Making Sure Water Leaks are Covered by Homeowner’s Insurance

My family was very fortunate never to have experienced a house fire. However, we did experience a major flooding event that had nothing to do with the weather. One day, around lunchtime, my siblings and parents were all visiting. We heard a loud, odd-sounding pop.

My brother-in-law said it sounded like a pipe and went to check the house. He was right and found that a pipe in my parent’s bathroom had broken, gushing water everywhere, ruining clothes, shoes, and the beautiful hardwood floors throughout the house.

Dad was quick to act, turning the water main off and mom called our preferred plumber. As soon as these issues were taken care of, dad began removing old photos from the closet and anything else that was irreplaceable. Mom called the homeowner’s insurance agency and they were helpful, kind, and understanding.

Although this was a fluke occurrence, the agent still asked if we had been aware of a clog or other plumbing problems that could have caused this. My family was lucky in this instance, but not everyone has the same experience. We’re going to talk about identifying water leaks and what to do to prevent a burst pipe. Keep reading for more information!

Do You Need Professional Leak Detection?

Water leaks can be sneaky. Sometimes these issues take a long time to cause major damage but once the damage is noticeable, it is costly to repair.

For this reason, you should be familiar with signs of a water leak or at least when to call a professional. Here are the best indicators of leaking pipes:

• High water bills- your water bill may fluctuate by a few dollars every month, but if your consumption hasn’t really changed yet you are noticing sky-high water bills, it could be due to a leak
• Sounds of rushing water- when the water in your home is not running from any source, you should not hear anything. Hearing rushing water means that there is water moving when it shouldn’t be
• Musty smell- when moisture lingers in the air, the scent of the room will become musty
• Visible mold- mold is a fact of life for bathrooms, however, spotting visible mold in other areas of the home could mean that there is water behind or in the walls.

All of the above are great indicators that there is a water leak. If you’re not experiencing these problems but still have a gut feeling, give Primo Plumbing a call anyway. We can quickly determine if there is a water leak, and repair it before it causes any damage.

Broken Pipes: Keeping Repair Costs Down

A burst pipe is much more obvious than a water leak– you WILL know if a pipe breaks or bursts within your home.

It usually comes as a surprise, but the easiest way to prevent large amounts of damage is to cut the water off, call a plumber, and then your homeowner’s insurance agent.

Believe it or not, broken pipes don’t just happen in the winter, they can happen year-round. This is because these problems often occur when there is a clog somewhere in the line and the water pressure becomes too great.

If you suspect you have a clog anywhere in your drain or pipes, call a professional to remove it before the problem progresses. In addition, during winter when temperatures dip below freezing, keep a trickle of water running, your home warmer than 55 degrees, and cabinet doors open so that the air circulates.

Water Damage: What is Covered?

As with most other insurance claims on your homeowner’s insurance, whether or not it is paid will depend on if you had prior knowledge.

Insurance companies are basically willing to help those that help themselves–you can’t expect a company to pay for damages that you could have prevented.

The biggest question will always be along the lines of ‘did you take reasonable measures to prevent this issue from occurring?’ If the answer is yes, you shouldn’t have any problems!

Homeowner’s Insurance: Not an Option to ‘Skip’

It’s common for a homeowner to want to save money by avoiding an insurance policy. This tactic might save you money for a few months or years, but the day will come that you will wish you had it.

Homeowner’s insurance is quite similar to car insurance–you pay it hoping never to use it, but you know it’s there if you need it.

Plumbing problems are never fun but Primo Plumbing can help ensure the issue is taken care of in an efficient manner before any serious damage occurs. If you have a story about water damage and how your homeowner’s insurance helped (or didn’t) we want to hear about it in the comments!