20 Sep Learn What to do When You Have a Water Leak
It’s easy to get overwhelmed when your house is damaged by water. The fact that your house is currently flooding or your pipe burst, or your faucet has been leaking for several weeks without you being aware, will cause your initial stress.
Then comes stress over damage control. As you rush around trying to reduce the damage being done to your house, this is where stress sets in. Although you may have a million thoughts racing around in your head it can be difficult for you to concentrate on what you should do. To know what to do, you need to identify the type and extent of your water leak.
Evaluate What Type of Water Leak Are You Having
Non-damaging
While these leaks can be annoying, they do not cause major damage to your home. They will likely cause more damage than they do to your home and cost you more time, money, and energy to repair.
Take a look at the last time you saw a sprinkler shoot straight up into the sky instead of watering your grass. The last time you went to your bathroom and heard the toilet running, even though it wasn’t being used in recent times
Minimal Damage — But Will Worsen Over Time
While minor damage leaks might not appear to be a major problem initially, if they aren’t addressed promptly, it can cause more severe damage in the long-term. These leaks can often go unnoticed.
These leaks may occasionally occur in dangerous areas in your home such as the boiler or hot water tank.
Significant Damage to Your Home — Act Now
A home that has a leaky roof is unlikely to fall into this category. These leaks can cause great harm to your home.
It is easy to see a significant leak in your home, since it is probably being flooded. These types of leaks can be caused by frozen or burst pipes and require immediate attention.
Water Leaks that are Non-Damaging — What can you do?
- Turn off all faucets and showers. Shut down all water sources to help you determine if there are any issues with your home’s water supply. You may have to try harder to find the source of the water leakage if there is still water running through the house.
- Check your Water Meter. After shutting off all water sources, make sure that you check whether water is still flowing. This can be done by looking for the low flow indicator on your water meter. The low-flow indicator will typically be in the form of a small triangle. If the low-flow indicator continues spinning, this means that your water is still flowing and can be confirmed as a leak.
- Shut down Your Toilets – This is the easiest way to prevent water damage from your toilet. You can shut down each toilet one at a while and check the low-flow indicator every time. If your low-flow indicator does not stop spinning after shutting down a toilet you will know you have a leak. If the low-flow indicator keeps spinning, shut down another toilet until it stops spinning.
- Shut Down Other Appliances – If the static low-flow indicator does not appear on all your toilets, then it is likely that the leak is coming from another source. You can either shut off each appliance one at a while and monitor the low-flow indicator or call a plumber to locate the leak. Check out our blog to learn more about how to find the leak source.
Minimal Water Leakage — What to Do
- Switch off Water in Your Home Before a water leak causes more damage, it is essential to locate and turn off your water meter.
- Clean up the mess – You should immediately clean up any leaks if you notice them early enough. Water leaks can cause mold and mildew, and more damage down the line. It is vital to disinfect any water that has come into contact with it. You should be careful about what you touch and use protective clothing like gloves, boots, dust and eye masks.
- Leak – Call a local Long Beach Plumber if the problem is not fixed by you.
Water Leakage – Home is Getting Destroyed — Take Action Now
- Turn off Water at Home – Find the water meter and shut off the water supply to stop flooding. You can call a plumber if the water is not turned off by you.
- Document Damage – Record the extent of water damage to your home. You should take photographs and/or video of the damage to your home before you attempt any cleaning.
- Call Insurance Company It’s important to notify your insurance company immediately after the leak.
- Identify the source of damage – If you can, identify the source of any leakage. You may need to call in a plumber if you cannot identify the source.
- Resolve Leak
- Repair Other Problems – Sometimes it is necessary to hire a contractor in order to eliminate mold and mildew, or to repair damaged walls. But, you should wait for approval from your insurer before making any permanent repairs. Repairs may not be covered if you wait for approval.
Contacting Your Insurance Company
- Review Insurance Policy Make sure you have water damage coverage in your insurance policy before you call an insurance company.
- Record Important Information – Keep the following information on hand:
- Date of water damage
- The location of water damage
- Contact information for property owner
- Pictures and/or Videos of water damage
- A detailed inventory of the damaged items
- Cleaning up and remediation estimates
- Talk to Insurance Company
You should explain to your insurance company what happened. Also, keep track of who you spoke to and what you talked about.
- Sit Straight. Most insurance companies will investigate your claim within 15 business days of receiving a written notice.
- Adjuster – An adjuster will be sent to your home by the insurance company to assess the damage. The fee is usually a portion of the claim, and is subtracted from your settlement.
- Settlement Claim and Remedies Make sure you keep all receipts to cover cleanup, repairs and any other costs.
Make it Clean
Pre-Cleanup
Before you begin major cleanup, ensure you have contacted your insurance company. Rubber boots, dust gloves, eye masks, and rubber gloves are all important to reduce the chance of getting hurt or infected.
Turn off Power
This is especially true if the flood is higher than the outlet line. You might need to contact an electrician if you cannot reach the circuit breaker.
Disinfect and Air Out
Any surfaces that have been touched by standing water must be disinfected. Make sure to open doors and windows, and use fans and dehumidifiers for drying.
Prevention
You can avoid water damage by installing a leak detection system and automatic shut-off system. This will alert you through your smartphone or computer when there is an irregularity in water use.