Water Damage That Can Be Prevented in Tampa Businesses

2/28/2022 (Permalink)

Storms and flooding can cause catastrophic water damage; however, they are often not the cause. There are a number of things around your business that can cause water damage.

It is important to know the difference between water damage and gradual water damage, and how it can impact insurance claims. For example, slow leaks inside walls from appliances such as ice maker lines and washing machines can happen gradually and are ongoing situations that have been happening over a period of time.

Plumbing issues in the walls can cause damage to walls, ceilings or floors, or water damage caused by cracks in the foundation. Unfortunately, many gradual water damage situations are not covered by homeowner’s insurance, while storm-related water damage usually is.

According to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), the leading causes of water damage are:

Plumbing supply system failures. Per IBHS, plumbing supply system failures are the leading source of residential water losses and cost an average of $5,092 per incident after the deductible. In homes that were 16 to 40 years of age, this was a more frequent occurrence and made up a large group of supply system material failure claims.

Plumbing drain system failures. This can occur when a sewer drain backs up and overflows into a home or from material breakdown issues.

Toilet failures. Toilet failures fall second in line to plumbing supply system failures for residential water damage loss and can be caused by a faulty fill valve or clogged drain lines.

Water heater failures. If your water heater has reached its life expectancy, the tank begins to rust and corrode. This can result in leaking or bursting issues.

Washing machine failures. Typically caused by supply hose failures, drain line failures and machine overflows, washing machine failures are one of the top 10 sources of residential water damage losses. According to IBHS, supply hose failures were responsible for over half of all washing machine-related losses.

Our trained Technicians can get to your water damage emergency quickly. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces the restoration cost. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) creates the standards for the restoration industry and provides training and certification to restoration companies. SERVPRO of West Tampa is an IICRC firm.

If your home ever experiences any water damage, SERVPRO of West Tampa is available 24/7 to help with cleanup and restoration and make it look “Like it never even happened.” Call us today at 813-855-0888