Back-up Power and Property Insurance
Back-up Power and Property Insurance: Power outages happen. When storms appear or severe weather hits, it’s more than possible that we’ll lose our power. When that occurs, all sorts of damage can happen. If you’re a homeowner, things you take for granted stop working – like your refrigerator, your computer, your HVAC system, and much more.
Power failures can come at just about any time of the year. They can arrive when you expect they might, like during a thunderstorm, or when you least expect them. That’s why it’s always important to be prepared because you just might be surprised by an outage, which is no fun and will have you scrambling to save things in your home.
Businesses also dread power outages unless they are truly prepared. A power failure that’s not bolstered by back-up power, like a generator, could result in loss of data and all sorts of other important information a business values, as well as the loss of physical items and property.
Did you also know that after power outages, insurance claims increase exponentially? It’s true! When a home’s or business’s primary power goes out, damage can occur, especially if the reason for the outage is a severe storm. That’s why many insurance companies offer their clients a “loss mitigation credit”, which prompts the customer to take steps to avert losses and subsequent insurance claims. Installing back-up power is one of those mitigation steps that could save you both money and plenty of heartache.
What is loss mitigation?
You likely already mitigate losses to your property by doing simple things like installing a home security system or by using smoke detectors throughout your house. A security system keeps intruders away and prevents loss of items or damage to property. Smoke detectors can keep your house from burning down if a fire starts indoors or outside.
Similarly, purchasing a back-up generator can help to storm-proof your property by providing power during an outage. As a result, it helps to reduce claims you may need to file as a result of damage done by the storm. Some insurance companies refer to this as a loss mitigation credit.
Consider this:
- An ice storm hits and your power goes out. It’s freezing outside and it won’t take long for your home to become quite cold. Pipes can freeze quickly, burst, and lead to water damage both inside and outside your home. Generators can help minimize the risk of frozen pipes and keep your house safe from harm.
- There’s a severe thunderstorm and the power goes out. It stays out for a long time, which means the sump pump in your basement is no longer operating. As a result, water gets backed up and gathers in your basement, where it can not only destroy items stored there but also do damage to your home’s foundation. With back-up power that kicks on immediately, the sump pump keeps doing its job and water from the storm doesn’t wreak havoc in your home.
- A thunderstorm, excessive wind, or a snowstorm cause you to lose power. Hours pass and it’s still not back on. Remember that refrigerator full of food you bought for this weekend’s big gathering? It’s a goner. However, if you have a back-up generator, you could save the food…and the money it would cost to buy it again.
Mitigation also involves doing what you must to keep damage from happening again after you’ve already filed a claim. As a homeowner, it’s your duty to mitigate the risk of further losses. If you don’t take the proper steps, your property insurance carrier may not cover any secondary losses.
Remember, it’s not uncommon for insurance policies to include reimbursement language for reasonable mitigation measures. Check your insurance policy to see what it covers and you might be pleasantly surprised by the benefits you’ll reap by installing back-up power in your home.
We’ve dealt with everything from residential to industrial. See which industries we’ve served in more detail here: Industries Served.
For more information on installing a generator in your home or business, call the experts at Western Oil Services at (604) 514-4787 or get in touch using our contact form.
Many industries and Safely Storing Petroleum Products require the use of on-site petroleum products like gasoline, diesel fuel, lube oils, engine oils, and more. In businesses that range from airports to farms, these products are essential for everyday operations and, as such, companies must find ways to safely store these petroleum products in the least risky way possible, while also abiding by zoning restrictions, insurance rules, and other guidelines.
While there’s always some risk to having an above-ground storage tank on your property, those risks can be managed with good engineering practices, adherence to industry standards, and the right location. That’s why it’s important to employ a company like Western Oil Services, which has plenty of experience installing and servicing above-ground storage tanks, to handle your storage needs.
Protecting Your Storage Tanks
Companies that have above-ground petroleum storage tanks on their property need to take into consideration the risks that are associated with such tanks. This includes:
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Terrorist threats
- Potential for environmental pollution
Nevertheless, properly installed above-ground tanks hold many advantages over those that are placed in the ground.
- For example, if a tank leaks, it’s easy to identify and locate the problem as compared to an underground tank, which could be leaking for a long time before the issue is discovered.
- In addition, it’s much easier to relocate an above-ground tank, if necessary. Things like additional construction or an altered traffic flow may make relocation a must in some instances, and it is indeed possible to safely move an above-ground tank.
- Finally, if a property is sold and a new business moves in that doesn’t need the tank, this kind of tank can be removed. This eliminates any risk to the new owner and also increases the value of that property and others around it.
Still, the issues you need to watch out for could be serious ones if careful consideration isn’t given to location and other engineering practices.
Label the tank clearly with essential information, including contents, volume, hazards, and warnings. This helps both employees and emergency responders in case of an accident.
Install a barrier around the tank to prevent vehicular contact, especially in high-traffic areas.
Ground the tank and use explosion-proof pumps.
Equip the tank with a primary and emergency vent. These vents allow vapors to escape, reducing the risk of an explosion. Regularly check the primary vent for blockages.
Above-ground tanks face vulnerabilities. Weather conditions like high winds, lightning, and flooding can damage them. Additionally, vehicles can back into unprotected tanks.
Owners of neighboring properties may find the tank, hoses, and pipes unsightly. They may also be concerned about pollution and potential leaks.
However, personnel can be properly trained to handle and even eliminate the risks associated with above-ground storage of petroleum products.
Here are a few more things to remember as you consider purchasing an above-ground storage tank.
Make sure the tank you’re considering is intended for outdoor use.
Tanks that are designed to hold flammable liquids such as gasoline should be fire-
guarded or vaulted to prevent fuel ignition for two hours during a fire.
Consider a tank with a secondary containment area, which should be able to hold the contents of the primary tank. This could be a double-walled tank, which serves the same purpose.
The safety of people and property is paramount. Choose a location for your tank that’s away from traffic patterns, buildings, creeks, wells, power lines, or any type of ignition source.
There are many other rules and regulations surrounding the installation of above-ground tanks for petroleum products. Both national and provincial rules should ALWAYS be followed for the safety of people and property.
Place your tank on a stable base, such as a reinforced concrete pad.
Label your tank clearly with details like contents, volume, hazards, and warnings. This helps employees and is crucial for emergency responders in case of an accident.
Install a barrier around the tank to prevent vehicle contact, especially in busy areas.
Always ground your tanks and use explosion-proof pumps.
Equip tanks with both a primary and an emergency vent. These vents allow vapors to escape and reduce the risk of explosion. Check the primary vent pipe regularly for blockages.
At Western Oil Services, we’ve got decades of experience installing both above-ground and buried storage tanks and can help you decide which will work best for your needs. We also offer you our experience in the replacement and upgrade of older fuel systems and the introduction of new backup systems. We’ve worked in a variety of commercial and industrial settings and stand ready to offer you our best advice on installation and maintenance.
For a free no-obligation initial consultation, call the experts at Western Oil Services at 1-800-663-2097.
Think about the times the power has been interrupted in your household or Emergency Power Installations for Hospitals. It’s likely you panicked a bit but then went on with your everyday tasks, hoping the lights and HVAC system would come back on soon. Unless the power stayed off for days, chances are you probably weren’t all that inconvenienced.
What happens when the power goes out in a hospital or healthcare facility? Unlike a home, hospitals have more at stake than spoiled milk or finding the bathroom in the dark. When hospitals lose power, lives are on the line. Therefore, reliable emergency power systems are crucial for hospitals.
Most countries, including Canada, legally require hospitals to have backup generators. While the rules may vary by location, hospitals are generally expected to restore power within 10 seconds of an outage.
Why so fast? Well, think about all the reasons that a hospital needs to quickly switch to backup powers.
Life support patients –
At any given time, hospitals pretty much ALWAYS have at least some patients on life support. It might be hard to believe, but if power is out in excess of 10 seconds, loss of life could occur. This is why the quality of emergency power systems installed in hospitals is so important.
Hospital equipment –
Just look around one single hospital room and you’ll realize the vast quantity of equipment that relies on electricity to function. Heart monitors, x-ray machines, computers. If power goes out for any length of time, not only do these machines stop working but, in some cases, they might suffer damage as well. As such, reliable and well-maintained emergency power is required in order to keep this equipment running and, again, to avoid the loss of life that could occur when monitors and other machines are shut down unexpectedly.
Record keep
ing –
These days, most doctors and nurses aren’t writing down patient information on a piece of paper. All record keeping is done by computer, and being able to access those records is essential whenever a patient is in hospital. These records are needed by numerous individuals involved with each patient’s care so it’s obviously important that they need to be readily accessible at all times.
General safety –
It can be hard to navigate your home or office without lights. In a hospital, it’s even more challenging. Hospitals have bright lights in rooms, hallways, and other spaces for good reason. A sudden loss of light creates safety hazards for staff. It also poses a risk to patients and visitors. This highlights why hospitals need reliable emergency power.
Most hospitals need multiple generators due to their size. Therefore, the company handling the emergency power installation must understand backup generators and their load capacities. Additionally, provinces have specific guidelines for installing and using emergency power systems. It’s crucial for hospitals to hire a company familiar with these regulations, such as Western Oil Services.
Moreover, generator technology has evolved significantly in recent years. A company like Western Oil Services, which keeps up with the latest technology, is a smart choice for hospitals installing or upgrading their emergency power systems. Western Oil already works with several medical facilities, including Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Port Perry Hospital. They provide top-notch service during installation and offer ongoing maintenance to ensure the system performs as well as it did on day one.
Western Oil Services
At Western Oil Services, we understand and respect the importance of emergency power installations for hospitals and other medical facilities, and our experts stand ready to assist you in choosing a system that’s right for the size and budget of your hospital. For more information on back-up generators and other power equipment for your facility, call us at (604) 514-4787 to schedule a consultation.
For most of us, Emergency Power Installations are merely an annoyance. Though they may not happen often, they are usually minor inconveniences that don’t make a big impact unless they occur for days on end, which tends to be quite unusual. Nevertheless, we can usually deal with the fact that we may not have any lights for a few hours or that we can’t cook dinner on the electric range or that the heater or A/C is off for a while.
Of course, many homeowners opt for installing a generator that offers back-up power should an outage occur. A generator means we don’t have to suffer that interruption of service. It’s a nice convenience, but not everyone needs or wants one.
However, there are some instances where an emergency power system is essential, including in places like hospitals and other facilities. Government offices, in addition, benefit from emergency power installations that will keep them going even when a power outage brings the rest of the area to a halt.
What’s an emergency power system?
An emergency power system is a type of continual power system, which means that it can reliably supply large amounts of uninterrupted power. These emergency power systems are installed not only to protect lives, such as in hospitals or other nursing facilities, but also property including physical and intellectual property. They’re often used by data centers, scientific laboratories, telecommunications facilities, and many other locations where an interruption of power could have horrendous consequences.
An emergency power system, of course, must rely on something other than electricity. That might include batteries, generators, fuel cells, and more. One of the first uses of emergency power systems, as a matter of fact, was onboard World War II ships, which regularly lost boilers during combat. As such, diesel engines were installed and used to drive back-up generators.
Emergency power systems for government buildings
At Western Oil Services, we understand the importance of uninterrupted service for our clients who simply can’t afford to be without power. This includes a number of government offices such as the City of Coquitlam, Public Works Canada, and others.
Government operations often need emergency power systems. These systems activate quickly, usually within 10 seconds. They ensure life safety systems, like exit lights, elevators, and fire alarms, stay powered. These systems are separate from the building’s regular power supply. They have their own panels, transfer stations, and conduit runs.
Protecting government employees during a power outage is crucial. However, protecting stored data is just as important. Data centers, for example, require constant power. They often use different emergency power solutions. Some rely on diesel generators, while others use a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) or both. This keeps computers, communication networks, and other devices running.
What will you need?
If you operate a government building, your emergency power needs differ from those of a home. You must calculate and carefully assess your power requirements. It’s best to seek guidance from an expert, like a member of Western Oil Services.
Every building has unique needs. Each operation requires a specific solution tailored to its daily functions. Start by contacting a company like Western Oil. Their team specializes in generators and emergency power systems. By consulting with one of their professionals, you can develop the right solution for your building’s emergency power needs.
For more details on our emergency power installations or to explore our previous projects, call 1-800-663-2097. Schedule a no-obligation consultation with one of our experts today.
Aviation Fueling Systems
Most of us don’t think a lot about Aviation Fueling Systems. We simply climb aboard, take our seat, and are whisked off to our destination. But gassing up a plane is a big deal, and airports large and small need to have quality aviation fueling systems in place to ensure uninterrupted service for pilots and passengers.
If you’re building a new airport, updating a facility, or replacing an outdated fueling system, you’ve probably been exploring options for a reliable aviation fueling system. Choosing the right one can be tough and costly, so it’s important to make the right decision from the start.
At Western Oil Services, we’re fully insured for jet fuel work and all aviation fueling systems. We’re here to advise you on the best products for your needs. This includes above-ground and underground tanks, fueling cabinets, fuel skids, dispensers, and equipment for over-wing and single-point fueling.
We work closely with some of the top vendors in the aviation fueling business to complete your project on time and cost-effectively and will work with you to coordinate delivery schedules and more so that you’re not waiting months for your installation to be completed. Furthermore, we’ll be with you from start to finish, overseeing all aspects of your aviation fueling system installation or upgrade, including:
- An initial consultation to determine the right system(s) for your business
- Design and construction
- Project management throughout the length of the installation or upgrade
- Any site work that must be completed, such as the placement of concrete foundations or new electrical installations
- Calibration and final testing of the system
- Training for your employees on the proper use of the system
We know that any system you purchase must meet your specific needs. That’s why we work hard to find the best solution. We stand behind our systems and are ready to assist if any issues arise. Our customer service sets us apart and keeps us at the top in the Vancouver area. We proudly serve clients like Helijet, Harbour Air, Pitt Meadows Airport, Boundary Bay Airport, and Langley Airport.
We’re proud to have contributed to fueling all kinds of flying objects. We understand that fuel systems differ between aircraft. While the basics are the same, each system requires specific design expertise. Our team of experts handles the details. We know the industry well and can recommend everything aviation businesses need for their fueling systems. This includes everything from tiny valves to large equipment for refueling, defueling, fuel dumping, and more.
Safety is also a top priority at Western Oil Services. We ensure your aviation fueling systems are in good working order to prevent accidents. Additionally, we train those who operate the systems to ensure proper use.
For more information on how we can serve you, specifically, and the aviation industry in general, contact the experts at Western Oil services at 604-514-4787 for information about installation, service and maintenance, and more. We’d be happy to meet you in person or virtually for a consultation to identify your needs and to help you take the first steps towards a new or replacement aviation fuel system for your business.
Believe it or not, many homes and commercial spaces build before the 1950’s were originally heated with furnace oil. It was a practice that, after many years of course, became irrelevant as the potential damage was realized. When the revolution of natural gas became acknowledged, the oil storage tanks that were normally located in backyards, in parking lots, or underground were filled with sand or were capped.
However, this method of storage started to corrode over time and, in some situations the previous method of oil storage became a significant hazard. The remaining oil that was not capped would leak and flow onto the owner’s property, which resulted in contamination. The need for professional oil storage was essential, and home owners and business owners alike found themselves in a great deal of legal liability for potential contamination.
Where did this contamination take place?
There were many municipalities with buried oil tanks, from Burnaby and Coquitlam to North Vancouver and West Vancouver. Overall, twelve municipalities now require that out of service underground storage tanks be removed and all contaminated soil be replaced.
The responsibility for such a task lies on the home or property owner; and, of course, the cost to remove can be very high. In one situation reported in West Vancouver, a property owner was unaware that there was a buried oil tank on the property and had to spend over $150,000 to remove the contaminated fuel. Imagine that!
Alternatives to on-site oil storage
Of course, underground oil storage in homes or underneath buildings is not a practice that continued past the 1950’s. As such, companies like Western Oil Services focuses on retail gas operations, including the retrofitting of older systems. We specialize in fuel storage for industrial and commercial sites, always ensuring that our client needs are met.
The benefits of removing a tank, according to the City of Vancouver are:
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Improves your property’s environmental conditions
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Satisfies lenders, buyers, and insurance agents
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Removes high-risk conditions
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Reduces your environmental liability and subsequent effects to your property value
If you find an oil tank on your property that you are unsure of, perform the following (if in the City of Vancouver):
- Check the records of the City of Vancouver here
- Hire a contractor to confirm and search the property
- Retain the contractor to remove the tank
Click here to learn more about the steps to take if you find an oil storage tank on your property.
At Western Oil Services, we have safely and securely supported our commercial clients in oil and fuel storage for decades. If you are inquiring about how we can support your business, contact us here.
