The Case for Prevention
Lindstrom Restoration professionals are called routinely to mitigate water and fire damage losses. Our workers often comment that the needless destruction they encounter might have been prevented with either proper maintenance or modern technology. But home and business owners are busy people who have other priorities. They put off things that don’t scream for their attention and address urgent problems at hand. Unfortunately, procrastination can cause bigger and more costly problems down the road. It’s human nature for many to just let kick the can down the road, and hope for the best. Sometimes we get away with it, but often it comes back to bite us.
Prevention is always better than reaction. Maintaining your property and being proactive about preventing damage should be your first step. Given Minnesota weather, some work will have to wait until the summer months and warmer weather. The rest of it can be done anytime. Lindstrom offers many tips on preventing fires and water losses. We would direct you to past blogs, which can be found in this section of our website. Just last month we discussed how to avoid ice dams and frozen pipes. We hope you dodged the bullet when recent temperatures plunged to the mid 20’s below zero. It appears we are being smacked by an old-fashioned Minnesota winter.
Once you’ve created and checked off your maintenance items list you are ready to go to the next level of prevention which is implementing technology to give you an added layer of protection. This blog will focus more on technological equipment and steps you can take to avoid both water damage and fires. Luckily, today we have sophisticated equipment, sensors and other methods that are affordable and easy to install.
The need is there. It could be a matter of life and death. Thankfully, it’s rare, but Lindstrom workers sometimes witness the worst of human misery in their work. It is profoundly gut-wrenching for our people when fires and accidents take the lives of people and pets. One instance is etched in their brains. They responded to a very severe fire with tragic circumstances. Sadly, the family lost their 27-year-old son to the fire. The local fire marshal investigated the scene, and a definitive cause was never identified, but he was fairly certain the culprit was a space heater in the basement where the son was sleeping. The marshal speculated that the device either malfunctioned or tipped over and started something on fire. We’ll never know, since the damage was so extensive in the localized area.
The man’s parents were obviously deeply distraught by the tragedy and didn’t talk about the cause of the fire. But the father did offer this heart-breaking comment: “If I had any advice for people, it would be to have a working smoke detector, as it might have saved my son’s life.“ Why was the smoke detector not working? A subsequent conversation with a close family
friend revealed that the young man had a Bunsen burner that he used for some type of work or hobby. The speculation was he purposely uninstalled the alarm to avoid setting it off with the smoke from the burner. We’ll never know the entire story. The son may have fell asleep, forgot, or just didn’t want to take the time to reinstall it. We can only hope for the father’s sake that the alarm had fresh batteries and was working when he last checked it.
Lindstrom Restoration knows families often go through very raw and emotional times after suffering a loss. We do our best to provide sympathy and patiently listen. We know these traumatic events can be scarring. In another horrible loss, Lindstrom encountered an electrical fire where dangerous arcing sparked a fire. Fortunately, in this case no one was home, but it was horrifying for firefighters and a Lindstrom employee to see two dogs killed by the smoke.
Sometimes, families get lucky. We experienced another situation where there was no working smoke alarm in the basement. Thankfully, the fire occurred when the owners were awake. It was a beautiful spring morning, and the couple was outside very early having coffee on the patio when they saw smoke coming out of the basement window. They quickly realized it was a fire, and the father ran upstairs to get the sleeping kids out of the house while his wife called 911. Fortunately, no one got hurt but had the fire occurred earlier in the night while everyone was asleep the results could have been deadly. That fire, like the previous ones mentioned, could have been prevented by modern technology.
We hope you will consider some of the recommendations we provide below. Fortunately, there are a whole host of things you can do to reduce your risk of fires and water damage. Today’s exciting innovations can make our lives safer and spare us from life-threatening exposures and the hassles that go along with major property losses. Here are some ways you can take advantage of the amazing innovations and technology of our increasingly computerized world.
Fire Risk Reduction Technologies
1. Smart Electrical Fire Detectors
Some next-generation devices monitor electrical system anomalies—like micro-arcing—that often precede electrical fires. For example, IoT-enabled voltage monitors analyze electrical behavior and can alert homeowners of hazardous conditions before flames start. So, what is loT- or “The Internet of Things?” It is a term that was coined in the early 2000’s, that refers to a network of devices, vehicles, appliances and other physical objects that are embedded with sensors, software and network connectivity.
One of the more notable products out there now using this technology is a device called “Ting.” Several insurers now offer this product to their insureds, free of charge, as they believe it will reduce losses caused by electrical surges and arcing. Here is how Ting works: You plug a Ting sensor into a wall outlet in your home or business. It then monitors the electrical signals traveling through the structure 24/7. Ting looks for abnormal patterns that indicate dangerous problems like faulty wiring, loose connections, arcing, or deteriorating electrical components. The company monitors this information 24/7/365.
If the Ting sensor detects dangerous electrical arcing somewhere in a home or business owner’s structure, a member of their team will personally send a fire hazard alert to the customer via a phone call, text, email and the Ting app. There will also be a blinking light on the plug-in device. Ting’s Fire Safety Team is trained to walk home and business owners through finding and fixing the hazard in your home over the phone. They urge customers to answer their notices immediately. People generally pay under $100 for the first year to use the Ting electrical fire prevention service, which includes the sensor, app access, and monitoring. After the first year, their monitoring service costs $49 annually.
There are also several competing companies who offer the same service. We urge you to do some research on available technology. If you do have a problem, it is always good to have a trusted electrician available to respond on an emergency basis. Lindstrom works with a couple of very competent and professional electrical contractors if you need a vetted recommendation.
2. Smart Smoke & CO Detection Systems
Traditional smoke alarms save lives, but smart versions take this to another level by:
· Sending alerts to your phone if smoke or carbon monoxide is detected when you’re away.
· Integrating with other smart home systems to automatically adjust HVAC or unlock doors for evacuation.
These systems are increasingly affordable and can be installed in homes and businesses of all sizes.
3. Advanced Fire Suppression Systems
While fire suppression systems are impractical and too expensive for most homeowners, they are good investments for commercial buildings. Today, advances have been made in systems. Instead of soaking an entire space with water (like traditional sprinklers), targeted mist systems use high-pressure fine water mist to extinguish fires with significantly less collateral water damage. These systems detect heat quickly and target the hottest point with mist to suppress fires efficiently.
4. App-Connected Alerts & Monitoring
Many fire safety devices now connect to mobile apps, sending real-time notifications and allowing remote monitoring. These alerts can provide precious minutes for occupants and responders to act, even before emergency services arrive. So if you are not home or on vacation for a long period of time, you can still monitor things with the appropriate app.
Water Risk Reduction Technologies
1. Smart Water Leak Detectors
These devices sit in basements, under sinks, by water heaters, or near appliances prone to leaking. When moisture is detected, they send an alert to your phone so you can act quickly. Some also monitor temperature drops to warn you about freeze-related pipe bursts. Smart water leak detectors are not cost prohibitive and can be afforded by most homeowners. Businesses should highly consider implementing them.
2. Integrated Water Shut-Off Systems
Paired with water sensors, these systems can automatically shut off the main water supply when a leak or abnormal flow is detected—preventing catastrophic flooding. Smart shut-off valves work with or without Wi-Fi and can provide 360-degree protection of plumbing systems.
3. Internet of Things (IoT) Leak Detection & Monitoring Platforms
For larger buildings or multi-site businesses, centralized dashboards can track leak status in real time and issue alerts by text, email, or system dashboard. These solutions help property managers catch small issues before they escalate into major damage.
4. Insurance-Integrated Risk Monitoring
Some tech platforms are beginning to integrate IoT water sensors directly with insurance risk systems, allowing insurers to identify and mitigate leaks before claims occur. This proactive approach benefits both homeowners/businesses and insurers.
Smart Prevention Strategies (Tech + Behavior)
1. Sensor Networks & Automation
Deploy a network of smart sensors throughout a property to track:
· Smoke, heat, and electrical anomalies
· Water leaks and abnormal moisture levels
· Freeze conditions in pipes
These can integrate with automation systems that trigger actions (like shutting off water or sending emergency alerts) without human intervention.
2. Predictive Risk Technology
Again, more of a commercial application, but some modern systems use data analytics and machine learning to predict risk patterns (like areas of a building prone to electrical faults or water intrusion) and prioritize preventive maintenance or inspection schedules.
3. Regular System Testing & Updates
Smart devices often include self-test features and firmware updates to maintain accuracy and reliability—crucial for devices that operate 24/7.
Why This Matters
· Fire and water damage are among the most costly property losses; proactive tech can drastically reduce financial and emotional impact.
· Many insurance carriers now offer premium discounts for installing approved mitigation technology like water detection and shut-off systems.
· Smart systems combine real-time monitoring, automation, and mobile connectivity—allowing owners to know about hazards before they become disasters.
Make Sure Everything is Working Properly!
It goes without saying, but as they say, technology is great when it works. A dead battery or phone isn’t going to help you much. Follow the time-honored advice for batteries. Change them twice a year, and a great time for your memory is when daylight saving time starts and ends. As for your phone, with today’s cordless and portable battery chargers, there really is no excuse for a dead phone, unless you are in some remote wilderness location for an extended period.
Don’t Wait for Disaster to Strike. Make Your Home or Business Safer Today
Procrastination can be dangerous. Lindstrom knows of an insurance agent who waited too long to take down a very large but diseased tree in his front yard. He called a tree service and scheduled an appointment to have it removed. The night before the contractor was scheduled to arrive, a nasty storm rolled in and blew the tree down on the man’s house, causing $400,000 in damage. Don’t wait for disaster to strike. Devise a prevention plan to give you as much protection and peace of mind as possible. Today’s modern technology can take you to a whole new level of protection and create a much safer environment for your home or business.
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