You have suddenly undergone a plumbing leak, yikes! It may have damaged your property due to the flood and leave you thinking what to do next. If you file a claim and feel that your insurance company did not want to pay you for all your damages, hire a public adjuster near you today! We dedicate ourselves to acquiring the maximum recovery for your losses. Insurance companies will not want to pay you everything. We know what to do in these cases.
Causes for Plumbing Leaks
Even the smallest of leaks can cause mold which in turn causes property damage. Hiring a professional to handle your property claim can make the difference between a small or sufficient settlement to repair your damage due to your insurance company and the public adjuster’s ability to help manage your replacement charges.
Water damage from plumbing leaks barely makes any buzz, but the damages can and often are significant. We have been involved in many claims over the years where the entire inside of properties and homes had sustained damaged due to water leakages, many of which are instant, with others that may occur over time due to the property owner is not being at the property at these times.
Often putting together a water loss is what is called a “black water loss,” which is when the water seeps up from the sewage system. A lot of care is required in the repair process if black water intruded the property. The costs can and often will be many times more than a usual water damage job.
In any water loss, the correct process is critical to successfully clean the area. Carpets must be lifted and replaced. In most water damage cases, it is a must to remove baseboards and make the necessary wall cuts to air out the inside of the walls. In a black water loss, it will most likely come down to removing several feet of drywall as well as the insulation of said walls so that space is available to clean and sanitize.
Sustaining a leak of any kind can leave you baffled. You may wonder to yourself, how did it happen? There are many factors when trying to figure out why a leak may have happened. Some of the factors include, but are not limited to the following reasons:
- Pipes that are rusty.
- Water pressure that is uneven.
- Changes in temperature can cause cracks in your pipes.
- Roots of trees can break the pipes. Movement over time: The natural movement over a time frame of the property, which makes pipes move too.
Case Study
A couple decided to take a three-month trip on a cruise and turn off their heating and hot water. They came back home after their trip to find that their internal pipes had burst causing their home to flood and suffer a lot of damages. Their insurance company ended up denying their claim because they stated that the insured property had been unoccupied for more than 60 days and that was breaching their contract. They ended up contacting a public adjuster who was able to prove that the pipes suffered cold weather damages well before the 60-day time frame. They agreed in paying a part for their floor damage, but not the full cost because if they would not have been out for so long from their property, the amount of damaged sustained would not have been so great because it could have been addressed earlier.
Will You Get Out of Hiring a Public Adjuster
A surprising trend is arriving in most states with some insurance companies to underpay and/or have a poor evaluation of the damage. The policy language are written so that if a water loss is over fourteen days old, the loss is not covered under the policy. Approving these forms will affect property owners who own other property or who travel and are not there to make routine house inspections. This is where we come in, to handle all of these technical and complex situations and ensure you receive the correct and adequate compensation for your claim.
Having a public adjuster help you through this current hassle in your life will be well worth it in the end. With us, it wouldn’t be a “hassle”. We deal with the problem, not you. Did you know that you will get more compensation with a public adjuster mediating between you and the insurance companies, then you would get simply by speaking with the insurance company yourself? Why? Because we know how to maneuver insurance companies and we know what they will say next. They know most policyholders do not know anything about their claim and policy, so they can say whatever and you will most likely believe it. Do not fall for this. We have a combined experience of many years and have successfully recovered claims of plumbing leaks that have led to property damage. Get in touch with us now.
Statistical Information On Plumbing Leaks
- $500/year equal to the amount each US household spends on water and sewer bills; $170/year The average savings each household could achieve with simple changes to their plumbing fixtures and habits
- 5 billion people across the globe lack access to adequate sanitation services
- 10% equal to the number of households that have plumbing leaks that waste 90 gallons or more, per day, of water
- 200% the average increase in life expectancy at birth since the introduction of modern, indoor plumbing
FAQ
Does home insurance cover plumbing leaks?
Any insurance company should cover any accidental water damage that may be from your plumbing system. Your policy should cover:
- Resident coverage: this should cover any damage that were made to the foundation of your home or any pipes that were build in it, this is called dwelling coverage. The dwelling coverage may cover appliances that were built in to your home such as a water heater or the like, if they have been damaged
- Property coverage: personal items that have been destroyed because of plumbing leaks or malfunctions, your insurance company should be able to reimburse you for the things you have loss for up to $2,000. You may have to add other things to your policy if you want to be reimbursed for more than $2,000.
- Added living expenses coverage: insurance companies will most likely reimburse you if you have stayed in a hotel, traveled out and if you bought food within the time you were trying to get your home fixed from the damages.
When Are Plumbing Leaks Not Covered?
Plumbing leaks or any damage that you filed a claim for, through your insurance company, will be inspected by their own claims adjuster. These adjusters will look:
- At where the damages on the pipes are
- They will determine if it’s from a new or an old pipe
- They will also determine if there were any signs of wear and tear or rust that may have caused the malfunction
- If its because the damage was due to old age deterioration
Not Properly Maintaining
Water damage that caused wear and tear will not be covered on your insurance policy. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to maintain and fix any broken appliance in and around the property of the home. Thus, if you file a claim and the insurance adjuster inspects the plumbing leak due to lack of maintenance then you will most likely be denied and not get coverage for it.
What Will You Get Out of It?
Having a public adjuster help you through this current hassle in your life will be well worth it in the end. With us, it wouldn’t be a “hassle”. We deal with the problem, not you. Did you know that you will get more compensation with a public adjuster mediating between you and the insurance companies, then you would get just by simply speak with the insurance company yourself? Why? Because we know how to maneuver insurance companies and we know what they will say next. They know most policy holders do not know anything about their claim and policy, so they can say whatever and you will most likely believe it. Do not fall for this. We have a combined experience of many years and have successfully recovered claims of plumbing leaks that have led to property damage. Get in touch with us now.
What Can Cause a Plumbing Leak?
Sustaining a leak of any kind can leave you baffled. You may wonder to yourself, how did it happen? There are many factors when trying to figure out why a leak may have happened. Factors that may include are:
- Pipes that are rusty.
- Water pressure that is uneven.
- Changes in temperature can cause cracks on your pipes.
- Roots of trees can break the pipes.
- Movement over time: The natural movement over a time frame of the property, which makes pipes move too.
Signs To Know If You Have Plumbing Leaks?
- Water bill is unusually high
- The pinwheel water meter spins continuously even though all the water in your house is turned off
- Certain areas in your house are wet.
What Are Different Types Of Plumbing Leaks?
- Plumbing leaks in your tub and shower can cause splash leaks, drain leaks, and tile leaks.
- In sinks, there are sink rim leaks, supply leaks and drain leaks.
- There are also toilet flange leaks
How Can Plumbing Leaks Affect Your Home?
- When there’s a history of water damage, the value of your home goes down because even though you fixed the issue, there could still be lingering problems that may still be there. This can affect your bargaining position and may lower your selling price, if you decide to sell your home in the future.
- Your health is one of the more serious consequences for plumbing leaks or water damage. It can cause molds and fungi in your home. These organisms thrive off of water and they produce spores that can linger in the air and become extremely dangerous to your health.
- One of the most expensive damage to plumbing leaks are structural damage. As mold spores thrive in the drywalls of homes, it can cause staining, discoloration, and streaks along the walls.
Can you fix plumbing leaks by yourself? (DIY SITES)
Plumbing Leaks Case Studies
An apartment building saw its water bills rise dramatically from $23,000 per month to $74,000 per month. There were no obvious signs of a water leak. They contacted a plumber, who analyzed the water bills and placed water monitoring devices on the property. They discovered a catastrophic leak on the property. After further investigation, it was discovered that a huge quantity of water was running through the sewer system. The approximate location of the leak was determined. After uncovering the water lines, they found that grading in the area had caused rock and debris to settle in a manner that damaged the water line. A nearby junction box was damaged as well, so the water from the leak was flowing directly into the sewer. The damage was repaired, resulting in a savings of over 160,000 gallons of water and $45,000 per month.
How to Repair Water Damage from Broken Lines Pluming by Serafin Martinez on Scribd
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