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Learning About the Causes of Water Damage | SERVPRO® of South Nashville
7/18/2019 (Permalink)
You already know that water plays a vital part in life—without water, there’d be no life. But as important a role as water plays in our lives, it can also turn into quite a destructive force, too.
With there being so many different ways water can damage your home, it’s always smart to review different causes and ways to prevent them.
For the period covering 2009 to 2015, The Travelers Companies Inc. reported that the five top causes of home claims were:
- Damage caused by wind
- Water damage not involved with the weather
- Hail
- Water damage related to weather
- Crime
You may have noticed that water damage is on this list twice, and in two different capacities. It is either caused by the weather or some other accident within the home.
Weather-related water damage isn’t as common, but can be quite a nuisance when it occurs. Rain and snow are responsible for this situation. Non-weather-related water damage is your biggest troublemaker at home and can be due to plumbing and appliance breakdowns.
There are five common causes for water damage in your home. They are plumbing, appliances, water pipes, water heaters and weather.
You already know that water damage is very expensive, now can you imagine if none of it was covered by your homeowners insurance? It’s best practice to review your policy so that you know exactly what is covered. Covered in a standard policy are:
- Damages caused by winter weather
- Water from discharge and overflow, including accidental
- Disintegrating or damaged pipes for a steam heating system
- Frozen plumbing
Luckily, preventing some water damage conditions is possible—this means less muss and fuss for you.
These preventive measures can help limit the circumstances of water damage in your home:
- Use water sensors and automatic shut-off valves.
- Keep your washer and dryer off the basement floor.
- Make sure the connecting hose for your washer and dryer are the metal mesh type.
- Clean your gutters.
- Keep grease out of your kitchen drain.
- Have your sump pump in good running order before the wet season.
Following these ideas and maintenance tips just might help you avoid potential water damage situations.
Water damage can be a nightmare to deal with, but fortunately, you will always have SERVPRO® of South Nashville on your side to help with the cleanup and restoration process.