Steps To Minimizing Home Damage And Disaster Recovery Home Insurance Quotes
Sometimes it is best to call upon a company that can handle emergency services (i.e. plumber, electrician, flooding experts, restoration contractor, etc) in order to quickly and efficiently minimize the exposed danger and to help reduce you from further liability and home damage. In the meantime, there are basic steps you can take to lower your home insurance claim amount by avoiding additional damage.
Investigate Damages
If your first assessment is that of severe damage, leave the premises immediately. Your first reaction to the severity of the damage is usually right. Don’t jeopardize your safety or that of your family. A large branch of a tree crashing down upon your roof can damage the internal components and structural support of the entire house. It is best to leave the house and go to a neighbor’s home or hotel until you can properly assess the damage.
It is also wise, at this time, to consider calling in a qualified restoration contractor or specific emergency service. Your choice is simple, either you and your family combat the disaster, such as a broken pipe or leaking roof, or you call in the experts.
A restoration contractor or an emergency service company can shut off water flow, cover the roof, extract flooded areas of your home, dry or remove wet carpeting, move furniture out of harm’s way, and more! They can also secure your home or business to prevent vandalism, trespassing, or any other condition that may hold you vulnerable to liability or affect the safety of others.
Mitigate Damages
To mitigate, according to Webster’s New World Dictionary, means to “make less severe, less painful.” To mitigate damages, in insurance jargon, is to use reasonable efforts to lessen the damages which have already occurred. Every insurance policy contains the express condition that the policyholder, upon suffering a loss, prevent further damage and to “mitigate” the situation. Generally speaking, your response to a loss will depend on the type of loss and the circumstances surrounding it.
Broken Water Pipe: This occurrence can happen at anytime. It doesn’t matter whether your home is old or new, piping within the structure can be a problem. Broken pipes can cause immediate flooding, damaging the contents and interior of your home.
Older homes utilizing galvanized plumbing components can age and deteriorate to the point that one day a rupture can occurs. Newer homes can have inadequately installed plumbing and piping which can cause leaks and pressure build-up resulting in fracture and flood.
When a broken pipe occurs, quickly assess the damage. Your primary response should be to turn off the main valve controlling the water flow into your house. A further step that should be taken to “mitigate” your damages in this case would be to mop up all exposed water and extract any water out of the carpeting to prevent further damage and avoid deterioration.
You should be prepared, in advance, to locate the water shutoff valve, and inform other members of your household how and where to turn off the water. There are a number of ways to curtail the flow of water to your residence.
- Valve nearest to the source of the broken pipe;
- Main input valve to residence; and
- Municipal shutoff valve at curbside.
Have the right shutoff tool handy. Most under sink and toilet shutoff valves have the common spindle-wheel type valve closure handle. But others, such as your main-to-house or municipal water shutoffs have slot-turn valves.
A medium size adjustable crescent wrench will be the best preparation you can have in case of an emergency of this sort. If a pipe breaks, for example, under a sink or toilet, the valve nearest to the break is probably the appropriate shutoff. Under each sink in your home is either a two-valve assembly or, in the case of a toilet, a one-valve shutoff.
Shut Valves Off Immediately By Turning In A Clockwise Motion. Sometimes valves can be hard to rotate due to calcium build-up from the water, but a little effort back and forth can loosen and fee them up enough to allow you to close the water flow in a clockwise direction. It is also a good idea to periodically maintain the efficiency of the shutoff valve by spraying a threading lubricant, such as the commercially available WD-40, at the valve stem.
Pipe break occurrences normally involved under sink piping and fixtures, kitchen pipes and garbage disposal in-flows, and hot water heating units. Pipes can also break within a wall, floor or ceiling. If this is the case, and there is no valve located near the break, you must then shut off water flow to the entire house.
Home and Municipal Water Shutoff
The main input valve to your home is normally located at the front or side of your house. You will locate this spindle-wheel valve close to the ground or possibly in shallow dirt directly below ground level. Again, a clockwise turn will shut this valve off completely, stopping all water flow to the household.
The municipal water shutoff, or the valve that comes from your city’s supply to your house, is normally located at the site of the water meter. Most urban areas have this valve and meter box located on the parkway or that portion o your property at the city boundary located at a street site. It is the location where city officials and meter readers periodically check and account for your water use. A medium-sized crescent wrench can be used to deactivate water flow, but if you have difficulty in closing the valve, call your city’s water emergency service immediately.
Photograph Damages
The best way, by far, to document any loss for insurance claim purposes is to photograph or videotape the damages. It is vitally important that you obtain well lit photographs/videos of the damaged areas.
Water damage may dry quickly, and if there is no confirmable evidence of the interior stains to your ceiling or walls, they could go undetected. Flooded areas subside eventually, and the power of a detailed photograph/video showing the immediate disaster may enhance your insurance claim immensely.
Always request double prints when you get your film developed and keep the negatives in a safe place. This way you will have one set for your file and another set can be sent to the insurance company.
List Damages (Inventory)
The sooner you can list or inventory the loss, the better. At the time of the loss you are more aware of what has been damaged and the cause of such damage. There are items or components that you may miss after a day or two of contemplating your loss.
Photographs are indeed the best evidence in any insurance claim, but a detailed inventory of damaged or destroyed property will eventually become invaluable in processing your claim. Perhaps you already have photos or video tape of your home to show the “before” condition of your home.
Home Insurance
After a major disaster or significant home damage, it is always best to review your home insurance policy and make sure you are getting the best coverage for your premium rates. Comparing your home insurance coverage to plans offered by other leading home insurance companies and getting a home insurance quote will help you figure out if your insurance rates are justified by the coverage and customer service you are receiving.