FOCUS
Deep impacts Escape of water can bring the highest insurance
claims and cause severe damage with lasting effects on occupiers, warns Alexander Wildish
commercial consumption. The standards are comprehensive and offer practical advice to designers and installers alike. One of the standards concerning water services, BS 6700: Design, installation, testing and maintenance of services supplying water for domestic use within buildings and their curtilages. Specification, was first published in 1987 and was widely successful. Then in 1999, the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations came into effect. These were in addition to the practical advice within the various approved documents of the building regulations. While British standards have been superseded over the years, the advice tends to be similar for drainage, heating and water services, and the water regulations still remain current to this day. These, the approved documents and
T
standards are – amongst other things – intended to improve the quality and performance of the various services. They cover a plethora of topics,
40 JULY/AUGUST 2020
www.frmjournal.com
HERE EXIST numerous British standards concerned with drainage, heating systems and water services for domestic and
which include pipework sizing, where (and where not) to bury pipes, corrosion resistance properties and how to protect services inside and out from the damage effects of freezing. All this is in addition to detailed manufacturing
literature that often accompanies appliances and water fi ttings – which should be heeded, according to the standards. This is especially the case for jointing systems, with many manufacturers offering free training and online video guides. Yet despite these comprehensive regulations,
approved documents and standards being in effect for many years, insurers are seeing a relentless increase in escape of water claims year on year.
Largest claims
The financial impact of water damage to properties is the largest faced by insurers. According to the Association of British Insurers, around £2.5m is paid every day for home insurance escape of water claims. While the causes of escapes of water vary, a common
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