Reference
Glossary
The vocabulary that turns up when you deal with a vacant property — insurance wording, Alberta trade terms and the specific things that go wrong in buildings.
Backwater valve
A one-way valve on a building's sewer connection that prevents municipal sewage from flowing back into the property during a surcharge event.
Baseline documentation
A photographic and written record of a property's condition at the start of a vacancy, used as the reference point for everything observed later.
Chinook
A warm, dry downslope wind off the Rocky Mountains that can raise Calgary temperatures 20 to 30 °C within hours.
Compulsory certification trade
In Alberta, a trade in which work may only be performed by a certified journeyperson or a registered apprentice under appropriate supervision.
Heat trace
Electric heating cable installed along pipes, gutters or roof edges to prevent freezing.
Home watch
Scheduled visual inspection of an unoccupied property by a service engaged for that purpose, producing a record of each visit.
House sitting
An arrangement where a person stays at a property during the owner's absence, providing occupancy.
Ice dam
A ridge of ice forming at a roof edge when meltwater from a warmer upper roof refreezes over the unheated overhang, trapping water behind it.
Occupancy signal
The visible cues that indicate whether a property is currently lived in — mail, lighting, snow clearing, vehicles, grounds maintenance and bins.
Overland water coverage
Insurance coverage for water entering a property at ground level from surface sources — heavy rain, rapid snowmelt or overflowing watercourses.
P-trap
The curved section of drain pipe beneath a fixture that holds water, sealing the drain against sewer gas entering the building.
Poly-B
Polybutylene supply piping — grey flexible plastic pipe installed widely in Canadian homes from roughly 1985 to 1997, known for failing at fittings without warning.
Property management
In Alberta, a regulated activity under the Real Estate Act covering leasing, tenant selection, rent collection, deposit handling and related services on behalf of a property owner.
Radon
A naturally occurring radioactive gas from uranium decay in soil and rock that accumulates in enclosed indoor spaces, particularly lower levels.
Sewer scope
A camera inspection of the accessible sewer line running from a building to the municipal connection, recording its internal condition.
Standing authorisation
A written instruction from a property owner permitting urgent protective work up to a stated amount without seeking approval at the time.
Sump pump
A pump in a pit below the basement floor that removes groundwater collecting around the foundation and discharges it away from the building.
Unoccupied
In most insurance wording, a property nobody is currently living in, where the absence is temporary, belongings remain and the occupants intend to return.
Vacancy permit
An endorsement some insurers offer that maintains specified coverage on a property during a period of vacancy, usually with conditions attached and an additional premium.
Vacant
In most insurance wording, a property whose occupants have moved out with no intention of returning, and which is largely empty of belongings.
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