The Most Common Types of Water Damage in Your Home

7/5/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Douglasville is your local water restoration experts. We have the tools and technology to handle any restoration.

For most of us, the specific types of nomenclature for water damage in our homes are not as important as the need to just have it prevented, fixed or restored. However to certain people (like your insurance agent), these differentiations are very important.

The specific instance and cause of your water issue could make the difference in whether the repair gets paid for by your insurance company.

So, let’s break it down into the three types of damage you’ll need to know about when reporting water damage to your insurance—and then you should double-check your policy to see which you’re covered for, so you don’t get surprised if one of them becomes suddenly very relevant.

The 3 Delineations of Water Damage

Sewer or water backup. The other types of damage may have more potential for destruction, but this one is the most potentially toxic, and let’s face it, the yuckiest. Sewer or water backup is what happens when water from sewer pipes or drainage systems gets pushed back up into your home. The causes range from aging or degrading sewer systems to blockages in sewer lines due to thirsty tree roots that find a crack in a pipe.

This type of claim also encompasses damage from backup of rainwater and debris caused by blocked gutters or rainwater pipes.

Overflow and discharge. The dishwasher explodes. The pipes freeze. The washing machine overflows or the kids forget the bath is running. These are the types of damage caused by overflow and discharge. When water is released or bursts from plumbing or appliances, and there’s a sudden emanation of water, this is the type of claim you’re looking at.

Flood. This one is sometimes confused with overflow, because we tend to say things like, “My water heater burst and now my basement is flooded.” But for insurance and damage purposes, the definition of a flood event is more environmental—“a general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land area or of two or more properties.” In other words, it’s not truly considered a flood unless a rainstorm or other natural occurrence causes it.

No matter the cause of your water damage, we have the tools, the tech and the training to restore your home to its original state. Call or click when you need us on the scene, or simply to find out how we can help.