Zurich advises businesses to take steps to reduce the chance of fire protection or domestic plumbing systems freezing up this winter

Warm start to the winter season in continental U.S. gives way to waves of freezing Arctic air that can freeze water in plumbing or fire protection systems

Schaumburg, Ill., January 18, 2012 – As winter makes an appearance in large portions of the continental U.S., Zurich is reminding businesses to take action to avoid freeze-ups of emergency sprinkler and other piping systems.

Zurich, a leading property and casualty insurance provider globally and in North America, and its Risk Engineering Services department, urge building owners to maintain adequate heat in all building areas equipped with water filled sprinkler and domestic piping.

“Each year, too many sprinkler and plumbing systems are damaged due to freezing,” said Rich Gallagher, Line of Business Director, Property, for Zurich in North America’s Risk Engineering Services. “The warm start to the winter season can put people into a false sense of security, but as cold waves pass through, damage can be done if water-filled pipes freeze and further damage can follow as ice plugs thaw and water starts to flow.”

Zurich advises to periodically conduct a cold weather review of your building, verifying the following:
• All building heaters are working
• All doors to heated areas are kept closed and are weather tight
• All windows to heated areas are closed, weather tight, and glazing is intact
• Stairways, elevator penthouses, dry-pipe valve closets, and other small spaces are adequately heated
• Above ceiling spaces are receiving adequate heat
• Fire protection water storage tanks temperature are kept above 40 degrees Fahrenheit
• Dry pipe sprinkler systems are maintained with adequate air pressure
• Pipe insulations are intact where used
• Pipe heat tracing is working where used

For additional information, please review Zurich’s Risktopic “Management practices – Cold weather freeze-ups:” http://www.zurichna.com/internet/zna/sitecollectiondocuments/en/knowledge%20center/whitepapers/risk%20engineering/mgmt%20practices-cold%20weather.pdf

About Zurich
Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich) is a leading multi-line insurance provider with a global network of subsidiaries and offices in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East as well as other markets. 2012 marks Zurich's 100 year anniversary of insuring America and the success of its customers, shareholders and employees. Zurich first brought its knowledge and experience in workers' compensation insurance from Switzerland to America in 1912 to help its customers take intelligent risks and help build the America known today. Zurich now offers a wide range of general insurance and life insurance products and services for individuals, small businesses, mid-sized and large companies as well as multinational corporations.

Risk Engineering Services is provided by Zurich Services Corporation.

For more information about Zurich’s business in North America, go to http://www.zurichna.com/zna/media/news-releases/archive/boilerplate.htm
For more information about Zurich's 100 year anniversary of insuring America, go to http://www.zurichna.com/100

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Media contact:
Jeff Casale
Zurich, North America
(847) 413-5439
jeff.casale@zurichna.com