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How to Understand the Differences in Water Damage
7/24/2019 (Permalink)
Water: We can’t live without it, but we can live without the damage it can cause to our homes.
There are many potential causes of water damage in the home. Can you name some of those many reasons?
For the period covering 2009–2015, The Travelers Companies Inc. reported that the five top causes of home claims were:
- Damage caused by wind
- Water damage not involved with the weather
- Hail
- Water damage related to weather
- Crime
Water damage is included two times—signifying just how big of an issue it can be for homeowners. This type of damage falls into two buckets—the kind that’s related to the weather and the kind that is not.
Damage not related to weather is your biggest culprit at home and usually results from plumbing and appliance breakdowns. Weather-related water damage is not as prevalent but is just as much of a hassle if it occurs. Rain and snow are responsible for this situation.
In your house there are, essentially, five causes for water damage. They are plumbing, appliances, water pipes, water heaters and weather.
Water damage can be expensive, but just think of the skyrocketing costs if there were no homeowners insurance coverage. Perform a check-up on our policies to be sure you are properly covered. The damages that are usually covered in a standard policy are:
- Damages caused by winter weather
- Water from discharge and overflow, including accidental
- Disintegrating or damaged pipes for a steam heating system
- Frozen plumbing
Fortunately, it is possible to prevent some water damage situations and save yourself the hassle of dealing with the mess.
By following a few preventive measures, you can work to keep your home from suffering from a water damage situation. Some steps you can take include:
- Using water sensors and automatic shut-off valves
- Hiring a professional plumber to install back flow valves and standpipes for your basement drains
- Keeping your washer and dryer off the basement floor
- Making sure the connecting hose for your washer and dryer are the metal mesh type
- Cleaning your gutters
- Flushing out the hot water heater tank at least twice per year
- Keeping grease out of your kitchen drain
- Having your sump pump in good running order before the wet season
If you follow these ideas, you may be able to avoid most water damage incidents in your home.
Water damage can be a nightmare to deal with but fortunately, you will always have SERVPRO® of Cedar Mill/Oak Hills on your side to help with the cleanup and restoration process. Call us at 503.619.6198.