Protecting Your Home From Water Damage

3/1/2019 (Permalink)

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Protecting Your Home From Water Damage | SERVPRO® of East Central Austin - SERVPRO of East Central Austin Blog

Protecting Your Home From Water Damage | SERVPRO® of East Central Austin 

Severe weather is usually one of the first things that comes to mind for many when thinking about water damage. While storms and flooding are a major cause of catastrophic water damage, they are often not the main culprits.

Instead, various items in and around your home could be responsible for many water damage situations.

101 on Water Damage

Unfortunately, many homeowners will face water damage. Water damage was the third most common reason for a homeowner to file a claim on homeowners insurance between 2011 and 2015, with an average payout of $8,861 per claim.

First, you must understand the difference between water damage and gradual damage because it can have an impact insurance on claims. Gradual damage is an occurrence that has been happening over time, such as plumbing issues in the walls causing damage to the walls, ceilings or floors, or water damage caused by cracks in the foundation. Many aspects of gradual water damage are not covered by homeowners insurance, while storm-related water damage usually is.

Items That May Cause Water Damage

According to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), water damage can be caused by the following:

• PLUMBING SUPPLY SYSTEM FAILURES: This involves frozen pipes that burst due to the buildup in water pressure caused by freezing water or when the supply system components fail and results in a leaking or burst pipe. Plumbing supply system failures are the leading source of residential water losses and cost an average of $5,092 per incident after the deductible, according to IBHS. It was also noted that homes 16 to 40 years of age made up a larger group of these types of water damage.

• PLUMBING DRAIN SYSTEM FAILURES: This may occur when a sewer drain backs up and overflows into the home or from material breakdown issues. IBHS found that 52% of drain system failures were caused by sewer backups and 37% were related to material performance issues in their study. IBHS also noted that the average drain system failure was more expensive in southern region states than in northern region states.

• TOILET FAILURES: Toilets are the second most common source of residential water damage loss after plumbing supply system failures, which are usually caused by faulty fill valves or clogged drain lines. According to IBHS, toilet failures on the first floor of a home resulted in more damage and higher claims than those in basements or upper floors.

• WATER HEATER FAILURES: A water heater has a life expectancy, and when your water heater reaches its life expectancy, the tank will begin to rust and corrode, resulting in leakage or bursting issues. According to IBHS, 69% of all water heater failures resulted from a slow leak or a sudden burst and, on average, cost $4,444 per incident following the deductible.

• WASHING MACHINE FAILURES: This type of failure is typically caused by supply hose failures, machines overflowing and drain line failures. Washing machines are one of the top 10 source of residential water losses, and per IBHS, supply hose failures accounted for over half of all washing machine-related losses.

If your home has experienced any water damage, our team of professionals at SERVPRO® of East Central Austin is available to help with cleanup and restoration and make it “Like it never even happened.”