribed to receive notifications via call, text, or in-app communications.

5. Use the presence of loss prevention technology to enhance overall risk management. Non-intrusive sensor solutions provide a wealth of data about building environments and facilities characteristics. Use these valuable insights to educate contractors, janitorial staff, insurance carriers, and brokers about building safety and sustainability.

Technology-enabled loss prevention tools facilitate collaboration across multiple functions including risk management, security, housing, facilities management, and environmental health and safety. All stakeholders benefit from a prompt response to alerts, sparing significant property damage and keeping campuses focused on their mission to provide a secure learning environment.

*Insight Risk created this original article for URMIA (University Risk Management & Insurance Association).