Tip: Water Damage and Insurance
Water damage is one of the leading causes of property damage. Water damage can result from a broken pipe, roof damage, malfunctioning appliance, flooding from ground water, etc… The mitigation process can be time consuming and expensive if you are not properly prepared.
The first step in preparation is insurance. We encourage all our clients to have a conversation with their insurance agent over what their policy covers and what it excludes. Make sure to take the time and really understand your policy. Know that there is a difference between homeowners insurance and flood insurance.
In typical circumstances, a homeowner’s policy should cover water damage situations resulting from roof damage, such as a tree falling or wind blowing shingles off. It should also cover something like a hot-water tank failing or washer machine overflow. Homeowner’s policies typically do not cover ground water entering the basement through the foundation. These occurrences typically take place in the spring when snow-melt and heavy rains combine to raise the water levels in bodies of water and the ground. Separate flood coverage may be available and worth considering if this is a concern. Bring it up to your insurance agent to understand your options.
The final step in preparing for water damage cleanup is to build a relationship with a certified, reputable water damage restoration company. You do not want to be caught off guard in the event you need emergency water damage or flood cleanup. Soil-Away’s water damage mitigation team serves south/central New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts. In the first quarter of 2014, Soil-Away restored hundreds water damaged properties in towns such as Manchester, Hampstead, Portsmouth, Concord, Bedford, Moultonborough, and Laconia, NH.
