Disaster Safety Blog

Things to know before you go

Whether you're going on vacation for spring break, travel extensively for business or pleasure, have rental property that is unoccupied, or share time between two homes, there are things you can and should do before closing up your house for any real length of time, according to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety.

Adjust Thermostat - One of the easiest things to do, but something easily forgotten, is adjusting the thermostat.

    * In colder climates, don't turn the thermostat off. Instead, lower it to a temperature that's warm enough to keep pipes from freezing but low enough that you are not spending money to heat an empty home. (No lower than 55 degrees.)
    * In warmer climates, high temperatures and humidity can damage furniture or other home contents. In this case, set your air conditioner to 85 degrees.

Protect Plumbing - Both plastic (PVC) and copper pipes can burst. Pipes, water heaters and other appliances can leak, or in freezing weather, pipes can freeze and burst, which can cause major damage in a home left unattended.

    * If you are leaving for an extended period of time, the best protection is to have the water shut off and the water lines drained.
          o Seek the advice of a professional plumber, who can shut off the valve at the water meter and send water outdoors and away from the house or into a basement drain. Once this has been done, the plumber should flush all toilets and drain the showerhead pipe.
          o Shut off the gas to the water heater (or the gas company can do this for you), or turn the temperature control to a "vacation" setting. If your house has a water softener, shut off its supply line.
    * If you choose to leave the water service turned on or will be away only a short while:
          o Make sure all pipes are insulated, especially in a garage or basement next to an outside wall or in crawl spaces and the attic. These exposed pipes are most susceptible to freezing.
          o Heat tape can also be used to wrap pipes. Wrap the tape or cables around water pipes, plug in the cord and the heating element will warm the pipes to prevent freezing. Closely follow all manufacturers' installation and operation instructions.
          o Turn off the water supply to individual fixtures like your washing machine, icemaker, toilets and sinks.
            Flooding often occurs when hoses are worn or ruptured, or there is a leak at the connection.
          o Don't leave appliances (dishwasher, washing machine or dryer) running when you leave, and check to make sure toilets aren't running. As an extra precaution, unplug your toaster, coffee maker, microwave oven, computer and television.
          o Make sure the sump pump is working, especially in late winter or early spring when melting snow or heavy rain increases the risk of basement flooding.

Plan for High Wind - If you're going to be away during a season that brings high wind, protect your property:

          o Trim dead limbs from trees and shrubbery and store outdoor furniture and other objects that could become damaging missiles if picked up by high wind.
          o Close and lock all doors, windows, skylights and vents to keep out wind and wind-driven rain.

Make Your House or Business Look Occupied - An empty, unsecured property can be a tempting target for thieves and vandals. 

    * Put interior and exterior lights on timers and/or motion sensors. Set the timers on staggered hours to turn lights on and off at different times.
    * Make sure tapered deadbolt locks all installed and in use on entry doors. The taper makes it almost impossible to use a wrench or other tool to twist the lock open.
    * Suspend mail service and newspaper delivery.
    * Install a monitored security system. (Insurers often provide discounts for devices that make a home safer, so consider the financial benefit.)
    * Inform the local police department that your house will be empty.

Wild weather puts properties at increased risk of damage

Weather across the U.S. is a case of extremes right now and threats to properties remain high. Take control of your risk, regardless of what threats you may be facing.

In the west and parts of the south and east, including Florida and Texas, drought conditions and windy weather have elevated the threat of wildfires. While in parts of the Midwest and southeast, residents are dealing with swollen rivers and flooded communities. Communities along the east coast are once again digging out from a snowstorm. Another storm is expected to hit the east coast later this week.

Find resources to protect your property from flooding, freezing weather, wildfire and other natural hazards at DisasterSafety.org, where you can enter your ZIP Code and get a personalized list of risks that face the areas where you live and work.

Severe weather rips through nation's mid-section

Severe Awareness Week got off to an active start in many states Monday with storms damaging properties in Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio with high winds, heavy rains and localized flooding.

Teams from the National Weather Service are investigating the aftermath of storms in several of these areas to see if tornadoes or straight-line winds were the cause of widespread property damage.

Tornadoes were reported in Missouri, where five people were killed during the severe weather. A rare winter tornado was confirmed in Fairfield County, Ohio, on Monday morning and left behind severe property damage.

As the spring approaches and storm season ramps up, take steps to prepare your home or business before severe weather threatens. When repairing storm damage, consider ways to strengthen the property against future storms. IBHS offers expert guidance for both of these approaches.

Visit www.DisasterSafety.org, where you can enter your ZIP Code to see what natural hazards you face and get property protection information to reduce the risk of damage.

Roof collapses prompt calls for inspections to prevent further damage

Roofs collapsed in a number of Massachusetts communities yesterday under the crushing weight of built-up snow and ice, with the worst destruction occurring in Easton, the Boston Globe reports.

On Wednesday, more than 100 workers managed to escape the collapse of a roof at a 150,000-square foot office building in Easton, the newspaper reports. The collapse then triggered a gas leak. The roof collapses around the state have since prompted fire officials to contact local schools and call for inspections to determine structural integrity.

The winter storm has passed, but another round of snow and ice are forecast for next week. Take this opportunity to have the roof cleared on your home or business, urges the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). Check out the guidelines from IBHS to determine how much snow and ice may be too much for the roof to handle. 

Prepare now for the latest round of winter weather

It seems fitting that in a week that includes Groundhog Day, a massive winter storm is once again bearing down on the nation. This time it's the midsection that is bracing for high winds, freezing rain and snow and ice early this week. Later in the week, the northeast will once again be under the threat of severe winter weather. For residents in both regions, their daily weather forecast has been a sort of Groundhog Day since December.

The National Weather Service said the most recent winter storm's "stripe of snow" will move eastward across the central plains and into the Ohio Valley and touch parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.

As the storm builds on Monday, though, the band of heaviest snowfall is expected in parts of southwest and northeast Missouri, including central sections of the state, which will receive between six inches and a foot of snowfall and winds between 20 and 30 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

Chicago and Milwaukee were expected to be particularly hard-hit. The weather service issued a blizzard watch for Tuesday and Wednesday for southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois and northwest Indiana that included those cities.

Forecasters said snowfall totals could reach up to 2 feet in some areas by the time the storm system has moved through the region.

The weather service said the heavy snowfall combined with high winds could create whiteout conditions, particularly on Tuesday night into Wednesday. Snow drifts of 5 feet to 10 feet are possible. The service said winds on Tuesday could reach up to 60 mph in open areas and near Lake Michigan.

Once the storm has moved through, bitterly cold temperatures are expected to grip much of the region.

After slamming the Plains and Midwest, the storm will move into the Appalachians, Mid-Atlantic, and New England regions early Wednesday morning, Groundhog Day, with conditions improving early Thursday. The heaviest snow is expected across the interior northeast from Pennsylvania into upstate New York and New England.

Find resources to protect your property from ice and snow and to safely use heating equipment at DisasterSafety.org.

Superstorm would lead to $300 billion in losses in California, scientists say

This week marks the 17th anniversary of the Northridge earthquake in California, but a group of scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey are focusing on a new project that has nothing to do with temblors.

Leading the project is prominent scientist Lucy Jones, who is best known for her work with earthquakes. This time Jones and her team are working on the threat posed by a theoretical Pacific-spawned superstorm, which Jones predicts could do much more damage in California than a major earthquake on the San Andreas Fault. The team is developing a scenario based on analysis of past events.

The scenario, basically is akin to two of the biggest storm cycles of the past half-century occurring back to back, according to the USGS. It includes 40 days of rain dropping up to 10 feet of water, high winds, landslides and flooding. Property damage estimates show losses possibly reaching $300 billion.

The event is not unprecedented. About 150 years ago, over a few weeks in the winter of 1861-62, enough rain fell to inundate a stretch of the Central Valley 300 miles long and 20 miles wide, from north of Sacramento south to Bakersfield, near the eastern desert, according to USGS Director Marcia K. McNutt.

The storms lasted 45 days, creating lakes in parts of the Mojave Desert and, according to a survey account, “turning the Sacramento Valley into an inland sea, forcing the state capital to be moved from Sacramento to San Francisco for a time, and requiring Gov. Leland Stanford to take a rowboat to his inauguration.”

Then, in 1938, heavy rainfall and flooding inundated Los Angeles and prompted the construction of the Hansen Dam and Sepulveda Dam to control the L.A. River and other major waterways.

Whatever natural or man-made risks threaten your home or business, find ways to reduce the risk of property damage with help from the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). Visit www.DisasterSafety.org.

Keeping properties in the southeast safe from winter weather

Much of the southeastern United States is bracing for or has already been hit by a snowstorm today. If this winter weather caught you unprepared, here are a few things to consider that will help protect you and your property, according to the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).

Freezing pipes - if you think the snow is a problem, imagine a leaky pipe spewing water into your home or business. If you don't have insulation onhand to wrap the pipes, open cabinets to allow warm air to circulate and allow water to drip. This will reduce the risk of pipes freezing and bursting or leaking when the weather warms up.

Ice dams - Keep an eye on the roofline in the coming days. If ice and snow thaw then refreeze, ice dams can form. This can lead to roof leaks, soaked insulation and possibly damage to walls. Learn more about preventing ice dams with help from IBHS' building science experts.

Heaters - keep clothing, furniture, rugs and other flammable items away from heat sources. View the complete IBHS heating guide for information about a variety of heating sources.

Snow loads - Snow is heavy; add freezing rain and the weight increases. Most homes in colder climates can handle heavy loads, but many in the south may be more vulnerable to roof collapse under the weight of ice and snow. Have your roof cleared by a professional. See IBHS guidelines to help keep your roof standing strong.

Disasters and losses reached new highs in 2010, new report reveals

Natural disasters worldwide cost insurers more in property losses in 2010, according to a new report.

The new analysis by Munich Re, a member of the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), reveals insurers paid $37 billion in claims, which exceeded the 10-year average of $35 billion. This pay out was also considerably higher than the $22 billion of losses in 2009.

The losses were fueled by the 950 natural catastrophes that occurred in 2010, which made the year one of the worst in the 30 years since record keeping began, and exceeded the annual average of 785 natural catastrophic events by 21 percent.

The greatest losses of life and property were the result of earthquakes in Haiti, Chile and Central China; a heat wave in Russia, and floods in Pakistan. Even though the fatalities were highest in Haiti, the insured losses were greatest in Chile with $30 billion in damage because most Haitian properties were not insured.

According to the report, global insurers had high levels of earthquake exposure in Chile because of the lower risks associated with the modern building codes that were adopted and enforced after other earthquakes in that country's history. These codes resulted in lower fatalities and reduced property damage overall.

In Pakistan, rainfall from monsoons between July and September resulted in $9.5 billion in insured damage.

The 2010 hurricane season spared the United States, despite having the highest number of storms recorded in the last 100 years. There were a total of 19 tropical cyclones during the year, making it the third highest in recorded history. Overall, the season was a quiet one for insurers. Still, the unusually high amount of tropical activity has insurers watching for what's next.

In a release, Munich Re’s Reinsurance CEO Torsten Jeworrek said, “2010 showed the major risks we have to cope with. There were a number of severe earthquakes. The hurricane season was also eventful – it was just fortunate that the tracks of most of the storms remained over the open sea. But things could have turned out very differently. The severe earthquakes and the hurricane season with so many storms demonstrate once again that there must be no slackening of our efforts to analyse these risks in detail and provide the necessary insurance covers at adequate prices. These prices calculated by the insurance industry make it possible to assess the economic consequences of these otherwise difficult-to-evaluate risks.”

Find effective ways to reduce the risk of your home or business being damaged by a natural disaster and maintenance information at www.DisasterSafety.org.

Recovery begins in California, other states brace for more rough weather

Californians are getting a reprieve today after devastating rainstorms that spawned flash floods and mudslides in the southern part of the state Wednesday, but northern California and surrounding states are still bracing for more rain and snow.

The National Weather Service reports flood watches and warnings remain in effect in western Arizona, southern Nevada and southwestern Utah until early Friday morning. Mudslides remain a threat because of the rain-soaked ground.

An additional one to two inches of rain, with more in some areas, were expected through Friday morning as the system moved toward the Rockies, the National Weather Service said. Snowfall in some mountain areas topped 13 feet, while rain levels also reached new heights. Crestline, Calif., has received 26 inches of rain since Friday, while Santa Barbara received 14 inches and Lake Arrowhead got 12 inches.

As many as 40 homes in the San Bernardino County community of Highland were damaged by mud and water after two small rivers in the foothill town overflowed, according to the California Department of Forestry.

Officials in Littlefield, Ariz., say at least five vacant homes have been swept away by flooding in the northwestern part of the state since a powerful storm system arrived and more are in danger.

Insurers are busy responding to property damage claims, the Claims Journal reports. State Farm Fire and Casualty Company and Farmers Insurance, both members of the Instititue for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), reported receiving a combined total of more than 3,000 claims Wednesday.

The IBHS Water Damage Recovery Guide can help home and business owners during the recovery process. Other IBHS recovery resources include "You Can Go Home Again" and "Getting Back to Business." All of the resources are free at www.DisasterSafety.org.

Natural disasters cost reinsurers $20 billion in 2010, report says

Earthquakes in Chile and New Zealand topped the list of costliest disasters for reinsurers in 2010, according to a new report.

The new report by Guy Carpenter & Company, an affiliate member of the Institute for Business & Home Safety, found the reinsurance industry paid $8 billion in losses associated with the Chilean earthquake, while the New Zealand earthquake carried a price tag of $4 billion in insured damage.

Of the eight natural catastrophes that individually caused insured losses of more than $1 billion, five were related to severe weather and storms in the United States, Australia and Europe, for a total loss of $7.9 billion, according to the report. The Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico was the only man-made event to result in insured losses of $1 billion or more in 2010 at approximately $3.5 billion.

Guy Carpenter also reports that reinsurance losses in the United States generally matched those of 2009, totalling $11.2 billion in the first nine months of 2010. This was a decline from the $25.2 billion paid by reinsurers in 2008, due mostly to losses from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

Limiting exposures to natural disasters such as hail, high winds, hurricanes, wind-driven water and wildfire is the goal of the new IBHS Research Center, of which Guy Carpenter is a founding member. Learn more about this unique, world-class facility.