The Protocol
What Fathom actually checks.
Every asset is evaluated against the same eight-tier protocol, scored, and recorded. The tiers are ordered by what stops a loss — not by what is easiest to inspect. A building with new copper and no shutoff map is still a loss waiting to happen.
How the protocol works
Three rules govern the whole checklist.
The protocol is the same on every asset, run by every assessor, every time. The rigor lives in the rules, not in the assessor's preferences.
01 · Tiered, in order
Lower tiers gate higher tiers
An asset with no shutoff map cannot pass on pipe material alone. Tier 0 and Tier 1 govern whether anything else matters.
02 · Evidence-bound
No attestations
Every line item requires a photo, document, serial number, or measurement. The Record is what the file actually contains, not what the operator says.
03 · Re-verified
The Record expires
Each tier has its own re-inspection cadence. WaterScore decays as items expire. Re-verification refreshes the Record and updates the registry.
The checklist
Eight tiers. One Readiness Record.
The complete protocol. Tier 0 stops a leak from becoming a loss; Tier 7 is what the carrier, lender, and adjuster actually receive at FNOL.
Tier 0
Governance & Response Readiness
What happens in the first sixty minutes of a leak. If this tier fails, every other tier is academic.
Re-verify · Annual
- 01Written water-loss response plan on file and dated within 12 months
- 02Named on-call owner and named backup, both reachable after hours
- 03Current insurer, broker, and TPA contacts in the plan
- 04Restoration partner identified and pre-authorized for emergency mitigation
- 05Escalation tree documenting who calls whom in the first 60 minutes
- 06After-hours coverage and weekend / holiday protocol documented
Tier 1
Active Controls
The hardware and monitoring that stops a leak from becoming a loss. Heaviest weight in the WaterScore.
Re-verify · Annual
- 01Main shutoff located, labeled, accessible, operable
- 02Zone and riser shutoffs mapped to a current floorplan
- 03Fixture-level stops present and functional
- 04Automatic shutoff valve at main or high-risk zones (make, model, install date)
- 05Leak-detection sensor count, coverage map, battery and connectivity status
- 06Active monitoring service with date of last alert-path test
Tier 2
Plumbing Systems
Material, age, and condition of supply, drain, and water-heating systems. Weighted by failure mode, not just age.
Re-verify · On age and condition
- 01Supply-line material(s) and installed year (copper, PEX, CPVC, polybutylene, galvanized, lead)
- 02Drain / waste / vent material and age
- 03Static water pressure (psi), measured at hose bib or laundry
- 04Pressure-reducing valve present and within manufacturer spec
- 05Water heater type, age, location, drain pan, pan drain to exterior, expansion tank
- 06Seismic strapping where code requires; recirculation loop condition
- 07Open work orders and known repairs in the last 24 months
Tier 3
Envelope & Water Intrusion
The building's resistance to weather-driven water. Where pipe-failure prevention meets storm and flashing failure.
Re-verify · Biennial
- 01Roof material, installed year, and visible condition
- 02Flashing condition at penetrations, valleys, wall intersections
- 03Gutter condition, capacity, and visible debris load
- 04Downspout extensions discharging at least 4–6 ft from foundation
- 05Window and door perimeter seals; sill pan condition where visible
- 06Below-grade walls, basement, crawlspace moisture readings
- 07Sump pump where present: age, backup power, discharge path
Tier 4
Site & Drainage
How the lot moves water away from the structure. Often the cheapest correction with the largest claims impact.
Re-verify · Biennial
- 01Positive lot grade — measured fall over the first 10 ft from foundation
- 02Surface drainage paths clear of obstruction and re-grade
- 03Hardscape pitch (patios, walks, driveways) away from structure
- 04Irrigation: backflow preventer, controller, recent leak history
- 05Irrigation zone proximity to foundation and slab
- 06Tree-root proximity to laterals and main supply line
- 07Storm-sewer connection condition where applicable
Tier 5
Appliances & Fixtures
The point-of-use failures that drive the long tail of claims — washing machine hoses, ice maker lines, condensate pans.
Re-verify · Annual
- 01Washing machine hose type (rubber, braided, steel), age, dedicated shutoff, drain pan
- 02Dishwasher supply line and drain loop
- 03Refrigerator ice-maker line material and shutoff
- 04Toilet supply lines and fill valves; visible corrosion
- 05HVAC condensate lines and primary pan
- 06Secondary drain pan with float switch on attic / above-ceiling installs
- 07Boiler and hydronic systems where present
Tier 6
History & Claims
What the building has already taught us. Prior losses are the single strongest predictor of the next one.
Re-verify · On change
- 01Five-year loss history for the asset
- 02Prior water claims with cause, payout, and repair scope
- 03Prior repairs to plumbing, roof, and envelope
- 04Open work orders and deferred maintenance flagged in the file
- 05Adjacent-unit or adjacent-property loss data where available
Tier 7
Documentation Pack
Evidence, indexed and chain-of-custody. What the carrier, lender, and adjuster actually receive.
Re-verify · On change
- 01Photo evidence for every Tier 1–5 line item
- 02Shutoff location map (PDF) annotated to floorplan
- 03Response plan (PDF) with current contacts
- 04Restoration partner agreement on file
- 05Serial numbers: water heater, automatic shutoff valve, monitoring system
- 06Floorplan with annotated shutoffs and sensor locations
- 07Sign-off by named assessor with date and credential reference
Scoring & expiration
Weighted by what stops a loss.
Each tier contributes a weighted component to WaterScore. Tier 0 (Governance) and Tier 1 (Active Controls) carry the heaviest weight because they determine whether a leak becomes a loss at all. Tiers 2–5 weight by failure mode and exposure. Tier 6 (History) modifies the composite. Tier 7 (Documentation) gates certification — a missing pack will hold a Record at Pending regardless of physical condition.
Items expire on a per-tier cadence — governance and active controls annually, plumbing on age and condition, envelope and site biennially, documentation on change. Expired items decay the score before the operator notices. Re-verification by a Fathom Accredited firm refreshes the affected tier and updates the public registry record.
Independence
Fathom does not hold a wrench.
Fathom assesses, verifies, and documents — and re-verifies on renewal. Remediation and emergency response are performed by independent firms accredited against EC-Water, audited by Fathom, and removable from the network for cause. The protocol is defensible to a regulator, reinsurer, and court precisely because Fathom does not grade its own contracting work.
Next step
Prepare an asset for the protocol.
Share the asset or the book and the trigger driving assessment. We respond with what a Fathom engagement looks like against the eight tiers — typically within five business days.
See how the protocol becomes a structured, shareable readiness file.