Posts Tagged ‘home flooding’

An Overview Of Water Damage

Tuesday, September 14th, 2010

There are a number of things that can happen in life that might result in water damage to your home, and if you are not aware of some important points you might end up having to pay for all of it out of your pocket. Getting in touch with your insurance agent is a good idea so you can prepare yourself in the event that you were to have a claim. When it comes to homeowners and water damage there are some things you need to know that will protect you and help you decide what kind of insurance you need to carry. First of all, you need to understand the definition of the word “flood” to an insurance company.

If your basement fills up with water from your washing machine overflowing, this is not a flood. This falls under water damage. The insurance company has a definition of flood as being water that overflowed from a river, lake or reservoir and flooded your home. You must understand this terminology when you are filing a claim, otherwise, they might deny your claim because they thought it was not covered. Here are some situations that can help you understand the difference.

If the outside temperatures drop below freezing and your water pipes burst, and result in filling up your basement with water, this might be covered under your homeowners insurance, if you did not leave the property unoccupied and without any heat.

There is a pool in your back yard and somehow it starts leaking, and not only does damage to your yard, it fills your basement up with water. Your personal property and the damage to your basement might be covered under your policy, but your yard will not be covered for anything but named perils. You should call your agent to find out the exact named perils.

Knowing what the difference is between the words flood and water damage allows you to know what questions you need to ask your insurance agent, and decide on what additional coverage you wish to buy so that you will not have to pay a whole lot of money out of your own bank account in the event you suffer a loss from this type of damage. Your agent can help you design an insurance program that will keep all your property insured.

Water starts leaking through your roof during a heavy thunder storm, both the roof and your furniture are damaged. In this situation, you have limited coverage. The roof repairs are consider maintenance and might not be covered, but the damage to your home and personal property might be covered. Talk to your insurance agent to make sure what is covered and if there are any special endorsements you can get that will provide that coverage.

When water seeps from any rivers or lakes that are nearby, your policy will not cover these because they are considered a flood. However, you might want to consider buying flood insurance if your area participates in the National Flood Insurance Program.

When any body of water near your property overflows and results in filling your home up with water, this is called a flood and your homeowners insurance will not cover the loss. However, if you live in a area where they participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, you can get flood insurance. Talk to a qualified insurance agent about what your options are, and what kind of coverage you can get for your home.

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Different Types Of Water Damage

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

The Earth is 70 per cent water and indeed is a large percentage of the human body. It is vital for us to live. However it can also be harmful and there are various types of water damage that people need to be wary of.

The first thing to do is check if you are in a high risk flood area. There should be information available online about this or a local organisation you can contact. The reason it is important to know this is that your insurance premiums could be significantly higher.

The next thing to do is to make sure you get a plumber from a trade association to fit your appliances. You should check your pipes every three years or so and ensure there are no leakages. If an appliance is not properly installed it can leak what is known as grey water and this can be a danger to your health.

A good way of limiting this sort of debris is by installing a gutter guard. These can limit the amount of debris that can build up in the gutters while at the same time maintaining the flow of water. There are different types of gutter guard available and it is worth checking online to see the material that is most appropriate for your home and weather conditions.

It is also important to keep your appliances well maintained. It is recommended that you check the fluid pipes in things like dishwashers and washing machines at least once every three years. Leaks from this kind of pipe produces what is known as grey water. As well as being potentially damaging, this kind of fluid can cause illness and health problems, so it is vital to prevent any potential leaks from happening.

The roof is also an area where you can potentially find more room for water damage, chiefly the gutters. If you install a gutter guard you can prevent more of the debris from forming in the gutters. This means water flows more freely around the house and helps prevent any water damage in the walls. While guards are very useful it is important to note that they do not remove the job of clearing out the gutters entirely and you should check online for the best possible guards for local weather conditions.

Proper installation of appliances should also help prevent any potential leaks so make sure that your plumber is certified from a trade association. Dirty and grey water from appliances can not only lead to surface damage but also ill health and discomfort. Always make sure your appliances have their pipes checked by a certified professional at least every three years.

If you have any concerns about water damage, you should look up more advice online. In the event of any burst pipes, make sure you know where your emergency shut off valve is in your house so that you do not have to spend more money on an emergency call out. Furthermore you can limit the potential water damage by shutting off the supply. With the right information and preventative action you can keep your home safe.

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What To Do To Prevent Water Damage

Monday, August 30th, 2010

No matter how careful we are, water has a knack for ending up where it’s not supposed to be, and usually at the most inconvenient of times. Whether it is the clogged garbage disposal or a broken valve on the toilet, water damage has a way of ruining our day.

If you’re lucky and quick, the water problem can easily be sopped up with a few bath towels. If you’re not lucky, and who is with these things, you’re going to have to do a bit more work. The primary idea is to get the water dried up in order to prevent severe damage to your floors and walls and other belongings.

Professionals designate three varieties of water leak: Clean and grey and black. The water overflowing from your tub is considered clean because it contains few pollutants that could cause you to get ill. The water cascading over your toilet bowl is considered grey because it contains numerous germs, and black water has biological waste and has the potential for causing serious medical problems.

Whenever you deal with cleaning up a leak, it is best to wear protective clothing and sturdy gloves to protect yourself and those around you. This is extremely important if you have to work in grey or black water.

Finding a telltale water spot on your wall may lead you to groan, but it’s something that you should take care of as quickly as possible. Finding the source of the watermark and fixing it fast can prevent bigger problems later. Not only does the water leave stains, it can also encourage the growth of mold and mildew behind the wall that can cause illness and allergies.

If you happen to find a small ocean on your floor don’t walk into the middle of it to turn the faucet off. Turn the other way and go turn off the electricity before fetching your wading boots. Water may have already soaked the electrical lines and you don’t want to take chances.

For any overflow do what you can to get the water dried up as quickly as possible. Using a wet-dry vacuum is a great way to accomplish this. Once you have the water soaked up, bring in a coupe of fans or dehumidifiers to draw out what you couldn’t soak or vacuum up. You’ll have to let them run for a day or two to allow for the best drying possible.

If you had deep flooding, it is a good idea to remove the baseboards and disinfect them. Removing them will allow them to dry well and it will also give the area behind a chance to dry.

Clean and disinfect all the flooring affected. If your carpet is involved, remove every bit of moisture possible and then use a good disinfectant and deodorizer to saturate it and then remove all liquid again and go through the air-drying process. If you are able to thoroughly saturate and disinfect it, it’s possible you many not have to remove and toss out the padding.

Don’t forget to check your furniture for damage. Go through the same procedures to remove water and disinfect and deodorize.

If you feel the job is too big for you, don’t be shy about calling in the big guns. After all, they are the experts in dealing with water damage and they can probably put your mind at ease. Contact your homeowner insurance company for references when you call them to place your claim.

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