Condo Media - February 2020 - 27

"You want a sprinkler for a catastrophic fire, but in some cases,
they can cause as much damage or more than the fire itself."
additional inspections "depending
on their risk tolerance."
WATER HEATERS
These appliances rank as public enemy
number-one in the fight to prevent water
damage. Older heaters can die suddenly,
often without any prior warning that
they are about to do so. You know the
heater has failed because it has dumped
80 gallons of water, or more, into the
area in which it is located-and beyond.
Because of that risk, many community
associations require owners to replace
their water heaters after seven or eight
years, even though their average life
expectancy is longer, averaging between
12 and 13 years.
An automatic shut-off valve prevents
flooding if a heater fails, eliminating the
need for premature replacement of older
equipment, Steven Fielding, president of
Aquaguard, LLC, says. The WAGS shutoff valve his company sells isn't powered
by battery or electricity. It consists of a
spring mechanism wrapped with a water
soluble sensitive element that is placed in
a drip pan under the heater. When liquid
hits the element, it weakens, releasing
the high-pressure spring and shutting

the heater off-when no more than 2-3
inches of water has accumulated in the
pan. The device works with both gasfired and electric heaters.
Using a shut-off valve like this one,
owners can run old water heaters "to
failure," Fielding says, without risking
catastrophic water damage. He has
identified condominium communities
as a primary market for his product.
"They're throwing away mostly good
tanks that still have 4-6 more years
of useful life. This can be a real game
changer for them," Fielding says.
Alarms and shut-off valves can
prevent damaging leaks from washing
machines-another significant risk
in condominium communities. Like
the WAGS valve for hot water heaters,
washing machine sensors are located in
a drip pan under the appliance. Some
newer sensors will actually turn off the
appliance if touched by water; older ones
will sound an alarm.
Manual shut-offs are another option,
allowing owners to block the water
supply when the machine isn't in use.
"But installing the switches doesn't
guarantee that owners will use them,"
Chiarelli notes. Water damage in

condominiums, industry executives
agree, often results from what owners
do or fail to do.
Frozen pipes are a prime example.
Energy-and cost-conscious owners will
sometimes lower the temperature in
their units-or turn off the heat entirely-
in order to reduce utility bills while they
are on vacation. That certainly reduces
their heating bills, but it can also cause
their pipes to freeze-a common and
infuriating source of water damage
that often spreads to other units and
common areas. It is so common, Haynes
says, that some insurers will add "heat
maintenance endorsements" to their
policies, requiring owners to maintain
the heat in their units at no less than 55
degrees. Failure to comply will trigger
an exclusion, denying coverage for water
damage to the owner's unit, although
damage to other units would be covered.
The heat maintenance endorsement
isn't a standard feature in condominium
policies, according to Gregory Pierce,
CPA, LIA, senior vice president at
NorthStar Insurance Services, Inc.,
"but it is something for boards to watch
out for when they are getting coverage,"
he suggests.
February 2020 CONDOMEDIA

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Condo Media - February 2020

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