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About Water Damage |
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Cold Weather and Frozen Pipes |
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Cold weather is a big problem for home and property owners- especially if you’ve moved and your home is setting empty. Why? PLUMBING! If your home gets too cold, the water in your pipes can freeze overnight and then burst in the day when it warms back up. This leaves the potential for extensive flooding and water damage to your home. The pipes you need to be most concerned about are those that have the most exposure to the cold -- outdoor hose faucets, swimming pool supply lines, underground sprinkler systems, and plumbing in unheated basements, crawl spaces, attics and garages. Pipes that run against exterior walls are also at risk. What to do… When it’s cold outside, you should... |
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Prevent Water Damage in the Laundry Room |
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The washer and drier are usually located in the laundry room and create heat and moisture. Simple maintenance is required to help avoiding water problems and mold. The Washer The washer is connected to both cold and hot water lines. Check them frequently. Start with the joints and fix a leak if you find it. Be sure to check both ends of the water lines. Clean or replace the filters once in a while. A blocked filter will slow the water flow into the washing machine, and may cause some malfunctions. This problem is worse in areas with "hard water". Inspect the shut off valve by looking for drips into the washing machine while it is not in use. If you detect a leak, replace ... |
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Water damaged carpet, what can be done? |
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Water damage can come in many varieties, from a spilling a single bucket to a complete basement flooding. How you approach your carpet clean up will also depend on the quality of the water if it is clean water, like rain water, or is it from a sewer backup. Each situation should be evaluated on an individual basis, but here are some general guidelines. First the obvious try to stop the water at the source to eliminate further damage. Check behind the walls as water may be trapped in the insulation or behind the vapor barrier. Next remove all furniture from the room, lift up the edges of the carpet and remove the uderpadding and discard. Extract as much of the water as... |
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Water Damage In A Rental Unit
Author:
dan the roommate man
Biting her keys in her mouth, Phyllis jiggled the condo door open with her free fingertip. Peeking over bags of groceries, she stumbled through the living room and into the kitchen. Step. Step. Step. Squish......? Setting the groceries down, her line of vision shifted to her feet... now immersed in a lukewarm puddle of water, and as she scanned the room, she saw that her couches... chairs, and coffee tables were also about to set sail.
Frantically searching for the culprit, Phyllis became more and more frustrated. The sinks were turned off. The tubs were empty. The dishwasher wasn't on and it hadn't rained for weeks. Then she realized where it was all coming from. It seems that good ole' neighbor Joe Brown never felt it necessary to repair that kitchen sink leak. Why should he have? The leak never came in on his side of the apartment wall.
So now what? It wasn't her fault she had a new indoor swimming area, but would she have to pay for the damages? Allstate Agent Joe McLean says that she purchased a good renter's insurance policy, she would be covered. There are renter's insurance policies which protect you in the event of a bursted pipe, water heater, water bed, etc. With this insurance, you won't have to worry about replacing the pipes, carpeting, or your personal belongings directly out-of-pocket.
Unfortunately, Phyllis didn't have water damage specifically covered under her renter's insurance policy. She was therefore only reimbursed for the damage to her personal belongings, not for the replacement of the carpet, or the repair of the leaking pipe. If her neighbor had had coverage, his policy would have paid for the damage... but he didn't. For the next six months everyone pushed the repair costs on to someone else. The plumbers said it wasn't their responsibility any longer, Joe didn't care because it didn't affect him directly, and the landlord argued that according to the lease, he was only responsible for the exterior upkeep of the condos, not the interior. There wasn't even a security deposit for the landlord to take from. Meanwhile, the carpet began to mold, and patience wore thin. In order to avoid going through the tedious small claims court process, Phyllis moved into another condo and away from the stress. The new owner eventually had to fork out the cost for repairs, and the problem was finally resolved.
According to nolo.com, if a neighbor is legally responsible to water damage you suffer, you may be entitled to:
* Compensation for cost of repairs and replacements.
* Compensation for expenses such as having to stay at a motel.
* Compensation for mental distress, if you have suffered an underlying physical injury.
* Reimbursement for medical expenses.
Punitive damages, if a neighbor acted maliciously. For example, if it could be proven that neighbor Joe rigged the kitchen sink leak up to specifically flood out Phyllis' living room out, then the court would not only compensate Phyllis for the damages, but may also order the neighbor to pay extra money to her as punishment for malice.
However, if neither parties have a renter's insurance policy covering water damage, you'll have to go to small claims court to get compensation, and sometimes it's not even worth the hassle. In order to avoid having to give in and pay for damages, or give up and go to court, it's important to invest in a good renter's insurance policy. Contact your local insurance agent to decide which policy gives you the most coverage.
Another moral to the story? When looking into rental property, it is incredibly important to scrutinize the lease. Some landlords state specifically that they will keep all electrical and plumbing systems in good, working condition, but others - as in Phyllis' case, only claim responsibility for the exterior upkeep of the complex. If you are already living in a rental unit and your manager/landlord does not take care of these things, you should definitely invest in a good renter's insurance policy to avoid future problems.
About the Author
Since 1989 dan the roommate man has helped 1000's of people find roommates. Need help? Contact him at 800-487-8050 or www.roommateexpress.com
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Water Damage |
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A Quick Note
From The Publisher...
If you like the article above, you may be
interested in the following article which is also related to Water Damage...
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Prevent Water Damage in the Laundry Room |
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The washer and drier are usually located in the laundry room and create heat and moisture. Simple maintenance is required to help avoiding water problems and mold. The Washer The washer is connected to both cold and hot water lines. Check them frequently. Start with the joints and fix a leak if you find it. Be sure to check both ends of the water lines. Clean or replace the filters once in a while. A blocked filter will slow the water flow into the washing machine, and may cause some malfunctions. This problem is worse in areas with "hard water". Inspect the shut off valve by looking for drips into the washing machine while it is not in use. If you detect a leak, replace the valve. Hoses & Filters Like in most appliances, problems often start in the hose. Keep at least 4 inches between the water connection and the back of the washer. This space will prevent the hose from kinking and bursting. Check the hoses and replace them if old. Consider installing steel-braided hoses. The Dryer The dryer is connected to a ventilation hose. Check it carefully. The dryer ventilation hose must be connected to the outdoors. Search for lint behind and under the dryer and make sure the vent pipe is not clogged. Make the exhaust short as possible for the dryer to vent efficiently, Utility Sink The utility sink is sometimes the source for water related problems. Search for leaks under the sink. A drip in the trap under the sink can be a sign for problems and should be repaired immediately. Slow draining pipes may indicate a partially blocked drain. A constantly dripping faucet must me repaired promptly. Replace sink seals if they are cracked or loose. Damped or stained walls around plumbing pipes indicate an internal leak... |
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