Preventing water damage in your home

The sun is heating up and spring is just around the corner. You want to give it a warm, friendly welcome, but it often shows up with an unwanted guest called “water damage”. What can you do to prevent this surprise guest from spoiling your party?

To prevent water damage, it’s important to keep your drains clean and free of leaves or other debris. You should maintain your roof properly and prevent your pipes from freezing when the temperature gets very cold. It is recommended that you inspect your foundation annually to avoid letting an infiltration problem that may have existed for a while get out of hand.

Stay alert, as the signs are usually visible: mold, cracks in the walls and abnormal water flow.

Our country and its crazy weather could still get the better of you. That’s why it’s important to be well informed and to have a trusted insurance broker to guide you. An overflowing bathtub, a burst water pipe, ineffective window caulking, a sewer backup: these are all events that can cause significant damage.

Before calling your insurance company, we recommend that you turn off all water sources to your house. It is important that you do not touch any switches until you turn off the power. Does it look like your water-soaked ceiling is about to cave in? Walk away after you’ve drilled holes to drain the excess water. Stay safe while performing these basic steps, regardless of your water damage-related stress.

Move your furniture to a dry place unless it was damaged by sewer backup. In which case, don’t even touch it! Take your wet carpets outside and air-dry them. You’ll also want to dry any fragile surfaces (wood, fabrics).

Once you’ve done all of this, take a moment to make a list of what appears to be damaged or destroyed. Then call your insurer to have an adjuster quickly handle your claim.

Some damages are automatically covered by your home insurance policy. Others are covered only if you’ve added specific coverage to your policy. Your home insurance policy includes coverage for water damage caused by a plumbing fixture and a broken drinking water pipe. Damage caused by water infiltration, sewer backup or overflowing rivers, streams and lakes will be covered by an addition (endorsement) to your policy.

Rest assured that the cost of cleaning up your property, and storing your personal effects and furniture, will be covered by your insurance.

We recommend the installation of a leak detection system. These detectors are installed around the main plumbing fixtures and appliances. When water overflows, the detectors trigger the main module, which in turn closes the electric valve installed on the house’s water inlet. This will reduce the risk of water damage due to plumbing issues. Consequently, the cost of your insurance will be less.

Remember that situations that qualify as negligence on the part of the owner will never be covered by insurance policies. For great tips on simple and thrifty precautions you can take, visit this website.

Finally, for year-round peace of mind, it’s a good idea to have adequate home insurance with additional clauses to cover and meet your needs. Don’t hesitate to contact one of our brokers for more details.