Public Safety Message and Information

WATER DAMAGE:

Check Your Structures & Lots

Observe the damaged and bent flue pipe in the above photo.  Heavy winter snow loads caused this damage.

Storm Damage to Look for Around Your Property

We firefighters have a saying we use for our safety on emergencies.  "Look Up – Look Down – Look Around."  To be aware of what goes on around us – Situational Awareness.       You need to do the same when surveying and assessing damage to your properties and structures after a severe winter.  These assessments are your first-hand surveys to determine the type and amount of damage that your properties and structures may have suffered.

Snow and ice can cause damage that may not be readily seen.  Make a thorough inspection of your roof, eaves and interior ceiling or attic spaces.  Heavy snow loads can cause a roof to sag or bow downward.  This loading also transfers horizontal forces that may cause the walls to deflect, or move slightly outward.

When roof loads are below the actual load capacity, any sagging or deflection that occurs is temporary and will disappear after the load is removed.  This level of loading and minor sagging or deflection of the roof structure will probably not be noticed.  When the loading exceeds the design loads, the sagging and deflections become permanent.  In extreme cases the roof collapses.  Lesser cases; you might have a door that may not open & shut like it did before, cracks in corners and along ceiling edges, warping in flooring or flooring separation from edges next to walls are some of the signs of overloading and possible structural damage to your structure.  Contact a building inspector or qualified contractor to evaluate your structure.

Winter snow loads may have damaged, collapsed or                                                                                                                                                                      even removed your flue cap or sections of flue pipe.                                                                                                                                                                           If unobserved and used, a smoke filled house or fire                                                                                                                                                                        will result.

Whether it’s damage from fallen trees onto or into a structure, structural damage to homes caused by flooding or any number of other possible causes of damage, a winter season of heavy snow loads and severe weather can caused much damage.

The time afterward is always a busy one for insurers and an anxious time for property owners, many of whom are making insurance claims for the first time for a variety of reasons.

The following are general insurance guidelines for winter hazards. What is generally covered (ask your agent if you are not sure):

• Snow removal – Homeowners insurance does not cover injuries to the homeowner during snow removal. However, snow removal professionals should be covered under their own liability policies.

• Ice dams – few companies pay for ice dam removal, however interior or exterior damage caused by an ice dam on your roof is usually covered.

• Frozen pipes – Most policies cover pipe replacement and water damage. Coverage may not apply if you turned off the furnace for the winter without winterizing the home or contents or if you fail to protect the pipes from freezing during a power outage.

• Storm power outages: An all-risk policy generally pays for spoiled food, damage caused by loss of power and appliances damaged by the outage. Most policies will pay for shelter when you lose power for extended periods of time.

• Renters – Landlord’s insurance will pay for winter damage to building. It will not pay for damage to personal contents, which must be covered by the renter’s own insurance.

• Flood coverage –Plan ahead. There is a 30-day waiting period for a flood insurance policy to take

effect. Flood insurance covers direct physical loss caused by "flood." In simple terms, a flood is an excess of water on land that is normally dry. Here’s the official definition used by the National Flood Insurance Program.

• A flood is "A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land area or of two or more properties (at least one of which is your property) from:

                • Overflow of inland or tidal waters;

A Few Final Tips

Tips for making a claim:

Individuals who have suffered losses from the storm should:

Contact homeowner and vehicle insurance companies to report any damage to their property.

                • Document the damage to the home by taking photos or using video, and keeping a list of items that have been damaged or destroyed.

                • Compile a room-by-room inventory of damaged goods and include manufacturers' names, dates and places of purchase and prices, where possible. Try to locate                 receipts and proofs of purchase, especially for large appliances.

Public Safety Messages and Information for the Fall & Winter months:

Safety - Winter Driving

Safety - Chimneys and Flues

Safety - Carbon Monoxide

Safety - Winter Grilling

Safety - Influenza

Safety - Winter Storms

Safety - Dangerous Snow Loads & LPG

Safety - Winter Damage

Public Safety Messages and Information for the Spring & Summer months:

Safety - Toy Lighters Have Children Playing With Fire

Safety - Fireworks

Safety - Summer Sun Safety

Safety - Spring & Summer Grilling

Safety - Swimming Safety

Safety - Water Safety for Youth