Have you checked for water damage in your basement?
When was the last time you went in the basement to check for water damage?
In recent years, we have had more rain than in the past in Maryland. And with the increase in rain we have seen the increase in water damage in basements.
So again, when was the last time you went in the basement to check for signs of water damage?
One of my colleagues, has her laundry in the basement, so she says that she is there daily. But, others that have laundry on the upper levels and tend to avoid the basement.
Basements can be scary, dark places that make us uncomfortable to be in, especially when we are home alone. It is important that you are regularly checking your basement.
My daughter’s college apartment was an old 1910 farm home with a partial basement and looks like the scariest thing on earth. However, I still make the 3 girls check the basement on a regular basis. (They all go together of course, because it is scary….. I have to admit, their basement is scary)
Water damage is the number one cause of all homeowner’s insurance claims.
Water can get into your basement from various sources, such as:
- Broken pipe
- Toilet over flowing
- Sump pump backing up
- Water seeping in under the doors or windows or through the walls.
Depending on the cause of the water, it will depend on whether your homeowner’s policy will cover the basement water damage or not.
However, when moisture and water sits for an extended period of time mold occurs. Most homeowner’s policy have either a mold exclusion or a limited amount of coverage for mold.
When an adjuster comes out and sees mold, they know that the water has been there, and they then question if the claim, meets the definition of an insured loss. To be insurable the claim must be sudden and accidental. Water that has been seeping or leaking for a long period of time may then be excluded.
We have had clients tell us that they just noticed the water damage, but they had not been in the basement for 3-6 months prior to that. This is very alarming.
There is a lot of the mechanicals for the home that are usually in the basement. Those mechanicals could have issues and you may not be aware of them if you are not in the basement.
On a weekly basis you should visit all of the rooms in your home, whether it is the basement, or the upstairs spare bedroom that is only used once a year, around the holidays.
This way if there are issues, you can spot them quickly and they can be fixed or handled before they become huge issues.
In addition, to visiting all of the rooms of your home, you should also do a walk around on the outside of the home to look check out the following;
- Gutters to be sure that they are clean
- The drain at the bottom of the basement steps are clear
- Check for trees rubbing against the home.
Taking s few moments per week to be proactive about your home could save you thousands of dollars in basement water damage later.
Even if the claim is covered by home insurance, you still have to pay your deductible, which most of the time is $1,000 if not higher. And you still have to deal with the inconvenience of the claim. Meeting with the adjuster, getting the contractor out to make the repairs.
Save yourself the frustration of the claim and just go into the basement and do a walk around looking for signs of moisture or water.
If you have any questions on protecting your home against water damage or if you have the right insurance to cover water damage, please reach out o us at 410-647-1111.
Huff Insurance is a full service Independent Insurance Agent. We have been dedicated to Protecting Lifestyles™ since 1960. We offer a full array of Personal Insurance, Commercial Insurance and Life Insurance products. Call us today at 410-647-1111
