Drip. Drip. Drip.
This is the sound all homeowners dread. Inevitably, there is a leak somewhere but where? Is it the ceiling? What about a crack in the shower plate? Or is there water in my basement? Any way you slice it, unexpected water found in a home is almost always bad news. Sometimes this is unavoidable due to rain, snow, wind knocking something loose, etc. However, sometimes it is something preventable like a working sump pump, making sure your roof life is not overextended, or all seals are in working order.
Today we focus on the dreaded basement flooding. Ever wake up, open the basement door, walk a few steps down and see a laundry basket floating by? It is a sight many wouldn’t soon forget. However, there are ways to prevent further damage and even a way to cover such an event in your homeowner’s insurance policy that can protect you.
If you find yourself with water in your basement, the following things you should do are:
1. Check to see if the sump pump is working correctly. Did you lose power, thus it quit running in the middle of the night? Is everything connected correctly? Is my sump pump in working condition to begin with? These are all valid questions to ask. Obviously if you haven’t a sump pump, skip this.
2. Move personal items out of water and/or create an elevated area for items (washer, dryer, etc.)
3. Search for the problem area. Is my sump hole flooded? Is water coming through my blocks? Did I close my egress window tightly?
4. Call a professional. If you have a finished basement, this step most certainly cannot be skipped. These people will be able to effectively remove the water/debris, dry the area, and maybe seal the problem spots. To avoid further disasters like mold, this is a must!
5. Talk to your insurance agent to make sure you are covered. There is no worse feeling then finding out you opted out of an endorsement on your policy that helps pay for the damage. After all, insurance was created exactly for this event!
Endorsement? What’s that? Simply put, an endorsement is additional coverage you can add to protect against unincluded perils such as water in the basement. Typically, you’ll see wording like ‘Back-up of sewer and drains’ or ‘Water back-up’. This endorsement can provide from $1,000 up to $100,000 in coverage for this case. Every company is different but the basic coverage understanding is this ‘to help you repair water damage from overflowing drains and sewers, broken sump pumps, and more — essentially, any damage that results from water moving from the ground up.
For a few bucks, you can safeguard yourself against potentially 1000s of dollars in damage to your home! It’s a no-brainer. Give us a call today so we can do a comprehensive review of your policies today to ensure you don’t have gaps like these that may cost you more out-of-pocket expenses.
