Water is nature's double-edged sword. On the one hand, every living creature needs water to survive. On the other hand, when allowed to drip, leak, trickle or run undetected — particularly indoors — water becomes an insidious destroyer of furniture, fixtures and finishes. Even worse: Standing water quickly produces potentially toxic mold that will make people sick and becomes difficult and expensive to remove. In commercial spaces, non-weather-related water damage costs insurers about $13 billion a year, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Add the losses caused by weather-related flooding, and that figure swells to more than $50 billion annually, the U.S. government reports. It follows that insurers are eager to help policyholders avoid water damage. The slideshow above illustrates eight steps that Nationwide recommends to help business owners mitigate potential water losses. See also:

• Smart home water monitoring devices prevent property damage
• Water, water everywhere… But is it fraud?
• How IoT is revolutionizing water-damage mitigation