Essential measures to minimize the risk of a freeze or water damage loss
- Keep furnace on and thermostat set at or above 68 degrees
- Make sure all hoses are removed from exterior water spigots/faucets
- Drain water lines in lawn sprinkler system where appropriate
- Inspect windows and repair all broken glass
- Place additional insulation on exterior walls and windows
- Insulate exterior doors appropriately, and assure all close and latch completely
- Attach and secure downspouts with extension from foundation, not draining onto the driveway, sidewalks, or patios and fully displace water from walking areas
During periods of extreme colder temperatures
- Open the indoor faucets slightly to allow water to trickle as moving water does not freeze as easily
- Leave the doors to cabinets that contain water lines open, this will allow heat to enter the area and help prevent freeze
- If the power goes out, note the time of the outage and have a plan to keep perishable food cold. Potentially hazardous foods, including meat, dairy, eggs, and cooked vegetables need to be stored at or below 41 degrees Fahrenheit.
- e a plan in place if you are without power and heat for extended amount of time
Additional safety measures during colder months
- Clear all necessary snow and ice from sidewalks, fire escapes, and walkways which may result in a slip and fall hazard
- Use fireplace, wood stoves, or other combustion heaters only if they are properly vented to the outside. Exercise caution when heating with these devices, as well as propane appliances, and older wall or floor gas furnaces.
- Never use a charcoal or gas grill indoors—the fumes are deadly.
- Check that you have a working carbon monoxide detector.
- Keep as much heat as possible inside your property. Check the temperature in your home often during severely cold weather.
Engaging in a building or renovation project is an exciting, albeit stressful, endeavor. In addition to the hundreds of decisions regarding design, budget, decorating, and other items, there are insurance and risk management concerns to consider in order to protect the House Corporation and the organization from loss.
In an effort to simplify at least the insurance portion of the building process, we have developed a glossary of sorts to help you familiarize yourself with the associated terminology, as well as our recommended limits when applicable.
General Liability
General liability covers physical and bodily damage for which the general contractor and its employees would be held liable as a result of completed operations or product liability. We recommend that any independent contractors carry a minimum of $1M per occurrence in general liability limits.
Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ compensation is insurance paid by companies to provide benefits to employees who become ill or injured on the job. We recommend that independent contractors carry a minimum of $500,000 per accident.
Automobile Liability
Automobile liability insurance protects the insured against financial loss because of legal liability for automobile-related injuries to others or damage to others’ property by an auto. We recommend that independent contractors carry a minimum of $1M per occurrence in automobile liability limits.
Builders’ Risk
A builders’ risk policy is a property insurance policy that is designed to cover property in the course of construction. Coverage typically applies not only to property at the construction site, but also to property in transit or at off-site storage locations. We use the estimated completed value of the project as the builders’ risk limit.
We recommend that you have an MJ Client Executive review contracts associated with any building projects prior to signing them. We also recommend that the Fraternity/Sorority, House Corporation, Chapter, etc. be indemnified in the contract language from any loss or damage caused by the independent contractor/s. Because of the complexity of these types of issues, we recommend that you engage the services of a local attorney familiar with your local laws and statutes in the contract negotiations.
It’s Back to School time!
Take advantage of the last of the slow summer days and of an empty chapter house to do some Back to School cleaning and organizing.
| Back to School Property Checklist | |
| Date Completed | Item |
| Kitchen | |
| Remove contents of cabinets and clean interiors | |
| Clean appliances (ovens, microwaves, stove tops, etc.) | |
| Organize pantry, discarding expired food | |
| Take stock of kitchen supplies to see what needs to be donated and/or replaced | |
| Dust off refrigerator condenser coil | |
| Formal Rooms | |
| Rotate stacked books to prevent warping | |
| Clean leather furniture and vacuum upholstered furniture | |
| Hire someone to inspect your fireplace and chimney and prepare them for colder weather use | |
| Have carpets cleaned | |
| Throughout House | |
| Wipe baseboards and moldings | |
| Wash all windows | |
| Vacuum blinds and other window coverings | |
| Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors | |
| Declutter and clean out the attic, if applicable | |
| Clean ceiling-mounted light fixtures | |
| Clean carpets, doormats, and rugs. Replace any summer rags with winter ones. |
| Outside the House | |
| Check weather stripping and caulking around doors and windows; repair and replace as necessary | |
| Check and clean gutters | |
| Clean the patio furniture | |
| Check the exterior paint and touch up as needed | |
| Visually inspect the roof. If necessary, hire someone to replace missing shingles and recaulk as needed. | |
| Additional Reminders | |
| Make sure your House Corporation Inventory Checklist is up-to-date and store in offsite location | |
| Complete the Chapter House Self-Inspection and Recommendations. We recommend you complete the self-inspection on an annual basis. | |
| Check your flood zone to make sure that there have not been any changes in the last year at www.floodsmart.gov. |