Helpful Things to Know about Water Damage
Did you know that a pipe is 40 percent more likely to burst in the winter?
When a pipe bursts, a drain backs up, or a flood happens in the home, it can send you into panic mode and many things go through your head like: “what is happening?” “We have to get this water out of here now!”, and “how am I going to get everything back the way it was?”
Large amounts of water leaking into you home is stressful, the more you know about what to do in this situation the better you can get it taken care of quickly and correctly. Remember these five things to help you in a water damage situation in your home.
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Flood Damage and Water Damage are Two Different Policies
Water is water, and all water damage in your home is created equal right? They are actually very very different because flood damage is not covered under home owner’s insurance. If you live in an area prone to flooding you were probably required to carry extra insurance on your home with the purchase. When you report your water damage claim make sure to report it properly to avoid headache later.
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Not All Water Damage is Covered by Insurance
Know your insurance policy and what is does and does not cover. Look at the water damage coverage and familiarize yourself with any exclusions. Most policies cover freak accidents, but will not cover water damage as a result of not caring properly for your home.
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Once the Damage Begins You are Racing the Clock
The moment you notice the water damage is when you need to act to get your home water free and dried out. Call in a professional water damage restoration company to begin the process of getting the water out. Some companies will even communicate with your insurance company for you to help you get a claim taken care of more quickly.
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Contact Your Insurance Company ASAP
Don’t wait to contact the insurance company, you don’t want to get stuck with the bill not getting paid on time or having to pay out of pocket and wait months for reimbursement. Some water restoration companies will offer to do this for you because they have experience in filing these claims.
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Water Pollution Level is Important
Water damage is actually categorized by how polluted the water source was.
Category 1- This is water from a clean source for example a fresh water line from the dishwasher. This water poses no threat of illness
Category 2- This is water that could cause illness with contact due to presence of bacteria.
Category 3- This is water that is highly contaminated and contact will cause severe illness or death, for example, sewage backup, overflowing toilet, or stormwater.
The higher the category the more aggressive cleaning measures will need to be taken.
If you find yourself with water damage in your home this winter make an appointment with All Kleen we will answer your call 24/7.
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