Flooded basement – will my insurance cover?
Flooded basements – what to do if a basement floods? Few things in a homeowner’s life are so stressful as a flooded basement. Unfortunately for your insurance, this is also among the most unclear situations you can face regarding insurance coverage and claims. Some causes of flooding the home owner’s insurance policy will cover, while others it will not. In those cases, you would need to have actual flood insurance to be covered. Emergency First Actions Following Basement Flooding There are a series of practical steps you should take if you find your basement unexpectedly flooded. The first thing to do every time is to turn off all power surrounding the area. This includes both gas and electricity. A golden rule is to not ever submerge yourself in any flooded area when the power is still turned on. If you can not turn off the electricity with certainty, then you should call an electrician first. When the water is not caused by rain, you should take immediate steps to rectify the situation. If a storm is causing the flooding, it is always best to wait until the storm is over before you start the work. No matter the cause of the water, you always need to wear gloves and boots as protective gear. Be careful moving and walking around flooded places as they often can cause slipping hazards. These are some steps you should follow in general when you are dealing with a flooded area: 1. Ascertain where the water is coming from – In cases where a burst pipe is to blame, turn off all water sources to the basement. 2. Many basements come equipped with a floor drain – ensure that it has not been clogged in the flood. Maintaining an open and fully working floor drain will help to remove the water quickly. 3. Begin manually removing the basement water – there are several types of pumps that are handy for forcing the water out of a basement. Pool pumps, sump pumps, and even wet/dry vacuums are all potential solutions for the job. You find sump pumps down in the lowest section of the basement. These function by draining the water out of the house. Sump pumps generally prevent water from entering through the ground level and coming into a home. An unexpected sump pump failure could lead to floods in more than just the basement. Once the majority of the water is out, you can utilize sponges and cloths to soak up the rest of the water. 4. Remove all damaged things from the basement over to a ventilated area for drying – Sunny spots are naturally best if you have them. Never attempt to dry wet items in the basement which is already a damp space. In well-ventilated areas, items generally require about 48 hours to dry completely. If they stay wet longer than this, they will begin to suffer from mildew and mold accumulation. You should carefully inspect them thoroughly after the 48 drying period to determine if they need to be thrown out. Wet cardboard boxes are especially good candidates for bacteria and mold. You might salvage what was in the boxes before throwing the boxes themselves away. Calling In A Professional Is Always A Sensible and Safe Idea Because of all the things that can go wrong in such a cleanup job, it is never a bad idea to bring in a professional. You should never touch anything electrical that is wet, even after electricity has been both turned off and disconnected. Stereos, televisions, and lamps are all extremely dangerous things to touch in floods. Electrical equipment should be left to dry where it is standing or resting. Electricians are the best professionals to call in cases where thee are potentially damaged electronics and electrical appliances. Does Insurance Cover Flooded Basements? Once you have addressed the damage, the nagging, critical question arises: Who is going to pay for all the mess, cleanup, and damage? The question about insurance responsibility depends entirely on what caused the flooding in the first place. Here are some causes that would be covered by typical homeowner’s insurance policies: Broken Appliance Flooding – when the A/C, washing machine, or refrigerator malfunctioned and caused a room to flood, standard homeowner’s insurance policies will cover the water damage. The caveat surrounds proper maintenance. If the appliances are not properly maintained, then they may argue is your fault. Leaking Water Heater Flooding – Leaky water heaters would be covered by a homeowner’s insurance policy. Once again, the insurance company may try to disqualify the claim based on any poorly maintained water heaters. Bursting Freezing Pipe Leaks – Insurance policies cover bursting pipes that freeze. This includes appliances, sprinklers, and A/C/ units. The only requirement is that you must be occupying the house when it floods. Overflowing Pools, Tubs, Sinks Floods – If something overflowed, your insurance policy will also cover this damage. They call this “sudden and accidental” so all destroyed items will be replaced. Other incidents will not be covered by standard Homeowner’s Insurance Policies. These include situations like: Floods from heavy rains and storm surge – nature caused flooding is never covered under a standard Home Owner’s Insurance Policy. Only flood insurance will help in these natural causes. A good sump pump is the best remedy for these cases. Sewage Backing Up Floods – When your external sewer backs up into the basement, you can not count on your Homeowner’s Insurance Policy. Such a sewage backup will be among the most expensive disasters your home can suffer from. Sewage backups can cost even hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs. Underground Water Seepage – This is usually not covered. Saturated ground can force water into the basement. The importance of using a professional in terms of ensuring water removal is done right can not be overstated. Steps To Ensure No Mold Occurs and Complete Restoration Results There are a number of steps you should follow to make sure
Tips to Prevent Water & Fire Damage and other Home Disasters this Holiday
The winter holidays are supposed to be joyful and packed with friends, family, and delightful festivities. Yet the unfortunate side effects of so much decorating, cooking, and celebrating often lead to possibly serious dangers in your house or apartment. The way to avoid a tragic conclusion to your festive season is to be aware of and prepared for the various risks that the holidays and winter season inevitably increase. In this article we look at the best ways to avoid fire, water, and other domicile disasters over the holidays. The Dangers Involved in Living in New York City Are Real You should not ignore the fact that more than 28,000 individuals living in the average square mile of New York City means there are real dangers to your health you need to consider. For all the thrill and opportunities that living in the city provides, it also dishes up an unhealthy serving of congestion, pollution, and the ill side effects of so many tall buildings and skyscrapers. The largest city in the United States is justly famous for a wide range of things. Clean, healthy air to breathe is not among them. You do not have to look far to see smoke plumes curling from neighboring rooftops or to smell the fumes from too many cars and trucks exhausting in one city. Observers have pointed out for years that this high level of air pollution means significant health risks for inhabitants. It leads to a variety of ills over time such as lung cancer, heart disease, and asthma. NYC has estimated that as many as 2,700 yearly premature deaths can be blamed on fine particles in the air. To put this into perspective, this is eight times higher than all of the annual murders in New York for year 2013. Besides your everyday varieties of pollution, congestion, skyscraper fires, and crime dangers, you also have a lingering chance of having your children suffer from lead poisoning effects. Whether you live in an affluent or a more humble section of the city, thousands of children per year are still diagnosed with the heartrending and long-lasting terrible side effects from ingesting or breathing in lead-based paint particles and dust. These include often permanent brain damage, problems with fine motor skills, speech difficulties, and more. The best remedy for this particular threat is to have your apartment or house tested for lead based paint. It becomes dangerous if it is peeling and you have children of six years of age and younger living there. Typical Home Disasters that Are Far Too Prevalent During the Holiday Season Besides the normal year-round dangers of life in the city, there are also a range of home disasters that are most prevalent in the usually joyous holiday season. Two of the most common of these are fire and water damage, but there are others including ensuing mold, carbon monoxide poisoning, and even increased chances of becoming a victim of burglary. The National Fire Protection Association warns that structure fires caused an incredible $10.3 billion worth of property damage in year 2015 alone. The risks of such a fire breaking out around the holidays and winter season are significantly higher than other times in the year. Fires start from many causes that are not always so obvious. An average of 8,200 different home fires are reported because of candles (every year on average from 2012 to 2016). The three most likely days to suffer from a candle fire turn out to be Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s day too. Cooking fires are another common cause of preventable tragedies. The second and third most frequently reported cooking fire days in a year are Christmas day and Christmas Eve. The specific cause of such senseless and often dangerous or even lethal fires is unattended cooking. Another fire hazard to be particularly aware of around the holidays and winter months when they are most common are dryer fires. You should never leave your dryer running while you are away from the house or at night while sleeping. Water disasters, damage, and resulting mold are a second significant risk around the holidays and winter months. Frozen pipes are the prime culprit. They lead to burst pipes that can create enormous damage and completely ruin your holidays. Apart from potentially having no water at this time when cooking, washing, and other needs are so necessary, there are other potentially terrible results including the formation of sometimes hidden (but usually) toxic mold. Frozen pipes can be prevented in many cases. They most commonly result from thermostats that you set too low, poor insulation of your piping, and sudden or rapid temperature drops. Two other dangers to be on the lookout for this winter and around the festive season include carbon monoxide poisoning and burglaries. With heat and furnaces running constantly this time of year, there is always an increased danger of lethal amounts of carbon monoxide building up inside your home or apartment. You can buy carbon monoxide monitors to place in your bedrooms to prevent this senseless tragedy that leads to death in far too many cases. Where burglaries are concerned, the holidays unfortunately bring an increased number of incidents of break-ins and robberies. This is particularly the case in large cities with significant crime issues. Now is the time to ensure that you lock doors and windows securely and set your alarm systems whenever you go out. Tips to Prevent Becoming A Senseless Victim This Holiday Season Fire and water-related disasters are dangers that you can mostly prevent if you take some basic precautions. With fires, there are many prevention tips that make great sense. Start with a basic one of only plugging in a single high watt appliance at once. This prevents dangerous overloading. You should never allow extension cords to become pinched in tight areas such as between furniture so that wires do not suffer damage and become shock and fire hazards. Flammable objects should not be
What to do after Water Damage in NYC Apartment
Water Damage is not something you can really prepare for or always avoid. A sudden flood or discovery of a water damage from an underfloor leaking pipe can be a cause for significant damage and stress so knowing what to do when disaster strikes to minimize the short- and long-term damage is important. Renters Insurance Living in NYC may very well mean living in a rental and almost definitely means living in a building shared with others. In addition to your own disasters, water damage can affect you if your neighbor doesn’t fix their leaky toilet, leaves the bath to overflow or has flooding that seeps through their flooring to your ceiling. Whether your landlord demands it as a prerequisite to moving in or not, renter’s insurance is something anyone who rents an apartment or house should have. There are different coverages, ranging from covering just structural damage to walls, floor and pipes, to personal content cover and even alternate rental arrangements while restoration is done. Depending on your lease and what your landlord covers you will want to ensure between the two you are fully covered in case of water and fire damage. Landlords Insurance – Water damage home insurance As a landlord you have both legal, moral and financial responsibilities to ensure the property meets certain standards. Dealing with natural disasters, hidden leaks and water damage from neighbor’s floods and burst pipes is likely to come up in addition to regular property maintenance and upkeep. Landlord insurance policies should make sure that your property is insured adequately against any liability you may come across and offers options that are suitable to your unique budget requirements and property needs Make sure to read the fine lines of your home owner insurance coverage so you understand what is or isn’t covered. When inquiring about different insurance policies make sure to ask question like does homeowners insurance cover water damage? Is water damage caused by negligence, like leaving a bath running covered? Is mold resulting from dampness or water damage included? Be smart and find out apartment water damage laws and landlord responsibilities so you know you are covered in case of flooding or other water fiascos. When Disaster Strikes The first thing to do is stop the flow. If a pipe has burst or drain is blocked turn off your water mains, attempt to seal or at least contain the water. Get valuables and as much as you can out of the water. The faster you get things away from the water the more likely you are to save them or at least minimize the damage. In case of a flood move things as high as possible or out of the apartment if you can. Call an Emergency Water Restoration Company (or contact your insurance company to see if they have one) to carry out water extraction and drying. If renting, contact your landlord or management to see if they have any agreements or companies they use. Once the water has been extracted as much as possible, you need to ensure the next stage of water damage restoration is carried out. You may be aware of the damage that you see was done but unfortunately with water there is a lot more potential damage than meets the eye. If the ceiling, walls, floor, cabinets etc. are not completely dry, dampness can lead to mold. Contaminated water can also be potentially harmful, and you will need an expert using specialized equipment to really inspect and evaluate what needs to be done in terms of remediation and restoration. Your insurance company may have their own adjustor or allow you to bring an evaluation from your own adjust regarding the restoration work and damage costs. Unfortunately, this is where a lot of people lose out. You need to be sure the adjustor and the water restoration contractor are of agreement to the true nature, damage and costs involved. Insurance companies will always look to save – which in the long term may cost you. Sometimes an external adjustor or advice from professional contractors can help you get significantly more from the insurance company so choose your restoration company with care. Whether you are a tenant, landlord or home owner, taking the necessary steps to be covered in case of flooding, water damage or other water related problems and knowing what to do when they occur will help to lower stress levels, minimize damage and maximize the coverage of restoration and renovation from your water damage insurance provider.