Incidents in your home can happen in many ways – from a leaky roof or pipe or perhaps an overflowing washing machine. However, unlike moisture damage, floods can occur suddenly as a result of heavy rainfall coupled with poor drainage systems. In this blog, we’ll be taking a closer look at these two incidents and exploring their key differences. To make sure you know what to look out for and how to protect yourself from both flood and water damage in Clairemont, CA, read on.
Is water damage different than flood damage?
The main difference between the two is the source of the moisture causing the destruction. The first one is considered to be man-made and the other is considered an “act of nature”. And while issues caused by a flood are usually larger in scale and scope, it’s not a strict rule.
The main difference for homeowners is who pays for the repairs. Standard homeowner’s insurance generally covers any consequences caused by man-made sources, while problems caused by floods are generally excluded from coverage and require special insurance policies to protect your home against them.
What is Water Damage?
This type of issue is caused by an internal source of leakage like broken pipes, backed-up drains, faulty appliances, or any other source of indoor moisture. In some cases, it may even be caused by something as simple as a heavy rainstorm that saturates your roof or walls and leads to leaks inside your home.
It’s generally sorted into categories depending on the source of the moisture:
- Category 1 – Means the liquid is clean and from a sanitary source like a broken supply line or malfunctioning appliance. Fortunately, this is the most common kind.
- Category 2 – Involves used liquid after bathing, dishwashing waste, etc.
- Category 3 – Which is caused by sewage. This is the most dangerous one as it poses a health risk on top of the trouble it causes.
In all cases, the goal should be to identify and stop the source of the leak right away before it does serious harm. When it comes to repairing, this issue is typically covered by most homeowners’ insurance policies. The aftermath may include getting familiar with types of mold and how to remove them, but this type of issue is generally lighter.
What is Flood Damage?
The flooding comes from an external source like a river overflowing its banks or heavy rains falling on saturated soil. Unlike moisture issues which you can work on preventing, there is not much to do against flood consequences, as they’re caused by forces of nature.
This type of flooding often moves quickly so there isn’t much time to prepare for it. Instead, you must act fast and try to minimize the harm. Keep in mind that on top of mold and mildew that will inevitably appear if there’s moisture, floods can bring in other unwanted guests like dangerous bacteria from the outside right as it happens. This is why it must be taken seriously.
Even though flooding often results in significant structural and property consequences, it’s typically not covered under homeowners’ insurance policies. Instead, you must purchase a separate policy specifically for flood coverage. If you live in an area that has had floods before, for example, the area near Thompson Creek Dam, you may want to invest in this policy to protect yourself from costly repairs.
Who do I call if I need help dealing with water damage in Clairemont, CA?
It might not seem like it, but moisture can cause a lot of trouble to all kinds of properties. No matter if it comes from within the house or the outside, it’s tricky because it gets everywhere easily. Getting rid of it and fixing the problem caused can be quite exhausting if you try to do it alone.
Instead, lean on professional help from trained experts working with Risk Free Serv! We have all the knowledge and equipment to tackle the problem successfully and in a much shorter time. Call us today!