You might be wondering whether or not homeowners’ insurance covers restoration for water damage. Let’s take a look at how this works and learn more about water damage in the home.
In short, homeowners’ insurance will cover accidental water damage. It’s important to take a look at your specific insurance coverage so that you know what to expect. Each insurance company will have different guidelines and procedures for water damage restoration, so you need to check with your specific insurance provider.
If you’re looking for information on whether or not homeowners’ insurance covers water damage restoration, you likely already know what causes this type of damage. Still, it’s necessary to be aware of the potential risks that you might have as a homeowner. With water damage being the second most frequent insurance claim, there’s a chance you’ll run into the issue at some point! ]These are just a few of the most common ways that water can damage your home:
1. Broken pipes
If your pipes break, they can burst and cause serious damage to your home. This is especially common in older homes or homes where maintenance isn’t taken care of regularly.
In order to prevent this, be sure to check your pipes regularly and look for any abnormalities. It’s best to catch a broken pipe before it bursts and costs you thousands of dollars!
2. Sewer backups
Sewers can become backed up when tree roots begin to take over drain lines. This is often because of the moisture from the sewers. The trees want the water and fertilizer so that they can grow.
When the tree roots take over, there’s a backup. This can lead to water damage.
3. Overflowing bathtubs
This is one of those situations where you can blame the kids, even if it wasn’t really their fault. Sometimes, kids will turn on the bathtub and let it run until it overflows. Naturally, once the water escapes the tub, there will be damage to your floors, walls, and ceilings.
The actual damage can depend on how far the water got before you caught it. This one can require a decent amount of repairs, which can get expensive and extensive.
4. Broken Toilets
Children can also cause this one. If you’re a parent, you know how easily your little ones can get into trouble. Some kids have been known to flush random objects or giant wads of toilet paper down the toilet.
As you can imagine, this isn’t a good situation. It can break toilets and cause them to overflow. That’s quite the mess. To make it worse, it can lead to damage to your home.
5. Flooding
Though bathtubs and other household mishaps can cause minor flooding, there’s also a chance of flooding due to natural causes. This one isn’t really avoidable. Luckily, it’s less common than the others listed.
A good way to protect yourself from the damage of a flood is to make sure you have flood insurance!
Not all water damage can be prevented. There are a few ways that you can reduce the chances of water causing damage to your home though. It’s important to take advantage of these precautionary measures to help with the ones that can’t be prevented!
1. Watch your water bill.
One sign that your pipes might be leaking is an increased water bill. Pay attention to the usual cost of your water bill each month. A few dollars more each month isn’t anything to be concerned about.
What you should be looking for are major spikes. If you notice one, look for leaks in your home. You can also call a plumber out to check for leaks. Then they can repair the broken pipes at the same time!
2. Monitor your tree-planting.
As mentioned before, some trees will try to get the moisture from your sewage. They crave this so that they can grow. Before you plant any new trees, do your research.
Some trees are known to be more invasive than others. For example, weeping willows are common culprits. If you can, plant trees that aren’t going to interfere with your sewage.
Additionally, if you think that your trees are beginning to take over your drain lines, you should call someone out and have them take a look. They might be able to fix the problem. Removing the trees all together might be necessary as well.
3. Keep an eye on your kids.
Of course, you know that you should be watching your kids at all times. If they’re old enough to understand, you can explain to them the dangers of putting objects into the toilet or running the water for too long.
It can also be a good idea to keep the bathroom doors shut so that your kids don’t cause any flooding and overflowing. This isn’t always an option, especially if your kids are potty trained, but it can help!
4. Looks for signs of leaks.
When you’re at your house, make sure that you’re taking note of any abnormal signs. For example, if there is a small puddle on the carpet, you should check the ceiling to see if it is being caused by a leak. If you see that your ceiling is wet, there’s a chance that there’s a leak somewhere.
If you think that a pipe has burst somewhere, you should call a plumber out to your house as soon as possible. This is necessary if you want to prevent the water from causing even more damage.
Not all water damage can be prevented. In fact, most of it cannot be. That’s why it’s important to be prepared. There are a couple of ways that you can be ready in case water damage does occur.
First, you should become familiar with your homeowners’ insurance. Look at the information on your insurance company’s website or on any paperwork you might have received. If it’s unclear or hard to find, call or visit the insurance company. You might even want to ask about specific water damage concerns.
By knowing what is covered by your homeowners’ insurance and what isn’t, you can speed up the repair process and get back to living a normal life sooner. Second, you should find a reliable plumber. You will need to find a plumber for various household concerns anyway. You might as well find one that you feel comfortable with and who is on call when you need them most.
Make sure you have their number handy in case you end up needing it.
Finally, you can set aside some money for household emergencies and repairs. It’s always good to have a little bit of money ready so that you are less stressed out when an emergency hits. The process of dealing with water damage can be a hassle as it is. You can try to prepare by having some money ready in case of any type of emergency arises!
One of the most obvious ways to tell if there’s water damage is by checking for leaks. Look for wet spots around your home. If you think that these puddles are from a leak, try to locate the pipe that might have burst. You might also want to call a plumber at this point to investigate further. Make sure that you’re looking at the walls, floors, and ceilings.
Check your basement and attic for signs of mold and mildew. These odors are pretty noticeable, which can help you to catch any water damage pretty quickly. Note that mold and mildew need to be taken care of as soon as possible. There are health risks associated with them, so it’s essential that they are removed.
Lastly, you will want to have your roof looked at. You can do this yourself or hire a professional. You’re looking for any cracked or damaged shingles. You should look for standing water too. If you notice these issues, you will want to check your gutters to make sure they’re draining properly.
As mentioned before, homeowners’ insurance usually covers accidental water damage. What’s defined as accidental can vary. Additionally, your homeowners’ insurance might have certain procedures for specific situations.
Here are a few examples of what is typically covered by homeowners’ insurance. Keep in mind that these are general situations. You will need to refer back to your homeowners’ insurance to see what you’re covered for.
Freezing and bursting pipes: If your pipes have frozen and burst, your homeowners’ insurance should cover the damage. One exception is if you weren’t keeping your house warm enough to prevent this. If you keep your house too cold, your pipes cannot remain at a normal temperature, which means that they can freeze.
Broken appliances: If your washing machine or your dishwasher floods your home, you will likely be covered. This usually occurs when your appliances are broken or worn out. Now, you do need to make sure you’re taking the necessary precautions and maintaining your appliances. As long as you’re doing that, you should be covered.
Leaking roof: A leaking roof is partially covered by homeowners’ insurance. The roof itself cannot be repaired with homeowners’ insurance funding, but the water damage can be. Maintaining your house can prevent roof leaks and other roof-related issues.
The best way to know what your homeowners’ insurance covers is to talk with someone. Call your homeowners’ insurance company. Ask some general questions about what is and isn’t covered.
You might be able to get an information sheet that outlines the things that you are and aren’t covered for. This can come in handy anytime you run into a home damage problem!
You can also check the website of your insurance company. Some websites show what is covered. You can look at any information that was given to you when you first got homeowners’ insurance.
In order to get the most up-to-date coverage information, you should consult an insurance professional directly.
As mentioned, not all types of water damage can be taken care of by homeowners’ insurance. It’s good to have a backup plan no matter what the situation may be.
You should be prepared to fix the problem on your own. This can sound intimidating. These repairs might be complicated and expensive. Still, it’s better to know what you might have to deal with instead of being totally unprepared.
You should always have some money set aside for household or medical emergencies. Water damage can turn into a household emergency and should be taken care of rather quickly in most cases.
Check to see what a particular repair involves. Is it expensive? Can you do it on your own? Do you need to call a professional?
If you’re good with tools and home repairs, you might be able to fix the issue on your own. Be sure to do your research and look for guidelines on how to make these repairs.
There’s no shame in calling for help. Make sure you know of a couple of plumbers in your area. It’s great to have a 24/7 plumber available as well.
It’s necessary to realize that you will have to pay to fix the cause of the problem and the damage caused. If homeowners’ insurance covers the problem, you won’t have to worry about anything!
Conclusion
Overall, some water damage is covered by homeowners’ insurance. What is covered can vary from location to location or by the type of insurance you have. It’s always a good idea to look into your homeowners’ insurance to know what you’re covered for.
Additionally, you should be aware of the potential causes of water damage. Some things can be prevented. Plus, it never hurts to be prepared!