There are a variety of situations, events and avenues of delivery that could result in water damage to a structure and the contents within. Potential occurrences include human error, vandalism and failure of building systems designed to deliver, remove or protect the structure from water intrusion. Failure of major building systems, such as plumbing, or roofing can be the result of immediate and unexpected physical damage or deterioration over time.
Flood Damage Immediate and Unexpected
Examples of immediate and unexpected physical damage that can penetrate the building envelope or escape systems within the structure and result in flood damage include frozen and burst plumbing supply lines, tree or wind damage to roofing and siding systems during a storm, an overflow from within a plumbing drainage system, triggered or defective fire suppression systems, malfunctioning appliances and HVAC systems, etc.
Long Term Water Damage
Structural deterioration can go unnoticed if the water intrusion is hidden behind building materials, appliances or contents; obscuring identification of the problem. Additionally, water damage can continue unnoticed and unchecked if the rate of water infiltration minimal as a result of minor structural damage or slight system malfunctions.
Deterioration of building materials over time can occur through any of the avenues listed above and pose a problem regarding insurance coverage. Most insurance policies require that water damage be ‘sudden and accidental’, with no more than 14 days passing between the inception of the loss and initiation of the claim. Undetected water damage occurring over an extended time period will likely trigger a denial regardless of circumstance.
Legitimate Flood Damage Claims Routinely Denied
Regardless of the cause or rate of water intrusion, time is of the essence when making an insurance claim for flood damage. Insurance adjusters will closely examine building materials for signs of ongoing water damage and will not hesitate to deny any claim exhibiting indications of extended exposure to water such as mold and rot.
Legitimate water damage claims are routinely denied based on erroneous observations by insurance company adjusters. Any indication of long-term water damage, no matter how questionable, is often evidence enough for many adjusters to bring the validity of the claim into question and deny flood restoration services.
Flood restoration services have been wrongfully denied based on visible damage from an unrelated event sustained during a different time period. Moreover, water damage restoration coverage has been withheld due to the presence of black mold, which can significantly populate cellulose based surfaces in as little as 48 hours if catalyzing environmental circumstances such as excessive heat and humidity are present, which is common in ‘hot water’ spills.
Professional Flood Restoration Contractors
In the aftermath of a water damage event, seek professional flood restoration assistance. Highly trained and certified specialists have qualifications and manpower to safely and rapidly mitigate the circumstances of your water event and implement a flood restoration strategy that jives with standard flood restoration industry protocol.
Consequences of an uneducated approach to a very serious problem can not only lead to denial of an insurance claim but more importantly can result in injury, illness and ancillary issues that pose additional threats to the property, contents and occupants.
Flood Restoration Services
Property Recovery 911 offers residential, commercial, municipal and industrial flood restoration services. In the event of such a crisis, contact us at (267) 808-7200, we have the experience to safely and professionally restore the site to pre-loss condition. Our specialists are on call 24/7/365 and can be on location any time of day to quickly and professionally resolve the issue. Furthermore, we deal with insurance company adjusters on your behalf to help secure coverage for flood restoration services.