Water damage is often a very foreseeable event that many property owners fail to hedge against. Leaky pipes are the leading cause of damage in homes. Water is a unique molecule that has a tendency to seep and creep like nothing else in existence. The adhesion and cohesion properties of water allow the molecules to form never-ending sticky chains that cling to many materials. The wicking properties of water will silently draw a nearly invisible leak into a large pool or saturation of materials elsewhere in your home.
Causes Of Water Damage
Leaky roofs, windows, bathrooms, and kitchens are the areas most susceptible to water damage and flooding after the basement. The basement sits at the lowest center of gravity and is below ground. It is, therefore, a virtual magnet for water problems and flooding. The problem with water leaks is that it only takes a hairline crack to begin the seepage and flooding issues. These fine cracks and clogged drainage systems in windows and other construction are typically overlooked by most homeowners.
Many new homeowners don’t realize that the source of the leaks can be something as minute as a poorly fastened molding, bracket, or siding that requires full tension to bond with a waterproof seal. The ultimate question when reviewing our homes inside and out is how waterproof and watertight are we talking here.
Sources Of Water Damage
Locating the source of a water leak can be difficult and may even require the use of UV dyes. Often times, this type of damage is not covered by insurance companies unless there is an additional clause in the policy particularly carved out with exceptions and applicabilities. Homeowners tend to forego requesting such a policy that inherently increases their monthly payments. The resulting mold from such wicking leaks can develop in hours or become a plague of rotting and festering subframe materials over years. In other cases, the water heater is leaking or the sewage system has backed up and released dirty water into your home.
People who live in flood-prone areas are more likely to have the extra insurance to mitigate the costs associated with water damage. If you live in New England, companies like Insurcomm can work with your insurer to quickly mitigate, repair, and clean up any water damage. The damage in these cases normally comes from a failed sump pump in the basement after a tremendous downpour. There are a variety of materials that can be used to divert water away from the home. Permeable pavement systems and well-designed storm drainage systems will carry the bulk of run-off water away from the home. It is even possible to dig a trench and install aluminum flashing around the foundation to repel seepage.
Types Of Water Damage
There are actually names for the various types of water responsible for damage in your home. “Clean water” forms the first category, water that you would otherwise be able to wash your hands with if it wasn’t being directed into household building materials. The second category is reserved for “grey water.” This is brackish water that is refuse of some appliance or contaminated with biological agents for other reasons. Water contaminated with pure urine falls into this category.
The final category is something called “black water.” Black water is anything that is unsanitary for its bacteria or fungal content. Raw sewage and groundwater that has crept in from an unpurified stream, ocean, or ordinary rainfall, can all fall into this category. Grey water that has settled and become stagnant can also meet this classification, considering how quickly mold and pathogens can develop in unclean surfaces. Now that you have some idea of how to deal with water emergencies and mitigate the risks, the road is wide open in front of you to stay above the fray. Knowing the limitations of your insurance coverage and the vulnerabilities of your structure will lead you to the proper steps for mitigating risks to your home or property.
Solutions To Prevent Water Damage
These problems can be further averted by buying property that is not below sea level or near streams and other bodies of water. By inspecting your plumbing and appliances annually, with careful attention to even seemingly minor leaks, a bulk of the risk is mitigated using cost-free preventative maintenance. Water management and moisture auditing of your home are practical techniques for assessing your risk and developing systems to deal with those chance disasters.
Permeable pavement systems can be designed to suck up a phenomenal amount of water. The water is diverted into the underground aquifer by digging deep trenches and filling it with layers upon layers of the material. It is the surface retention of water over grass and traditional paving that allows it to pool and flood into your house in the first place. If you have constructed a virtual highway to the deep-seated wells far below your home, the chances of being hit with excess run-off water become minuscule. Depending upon your property and particular concerns, this may be the best long-term investment to prevent flooding and storm damage.
Insurcomm Is The Leader In Water Damage Cleanup
If you live in any of the New England States, (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, or Connecticut,) Insurcomm has the 24/7 hotline for you to obtain direct service in your state. We work with the adjusters to obtain the maximum coverage you deserve. Insurcomm educates property managers and homeowners on how to prepare for storm damage and internal problems that cause water and flood damage. Even if your home fell victim to a fire from a gas leak or faulty electrical fixture, Insurcomm can come in immediately and begin the restoration process of items damaged by the high-pressure hoses onboard most fire trucks. Additional details on Insurcomm’s water damage service can be found here.